10 Questions with Denzil Patrick 

What does a deft understanding of London’s nuances paired with sophisticated cuts make? Denzil Patrick. For creative director Daniel Gayle, the Big Smoke, with its chaotic misunderstandings and sprawling nature, will always be a hometown, a haven, a place where life thrives in the cracks. For his menswear brand, Denzil Patrick, London will forever be a source of inspiration. At the helm of the brand are Daniel and his husband, art director James Bosley, melding their creative backgrounds and skills to forge a brand that has continued buzzing since its debut in 2021. For the SS25 show, ‘One More Time With Feeling’, Brit-style tracksuits, marching band uniforms, and bags molded to resemble trumpets paid homage to the lively spirit of the Londoner, someone Daniel will always rely on for inspiration. 

Describe your AW25 collection in three words: 

Chivalrous. Independent. Muddy

Why do you do what you do? What keeps you motivated to keep creating fashion collections? 

We love working together and helping each other to tell stories with the language of clothes. What could be better?

Have you found a technique, or a supplier, or a contributing craftsperson that has excited you to incorporate into your new AW25 collection? 

An east-end metalsmith. As you do!

What’s one element of your design process that might surprise people?

That we work so brilliantly together, as a creative and marital couple! We both have such different creative backgrounds, dance and fine art! But our respect and admiration for one another forces us to listen and consider what the other is bringing – that push-and-pull carries us through the season, right up until the models walk onto the runway!

ChatGPT – Yes or no? 

The less said about this the better! We love language, but it needs nuance and thought, and mistakes. An AI version just isn’t going to cut the mustard, you can smell it a mile off!

Over the past few challenging years - with Brexit, post-Covid, with the retail landscape a bit of a mess - how have you thought about what you make and how to make it connect with your customer and community?

In a fashion and political landscape that’s rapidly changing, we believe that an expression of personality is the USP of any independent brand. This is our guiding light and what we feel people love to see.

What is it about London that continues to energize your creativity? 

Londoners. The ones we're related to, the ones we dream about, the ones we secretly photograph at the bus stop!

How will you celebrate when the show / presentation / showroom is over?

The same way we got married; the warmest and london-y-est of pubs

What’s the one product that is NOT your own, that you can’t live without, or has stayed in your wardrobe for constant use, and why?

Prada knitwear. Borrowed from one another and lovingly worn and worn into rags.

What has been your strangest source of inspiration? 

Our families? They’re pretty strange!