WITHIN the grand hall of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Patrick McDowell took the idea of a collection unveiling to a new level – it could not be simplified into a fashion show, nor could it be called a musical performance. What transpired in the evening hours of 17th February was something completely itself.
Inspired by his childhood memories surrounding music, the show offered its audience both drama and a nurtured serenity – but most prominent was his ability to shape the past into a road to the future.
The autumn/winter 2024 collection lit up the stage in slow, gothic melodrama as McDowell showcases Guildhall’s costume archive, reinterpreting the codes of composers’ dressing and highlighting the role of historic preservation in a creative lens.
Reimagined orchestral blazers were elegantly tailored, and musical motifs of second-hand instruments and the original Orpheus’ Ball musical score were translated into gorgeous prints.
The colour palette of chocolate browns, charcoal blacks, and porcelain whites were interrupted by looks of metallic golds and deep reds, each look bold enough to be a centre point of the show.
An iconic Patrick McDowell signature returned, with the corset-inspired top born again taking inspiration from the technical shaping of instruments, perfectly accentuating the sensual curve of the upper body.
Also back on the catwalk was the designer’s classic silhouettes, as skirts dramatically transformed the waist through bold volume.
The show was an embrace of collaborative art, incorporating staff and students of Guildhall across light and sound design, set, costume, production, and performance. It featured an original score, blending classical masterpieces arranged by Gavin Roberts, Artistic Director of Song in The City, a charity using the power of song to change people’s live across our society.
Focused on working solely with recycled and sustainable materials, the line was supported by the continued long-term partnership with The Lenzing Group, a leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibres.Â
Not only is the collection only available in limited quantities, defined by only what is possible truly sustainably and ethically, but in a move which spotlights McDowell’s innovative and disruptive new model for sustainable luxury, each purchase comes with a complimentary re-fit, allowing customers to return their item at a future date for adjustment to match aging, changing bodies.
Finishing with a standing ovation from his guests, the collection encapsulates McDowell’s ability to perfectly blend two communities of culture, with an ease that can only be born through rich, heartfelt connection to both music and clothing.
by Madeleine Ringer