London Belongs to denzilpatrick | AW26

It’s hard to believe that denzilpatrick, a brand so synonymous with London’s fashion scene, has only been operating for 5 years. That’s not from an experience point of view though – husband and husband team, founder Daniel Gayle and artistic director James Boyle have an impressive 20 plus years in the industry between them. This is wildly evident in their AW26 presentation London Belongs to Me, which offered a masterclass in construction.

Just off Russell Square inside an incognito gallery space, the presentation was intimate – a “dedication to the fans.” If you were going into it unaware of denzilpatrick (much to your own detriment) – you were sure to leave enamoured. Poised against a grand piano, Unwerth-esque photos of the collection were displayed in front of 12 mannequins, gazing over the audience. If the mannequins could talk, they probably wouldn’t have a lot to say – after all, as the great Miuccia Prada once said: “Fashion is instant language.”

Bibs were in full bloom: one featured a grey and white floral screen-print, while another nodded to Yohji Yamamoto’s ‘Very Many Buttons’ shirt – showcasing two panels entirely adorned with buttons. These sorts of quirks were seen throughout – another standout suit fancied itself a sculptural feather tie, which wouldn’t look out of place in Aronofsky’s ‘Black Swan.’ Looks like these were wonderfully grounded by Puma’s suede shoe – which in their own words has shared a similar trajectory to denzilpatrick’s “timeless design, mirroring [their] own narrative of return and evolution.”

The collection envisions Denzil and Patrick, Gayle’s grandparents, reclaiming London as fully realised selves – much like Odysseus’ return to Ithaca. Here, it’s reimagined as a grand homecoming – a return to form with experiences picked up along the way. But with looks that so perfectly encapsulate the essence of what makes this city so fashionable, you’d have thought they never left.