by LONDON — Dunhill’s new creative director Simon Holloway has chosen a predominantly women’s fashion show to unveil his first menswear collection, and while the choice may seem unusual, it makes sense .
Holloway, who took up his role last April, wants to turn the spotlight on British luxury menswear again. Despite the many successful brands and businesses on and around Savile Row, men’s fashion week is no longer here. So where better to make a splash than London Fashion Week?
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“It’s important to reclaim the mantle of British finery because it’s been a bit absent,” Holloway said in an interview.
“The world references British clothing in their design work, whether it’s color heritage, fabric typology or even classic men’s codes – it really comes from English construction. It will be great to celebrate that in a very colorful way,” he said.
Since joining the 131-year-old British house, owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, he has been trying to create a strong visual language for Dunhill through actions and campaigns that emphasize British style and craftsmanship.
Holloway is familiar with many aspects of British style, and his background extends across womenswear and menswear, accessories and footwear. He arrived in Dunall after a brief stint as creative director of James Purdey & Sons, the renowned gunsmith and outerwear supplier that is also part of the Richemont stable.
He is British, based in London, and studied fashion design at Kingston University School of Fashion. It is renowned for its soft touch, luxury fabric and leather expertise, and ability to work across ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories.
Prior to joining Purdey, Holloway was creative director of Agnona, and has spent a career in fashion and luxury, holding senior creative roles at brands including Hogan, Jimmy Choo, Narciso Rodriguez and Ralph Lauren.
He said his priority is to “retell the story of Dunhill, and it’s a story that a lot of people don’t really know. Dunall started with all things automotive. And there was an exploration of outerwear such as the automobile undercoats made in the early 1900s.”
The “sporty tailor” was Dunhill’s way into ready-to-wear, and the early styles were inspired by the English aristocracy’s love of driving.
In the archives, Holloway found driving coats and jackets made of leather and sometimes tweed, which he used as inspiration for the fall 2024 collection.
He has unpicked those early designs, and reinvented them for the 21st century, giving them a lighter, more contemporary twist.
The silhouettes, Holloway said, feel “quintessentially English,” but they won’t be offered in a heavy and old-fashioned way. “They’re in line with how men fit today and reflect depth and heritage [of fabrics] which Dunhill clients have experienced,” he said.
As a further nod to British history, Holloway’s show will take place in the Duveen wing of the National Portrait Gallery, which was opened by King George V and Queen Mary in 1939.
“I really wanted to show the collection in an environment that was truly British, and not in an old club on Pall Mall filled with the unfortunate trappings of empire that no one wants to look at or be associated with,” said the designer.
The National Portrait Gallery, which opened in 1856, felt appropriate to Holloway for other reasons as well. He believes that the institution is tackling the “problematic history of the country” without losing its historical or aesthetic value.
He also believes that the newly renovated gallery is a “reflection of the society we live in today” as it showcases artists, writers and architects throughout history.
“Creativity is hidden for most of the artwork in these rooms. The content of the galleries is much more of a positive message than stuffy, Lord and so,’” Holloway explained.
That said, he hopes a backdrop of paintings, gilded frames and silk-padded walls won’t give anyone the wrong impression.
“I’m not trying to create some kind of period costume drama,” he said, adding that the collection is “very much aimed at the man of today”.
In the collection, he will offer three stages of Dunhill tailoring: ready-to-wear, made-to-measure and distinctive — as one vision on the runway.
Dunhill’s tailored clothing is big business, he said.
“We have a very strong and loyal clientele internationally and have done a significant business with made to measure and custom designs in the US, Japan and China, as well as here at home,” said the designer.
“We have seen double-digit growth in our tailoring sales. Ready-to-wear accessories, both made-to-measure and bespoke, are in high demand,” he said.
A spokesperson for the brand said that Dunhill is not feeling the impact of the global luxury slowdown, with “year-on-year sales increases, both in the West and in Asia.”
As reported, the business restructured its operations in 2022 with a reinforced focus on “classic style, masculine elegance and a sense of Britishness.”
The brand recently closed its store near the Royal Academy due to the landlord’s redevelopment of the building. As a result, Dunhill’s focus for the next 18 months will be on its members’ club and a global flagship project that sit right next to each other on Davies Street in Mayfair.
Bourdon House has had a refreshed interior, as well as an updated and developed “experience” that aims to draw customers into the Dunhill universe. An in-house tailoring team is available for rtw’s offerings, customized and made to the brand’s dimensions. There is also a discreet VIP area, a barber shop and Cafe Alfred.
Holloway said he is ready to use Bourdon House as a laboratory to test his ideas and innovations, similar to founder Alfred Dunhill’s approach.
When he took up the post, Holloway described the house’s founder as “a pioneer, innovator and one of the most influential British connoisseurs of the 20th century. His obsession with ingenuity and refinement has established a house that embodies luxury and purposeful quality – an enduring and powerful inspiration.”
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