“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

The quote—inaccurately attributed to both Leonardo da Vinci and Coco Chanel—describes Margaret Howell’s quiet luxuries very nicely. Howell reminds one of an English character in a Henry James novel: a deeply refined sensibility of great influence and means disguised in elegantly modest packaging. Did you know that behind the graciously self-effacing Ms Howell there looms an international fashion empire, built upon exquisite attention to the finer details of British sartorial heritage—one that quietly generates £100 million per year? Probably not. Ms Howell is no showboat. Her collections are season-less meditations on one ever-evolving aesthetic— one that has seduced her customers with its chic pragmatism and hushed sumptuousness. Her MHL line explores an intriguingly handsome re-appropriation of British workwear while her MARGARET HOWELL mainline channels her discreet tastes into high fashion. She was kind enough to sit down for a chat with Dapper Dan. Continue reading “Margaret Howell talks to Matthew Hicks” →

Following eight years of working for Rei Kawakubo and Junya Watanabe, Japanese fashion designer Chitose Abe created her label Sacai in 1999. Her powerfully pragmatic aesthetic has turned Sacai into one of the most interesting brands presenting collections in Paris, with an international fan base that is growing day by day. Its relatable and coherent style mixes sporty and urban silhouettes to create incredibly desirable pieces. Filep Motwary spoke to the quietly committed designer in Tokyo right after her menswear presentation in Paris. Continue reading “Sacai’s Chitose Abe talks to Filep Motwary” →

While Romain Kremer’s position as Creative Director of Camper shoes was officialised in 2014, the former CD of Thierry Mugler menswear (as well as his own extremely avant-garde, eponymous label) has an unmistakeable signature that has been present at the Mallorca-based house since his first collaborations with them in 2006. Mr Kremer is an ardent Instagrammer and his website- slash-moodboard (romainkremer.com) is a window into his many tastes and talents. This author remembers being at a fashion event in Paris around 2005 and having a fellow reveller reverently whisper Mr Kremer’s name just as the young designer was making his debuts in the style capital: “You’ll be hearing a lot about Romain Kremer.” His early work is remembered for a darkly sophisticated, if somewhat dystopian, sensual futurism. His creations for his own label mined deep menswear history (think: breeches and tights) in one season only to pivot the next to a radically different style vocabulary (chiselled ephebes in shocking pink or hypertrophic athletic gear, say, or looks that seem to have goose-stepped out of some eroticised future police state). Continue reading “Romain Kremer talks to Matthew Hicks” →

Far from the frenzied crowds of the fashion capitals, journalist Angelo Flaccavento retreats from the shows to pen his analysis of the collections in the comparative calm of Sicily—a lifestyle choice that points to a character full of contrasts and contradictions. Indeed, quiet yet bold, shy yet daring, Flaccavento is known for his somewhat confrontational reviews, yet he couldn’t be more polite and reserved in person. The fashion oracle writes for heavyweight publications such as Business of Fashion and Il Sole 24 Ore, and was Dapper Dan’s very first fashion features editor. We checked in with him to take the current temperature of the fashion world and to find out whether those no-holds-barred views had been getting him into any trouble lately. Continue reading “Angelo Flaccavento talks to Nicholas Georgiou” →

I am having a video call with Pierre Hardy, who is known for the various shifts in colour and shape in his work. He appears on the screen wearing a vibrant orange jumper and during our conversation he reveals his fondness for black at a younger age, how he worked simultaneously for Dior and Hermès in his mid-twenties and how dancing and sports formed the man he has become. Confusing? You bet, but his work is creative, constantly flourishing and continues to be copied throughout the world. Continue reading “Pierre Hardy talks to Filep Motwary” →