Centenary British Heritage Brand KENT&CURWEN Returns to London Fashion Week

Associated Press

28-02-2025

LONDON, Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For AW25, KENT&CURWEN explores the idea of crossing thresholds—the space between the familiar and the unknown. Inspired by C.S. Lewis' childhood adventures in Northern Ireland, where dressing up and storytelling were gateways to imagined worlds, the collection captures the tension between adolescence and self-actualization. Much like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia or crossing into the mythical Tír na nÓg, it's about dressing for life's transitions—outfitting ourselves for uncharted paths ahead.
Nostalgia offers comfort, with its familiar codes of dress acting as an anchor, using the known to shape something new. At its core, KENT&CURWEN remains rooted in quintessential British heritage—tailored blazers, trench coats, and sportswear—but questions what tradition is today. Silhouettes are intentionally undone: outerwear and suiting feature exaggerated shoulders for soft protection, and rugby hems extend into babydoll dresses, conjuring collegiate nostalgia and youthful innocence. Laminated tartans provide a tangible shield from the elements, while lion embroideries hidden in lace serve as quiet symbols for those who notice.
In an era of rapid reinvention, how do we define tradition? Is it a fixed idea, or does it reshape itself over time? Familiar patterns like herringbone, argyle, and sporting stripes are layered and disrupted, becoming touchstones—small acts of holding on as we venture into new territory.
Stories and fairytales often depict children stepping into adults' shoes or oversized clothes—not just for play but to embody future selves or imagined identities. This sense of transformation runs through the collection, with clothing acting as a portal to fantasy, allowing wearers to envision those in-between moments and who they might become.
About KENT&CURWEN
KENT&CURWEN aims to capture the subversion and eccentricity of great British style: a spirit of dressing that can be adopted by a global community.
The brand first opened its doors in London, in 1926. It began as a maker of club and college ties for Oxford and Cambridge universities, helping to fashion a classic ideal of British collegiate style.
Before long, the brand was creating sports kits for rowers at Henley, rugby players at Eton, and cricketers just about everywhere. It made clothing for students and royals, boxing clubs and banks alike.
The world caught on. KENT&CURWEN became the official outfitter of the Hollywood Cricket Club, (which included actors Errol Flynn and Boris Karloff as members), and was favoured by the British royal family throughout the 20th Century. Diana, Princess of Wales – who used clothing to define her own sense of British style – was a customer.
Today, under its Chief Creative Officer Daniel Kearns, KENT&CURWEN stands for a modern, playful, and expressive version of Britishness: tailoring, sportswear, and fashion, brought together in unexpected combinations.
The three lions emblem, which was inspired by the Kent family crest, is the brand's most recognisable symbol, universally associated with British sports.
Eric Kent and Dorothy Curwen founded the brand together as a creative partnership. In that spirit, today's iteration of the brand is a genderless wardrobe, intended to be shared and borrowed: a very British kind of tradition.