‘RELIABILITY becomes luxury’ reads the show notes of the Dunhill spring-summer 2023 collection. This season, the notion of place and who we are, whether that be physically or emotionally, is what Creative Director Mark Weston explored.
Delving into this question and seeking some understanding with relation to the British menswear House, he uncovered three unwavering characteristics of what the Dunhill man’s wardrobe includes: attention to detail, craftsmanship and most notably, functionality. Mirroring the same foundation, Dunhill’s heritage imbues tailoring, function and innovation, and for SS23 classicism meets contemporaneity.
“Tailoring gives purpose – a desire to meet combined with a sense of taste and presentation,” says Weston. “This season there is an intimacy to the collection, an acknowledgement of how our clients want to look, and feel”.
Showcased in a film and a lookbook, the collection evolves the traditional erudite Englishness of the brand and builds upon this foundation from a modern angle. Tailoring is still very much a part of SS23 however it arrives in less restrictive silhouettes and lightweight materials that place our focus on the body’s movement as fluid shapes arise hinting at the fast-paced lifestyle of the wearer.
Not ignoring the past completely, the Umbrella Coat arrives. Originally the archive piece that this new item took inspiration from was an experiment into full-waterproofing in the early 1900s but today comes in an ultra-lightweight treated wool silk that utilises water resistant technology along with crease resistant properties to create the ultimate spring jacket.
Beyond this new arrival and tailoring, boxier, more constructed shapes are noticed in the leather offerings while merino knits are paired with utility jackets and sharp cut bomber jackets to present a smart-casual vibe. The design language is muted this season and so is the colour palette.
Not straying far from staple luxury tones such as golden ochre, off-dyed lilac and tan, there are dark inserts of light greys and black with moments of sand and beige for those warm, languid evenings.
Known for their leather offerings, Dunhill takes a moment to introduce a new multi-strap tote – the 1893 Harness. Inspired by the founding years and the House’s link to horse drawn carriage, the bag has the classic hardware with a utilitarian aesthetic feel to it balancing elegance with refinement.
There is no over complication this season but rather Weston looks at what is needed and what is wanted from the Dunhill man. With a clear understanding of the codes, a sense of place has been found and its right in the middle of celebrated heritage and modern luxury.
by Imogen Clark