“With no show, it was even more important that it was about the clothes,” said Dunhill creative director, Mark Weston, who unveiled his AW21 collection with a film at LFW. The designer is bringing playful elements into the collection, to stand beside his modern-day icons – the rigorously tailored wrap jacket and the rectangular Lock bag.
There’s more colour in this Dunhill collection and the long, multicolour knit scarves are remakes of ones that he and his brother had when they were children. Weston’s also introduced a pleasing element of versatility, inspired by a compendium from the Dunhill archive. A what? “It’s a multifunctional gentleman’s item,” he explained showing a picture of the beautifully crafted object that combined a cigarette case with a watch and penknife. This archive piece inspired him to create several multifunctional, adaptable pieces, including reversible shearlings and zip-off parkas that become short coats and also have snap-in, quilted liners that can be worn separately.
“They are pieces that can stand the test of time, that do more for you, that give you more value. You can take them apart, wear them differently,” explained Weston. There’s even a silk jacquard cummerbund, which ingeniously doubles as a cross-body bag. He continues to be inspired by couture, in particular the cocoon shapes of Cristóbal Balenciaga, which he’s adapted for coats. And his Dunhill leathers are some of the softest and most sumptuous around. It’s all part of Weston’s aim to create covetable, modern clothes that are the opposite of throw away.
Photography courtesy of Dunhill.
