Normally a fabric I associate with elders or distinguished women of a
certain financial status, tweed always seemed so...well, itchy and just not
me.
But in hot pink shades, cool mixed plaids and high-waist shorts, Patrick's offerings look fresh and modern, even taking into account his posh Sloane Ranger inspiration. (Thus his pairings of tweed and pretty printed chiffon.)
"People are going to have to start wearing wool again," he asserts. "It's like the hamburger craze here in New York. Comfort food has always been around, but you can make it cool. We have to Shakeshack the tweed industry!"
Ironically, to create such a modern take, Patrick worked with Harris Tweeds,
the venerable mill from the Isle of Harris, to give the collection the
"integrity of a very British heritage." And in so doing, he's drawing
awareness to the mill, which is now in its sunset years.
"People there are getting older and leaving the Isle," he explains. "They aren't as concerned with breeding the sheep to keep it all running. I love this idea of a continuous thread for the re-evaluation of the textile practices." And if his enthusiasm for this old-school fabric catches on, we'll be seeing lots of tweed dweebs come fall."
