At Denzil Patrick, clothing is not merely attire; it’s a language, a narrative told through confident design and unwavering values. Rooted in international design studios, Denzil Patrick celebrates London’s unique beauty, drawing inspiration from familial legacies to craft bold expressions in menswear. Led by Daniel Gayle and guided by the artistic direction of James Bosley, Denzil Patrick brings together expertise from renowned fashion houses like Victoria Beckham, Jonathan Saunders, Phillip Lim and Kenzo to tell compelling stories through sartorial excellence.
hube: Dance and fashion both illustrate the act of representing art through the human body. How did your background in dance influence your transition into the world of fashion, and how did it shape your approach to design at Denzil Patrick?
DP: Dance, and my time with my tutors and performing, influenced my design approach in many ways, but mostly in my approach to how I see the silhouette and the male form. During classes and rehearsals, we spent a lot of time in front of the mirror, analysing our bodies and how they move. I would also note how the fabric would fall across my body, how I could use it to alter the perception of different areas – shrink the torso, elongate the arms and so on, and how this would then set my feelings about myself, and my own confidence. The basis of dance is fundamentally about the line and silhouette – just like fashion. I think that my dance training was just an alternative fashion training. When I’m designing, I’m trying on the clothes, seeing how they interact with my body and my proportions, then asking how it might affect others; would you feel less vulnerable with more fabric here, or perhaps more sensual with less fabric there…
h: You believe that clothing is a language. What does that mean for you?
DP: Having travelled a little and worked across different countries and cultures, the one thing I was confident that I could use to communicate was my clothes and my outfits. I was able to project myself via my clothes, and I don’t mean via brands or anything like that, I mean through colour, print, pattern, or fabrics. I’ve always enjoyed the conversations started via clothing! In London, people really celebrate a good outfit, they tell you! Or your shoes, or coat or whatever. In other places, it’s more coded but it does exist – that language.
h: Your design practice at Denzil Patrick promotes a meaningful connection between the designer, studio, and customer. How do you personally encourage this connection, and how does it manifest in the final products?
DP: The final products are the result of a series of conversations, between me and James, us and our team, the team with the pattern makers, and so on. We honour every part that each person plays in the steps from concept through to seeing the final product on the rail. It’s not possible to do any of this without the expertise and commitment of many people in the chain – we ensure everyone is credited.
h: Could you share insights into the collaborative dynamic between you and James Bosley, the artistic director at Denzil Patrick? How does this partnership contribute to the brand’s creative vision?
DP: I’ve known James for almost 20 years, and there is no other person I would trust to tell me something isn’t working, or if we need to rethink an idea. He has the most impeccable taste and is incredibly well-read! A lot of what we do at DP involves storytelling – set in a real-time scenario so we can bring characters to life. James is, in many ways, a historian – whilst I’m setting a scene and characters, he’s methodically colouring that scene with detail and texture, adding layers – together we build these very rich pools of research to draw from as we make the clothes.
h: With over 15 years of professional design experience, including working with renowned fashion houses like Victoria Beckham, Jonathan Saunders, Phillip Lim and Kenzo, how has your journey shaped your design philosophy, especially in the context of celebrating the local beauty of London?
DP: Working across different companies before starting my own allowed me to observe so many other creatives, and not just Phillip or Victoria, but their incredibly talented and experienced teams; the image directors, the marketing teams, the atelier directors, the sales teams! I had access to such a huge pool of talent that I was well-informed on the different topics before starting my own! And how did we bring that to the London experience? Well, being away for so long made me appreciate my wonderful home city so much more, and I truly feel there’s an energy here to draw from and share!
h: Denzil Patrick’s collections often draw inspiration from a rich tapestry of influences, such as literature and history. How do you navigate the challenge of balancing these diverse inspirations to create a cohesive and meaningful collection?
DP: This is a simple one! As I mentioned, we go very wide in our research. But as decisions about finalising clothes draw closer, we are tough on ourselves – we ask, ‘Does it function? Do we know someone who would wear it?’ And through those conversations, we start to build looks, and proposals for wearing and so the collection begins to form.
h: The Come Home Darling! collection seems to be a culmination of various influences, from the British beach style to the ’90s era. How do you manage to edit and refine such a diverse range of ideas into a cohesive and impactful lineup?
DP: We challenge ourselves to propose a unique offer for a menswear wardrobe but for all men. So, this gives us creative license to explore a wide range of ideas. But as we start to build the line-up, we do understand the responsibility to deliver the message clearly – that’s where our partnership really comes into play. We question ourselves more than anyone else would, we question the relevance of some details and the context of others. Only when we can stand behind it, it passes through.
h: Your textiles are responsibly developed, reflecting a commitment to sustainability. How do you integrate sustainability into your design process, and what challenges and opportunities does it present in the world of menswear?
DP: We integrate quite seamlessly, to be completely honest. We work with great suppliers that we have long-standing relationships with. Suppliers that provide innovation and reliability across their recycled, mono-fibre and organic fibre bases that can speak to a sartorial wardrobe – technical fabrics, classics and even fantasy. The challenge today is to ensure we are creating and making something with meaning, if we are going to consume even these ‘better’ resources, we must ensure it’s done with integrity.
h: In the world of ever-evolving fashion trends, how do you maintain a balance between creating unique, individualistic pieces and ensuring they are accessible and wearable for a broader audience?
DP: As I touched on earlier, we first make sure we would wear these pieces. We make sure the fits are excellent – it’s important! We believe the intention needs to be very clear, to a guy, what you are trying to say. But what we make is specific – we consciously create unique items – we’re not ready to introduce ‘basics’ at this time.
h: What are your aspirations for the future? What are you excited about, and what are you scared of?
DP: For the future, we’re excited about upcoming projects for London Fashion Week. As we’ve spent a few seasons focusing on Paris, it’s great to have the opportunity to reconnect with London, our source of inspiration! Scared? Nothing scares us!
Photography courtesy of DENZIL PATRICK