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?
Denzil Patrick: 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.