Patrick McDowell conscripted dancer Jonathan Luke Baker, posing semi-nude on a rock, to be the center of public gaze during his fall 2026 show at Rambert, the dance company on London’s South Bank.
It was a fitting tribute to American photographer George Platt Lynes, whose passion for shooting couture and male nudity inspired McDowell for a collection, titled “The Gaze,” that was pared-back, elegant, and commercially viable.
“The collection had a very sensual black and white inspiration. It made sense that it was all quite soft and muted. Also, his [Platt Lynes’] male work was hidden as a secret, and the show was really to try and unite the two worlds back together,” McDowell explained.
He avoided big shapes and complex embellishment and focused on delivering “beautiful real clothes” as he is gearing up for a big push in retail following feedback from Harvey Nichols and Joyce Hong Kong, which brought his first ready-to-wear collection.
Key looks included structured tailoring variations with elongated lines, a floral decorated shirtdress, and a corseted evening gown in purple and black hazy floral prints, all sprayed with Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling before hitting the runway.
McDowell said he also liked the double shawl collar jacket and the opening look, a big, white A-line skirt paired with a black ribbed knit sweater. “It felt very casual, but for me, that’s something super beautiful. I think George might have liked it too.”
