Patrick McDowell Spring/Summer 2025 at Milan Fashion Week

Patrick McDowell Spring/Summer 2025 / SS25 at Milan Fashion Week.

Patrick McDowell Debutes Spring/Summer 2025 Collection at Milano Fashion Week.’Patrick McDowell, British Sustainable Fashion Designer, Presents Their SS25 Collection Inspired By Queer Artist; Glyn Philpot, at Milan Fashion Week.

Patrick McDowell presents their SS25 collection at Milan Fashion Week in partnership with Ecovative, inspired by the Queer British artist Glyn Philpot. Following the collections debut at London Fashion Week, Patrick McDowell entered the Milan arena for the first time at the MFW Fashion Hub. Taking place at the elegant Palazzo Giureconsulti on Friday, 20th September, the presentation places a spotlight on craftsmanship, innovation, inclusion and sustainability.

Illustrating the brand’s commitment to multi-disciplinary creativity, the SS25 collection bridges fashion, art and culture. Patrick McDowell’s appreciation for history saw them dive into the Tate archives to explore the letters written by Glyn Philpot to close friends and family, helping to establish the life behind the artist’s work. McDowell sought after Glyn Philpot’s remaining relatives to gain a personal insight into the life of the eminent artist and bring a sense of authenticity to the collection. After discovering the two contrasting lives Glyn experienced, one of society and status and one of queer identity and true expression, it became clear that the collection should celebrate and fuse both. This season’s collection aims to highlight the reality of many queer people living a dual existence.

Motivated by the expressive artworks of Glyn Philpot in the 1920s, depicting topics surrounding queer identity and societal beliefs, Patrick McDowell illustrated the story of the artist’s dual life with a commitmentto craftsmanship and storytelling. Inspiration for silhouettes are drawn from the most resonant works from the artist, directly influencing the collection looks. Philpot was known for redesigning the clothing within his works through his brush.

Philpot’s Artworks have been re-imagined into garments through painterly prints combined with soft nuanced colours. Printed onto materials crafted from Tencel Fibres creating traceable and biodegradable materials. Floral motifs and trompe l’oeil paint strokes onto fabric reflect how art and fashion can intersect.Handbags and tailored garments have been crafted using Forager AirLoom™ mycelium skins by Ecovative. Ecovative is a pioneering mycelium technology company, growing sustainable materials directly from nature.

In vertical farms, mycelium is carefully cultivated, providing a natural and durable structure that is then harvested and sent to leather tanneries for finishing. By drawing on decades of leather tanning knowledge and artisanship, this partnership blends traditional techniques with innovative mycelium materials. The result is a strong, flexible, and biodegradable material that meets the demands of fashion while reducing environmental impact, representing a shift towards truly sustainable production.

In an industry first, McDowell is the first designer to work with bacteria based dye house Octarine to add colour to garments without the use of petrochemicals, achieving black pigment naturally, a rare and exciting development for the industry.

As ever McDowell has centred sustainable craft at the heart of the collection. Working alongside the Kings Foundation, Patrick McDowell incorporated the artisanal skills of scholarship students into the design and craft of the garments, creating a much needed space for industry experience and opportunities. Eliza Gomersall, a King’s foundation scholar, meticulously hand embroidered a series of textiles for the SS25 collection.

Jewellery was created by Anuka with recycled silver by hand in England. Inspired by the the flowers from his most pivotal work the Hibiscus, Patrick’s favourite flower The Freezsia and Glyn’s sisters name Daisy. Vintage knit was unravelled, reconditioned and re-knitted in England by Miranda Mallinson Pocock a recent knit graduate McDowell met in their capacity as global ambassador for Graduate Fashion Week. A Philpot family wedding gown, kindly donated by Glyn’s great-great-niece, Charlotte Doherty, was reimagined for the closing look. Embedding personal stories into the garments and speaking to McDowell’s ability to work sensitively with clients to reimagine their most special pieces, a service they offer at their London studio.

This Spring/Summer 2025 collection builds on the sustainable values of Patrick McDowell through the preservation and reuse of materials, whilst celebrating the brand’s history in creating show stopping pieces. Chrome free and naturally tanned leather was sourced from Lineapelle and created by hand at the D’Arienzo atelier in Naples. In a community minded effort McDowell sourced dead stock silks from London based designer Erdem and long time collaborator Taroni silk. Natural dyes from Sages London have been used to create fully biodegradable materials and achieve the specific tones from Patrick McDowell’s favourite paintings within Glyn Philpot’s portfolio.

Casting was provided by Nadia Aragona, founder of Na.aR Production. Na.aR Production is an agency that supports brands in actualising fashion show productions, bringing dreams to life. Hair and makeup for this MFW show is by BEAUTICK. BEAUTICK has always stood out for its ability to offertailor-made solutions for private and company clients, fulfilling every desire for beauty and always guaranteeing impeccable service.

ABOUT PATRICK MCDOWELL, Patrick McDowell is a London based independent sustainable luxury fashion brand with a highly creative and Forward- thinking designer at the helm of the company. Over the last five years, Patrick and the brand have solidified themselves on the global fashion stage through their commitment to sustainable and circular business practices that never compromise on quality or creativity.

Patrick McDowell’s industry first business model means each garment is made available in a limited quantity and is individually numbered, as well as offering a complimentary refit service. They have been recognised for their work not only for building a new and more dynamic sustainable business model for the fashion industry, but for their London Fashion Week shows and dressing some of the most exciting, emerging and established talent globally – featuring in the pages of Vogue, Forbes, WWD and The Guardian.

“Sustainability is at the core of everything Patrick does, striving to reinvent luxury through a sustainable mindset.” – Anna Wintour, Vogue