The courtyard of London’s Foreign Office was transformed into a crossroads of time and tradition for Kent & Curwen’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection, where echoes of mythical realms met the rhythm of contemporary urban life. Creative director Daniel Kearns reimagined British archetypes through a lens of nostalgia and forward movement, stitching together threads of heritage tailoring and experimental silhouettes.
Sharp-shouldered wool coats and cinched waist trousers anchored the lineup, their exaggerated proportions nodding to the theatricality of London‘s train stations and the eclectic characters that inhabit them. Rugged rugby shirts, a hallmark of the brand, appeared in chunky looped knits, while flounced sheer dresses borrowed motifs from C.S. Lewis’s literary landscapes. Tartan coordinates and A-line skirts had a touch of academia, softened by fluid cuts suitable for city sidewalks.
Kearns described the show as a metaphor for transition – the tension between clinging to tradition and embracing new chapters. The models reflected commuters frozen in a moment of possibility, their outfits balancing familiarity with subtle rebellion: beefeater-inspired embroidery on streamlined blazers, boxy coats reminiscent of 1980s Madonna, and royal crest details reworked into minimalist accents.
The balancing act extends beyond the runway. As Kent & Curwen‘s Chinese parent company, Biemlofen, accelerates its global retail expansion, the collection telegraphs an effort to honor the label’s 1926 origins while courting a modern audience. The relaunch of its e-commerce platform alongside the show underscores this dual focus – heritage as a compass rather than an anchor.
Princess Diana’s polished pragmatism and the Beefeaters’ ceremonial flair remained on the mood board, but Kearns avoided mere replication. A slate-gray peacoat fused military precision with slouchy ease, while rugby stripes curved asymmetrically across sweaters to suggest movement. Even the setting played its part: marble floors echoed train station concourses, those liminal spaces where journeys pause before accelerating.
Critics might note that the collection’s disciplined adherence to British codes leaves little room for radical innovation. But in its polished execution – the exacting drape of a wool skirt, the unexpected pairing of tartan trousers with sheer paneled tops – Kent & Curwen makes a case for evolution over revolution.
©Photo: Kent & Curwen