Daniel Patrick x Fashion Moves Forward
We caught up with our good friend, and LA based designer Daniel Patrick to discuss some of the exciting projects that he is currently working on. These include a collaboration with Tyga, and as well as an upcoming footwear line. We at the FMF office have great admiration for not only Daniel's brand, but him as an individual. Fashion is an industry not only about clothing, but about people. Daniel is one of those exceptional designers that happens to be both a great designer and an amazing person. Be sure to check out his interview, as well as the FMF exclusive editorial photoshoot below.
I would like to start by asking what the Daniel Patrick brand stands for, and what's the idea behind it?
"Daniel Patrick the brand is simply an extension of myself and my experiences and interests. It's nomadic, athletic, futuristic and minimal. It's a world of minimal aesthetics."
When did you start designing clothing and why?
"I guess you could say I started designing in fashion school back in 2007. I had just finished [a] season of rugby in 2006 and [it] was in talks [for me] to go to France and [continue to] play. I did some searching, at that time, of what I was about and what I wanted to do. Fashion excited me and was something that had been with me from a young age but [it was] not something I pursued until I was 20. I found that I wanted to create aesthetics in people's appearance[s] as well as my own and the confidence that comes along with that. It's that purpose that drives me to this day."
What is your favorite thing you have designed to date?
"That is definitely a tough question to answer as I mostly create clothing I want to wear. But to pick out a few of my current favorites, [they] would be the kimono bomber, oversized thermal tee, low crotch ripped skinny jeans, and the upcoming T-Raww hero bomber with varsity stripe rib accent and gold lining, [as well as] our new oversized collarless denim jacket.
This is basically my “uniform” as I like to call it. I am also very excited about the new footwear collection, the high top roamer came out great in the desert rose suede with a gum sole."
How does it make you feel when celebrities such as professional athletes to Kylie Jenner and Justin Bieber wear your designs?
"It definitely is a nice feeling to see artists and celebrities that I admire [to] take an interest in what I am doing. I definitely don't like to push those things on people and prefer a more organic approach to those situations coming about. I like to just put my head down and work hard and keep improving my craft and I feel those things are a byproduct of that."
What can you tell us about your upcoming collaboration with Tyga?
"I'm excited about it to be honest. I've been a fan of his for a while and to be putting this capsule collection together has been fun. I feel [he] has a good appreciation for high fashion as well as street wear and I think we've come up with a good mix of that. The collection will be very minimal and detail based consisting of a bomber, denim, and tee and looking to launch in July."
I recently saw that you are developing footwear, how has that experience been for you so far and is there a scheduled release date as of yet?
"It has been a process. I visited Italy back in June last year after fashion week in Paris. We flew to Italy, my wife and I and rented a car, and [then] drove from Milan across the country. That in itself was a great experience and I definitely fell in love with that country. The first samples didn't come out as great as I had expected but we just kept perfecting and moving forward. I am happy with how the high top roamer came out and am working on a low cut version and fringed version along with new colors. The combat boots are also in the works as well.
As for release date on the high top roamer, production is under-way and we should have them in the next couple of months ready for release. No hard date as [of] yet but that is the roll out."
You now have a second LA location (Melrose), how has expanding in LA been, and what is the next expansion you are looking towards in the future?
"It's been great and again something that has been organic. I started in LA from literally nothing. I was riding a bicycle around to factories when I first moved here and just kept at it. We started working out of our small apartment and [had] a living room and sofa filled with clothes. It was crazy when I think back to that because we would have people from buyers to stylists and private clients come to pick up things from there. Then we opened our first store in 2013 and just recently moved into a 7,000 sq ft warehouse/HQ. Now to have a boutique on Melrose on top of that is a dream of mine fulfilled. But I am not one to sit back and admire what we've done because there is still a lot to do and as soon as Melrose opened I was already planning and looking into the next one. I feel you can never get comfortable and have to keep pushing the limits of your comfort zone otherwise you contract rather than expand. I feel the next move will be NY. It just makes sense to have an outlet there as the next expansion venture."
Lastly, what advice do you have for people wanting to break into design?
"Surround yourself with good people that raise you up, not bring you down. And no matter what obstacle comes your way, be willing to keep pushing and go through that. There have been many situations that I faced that I didn't know if we could make it through and came out the other end bigger and stronger from that. "
Be sure to follow Daniel Patrick on social media for instant updates (@danielpatrick_) // Shop some of the looks from the photo shoot here.
Photography by: @fredericgeorges / Styled by: @benjamin_achilles_ / Concept Stylist: @zatchstorm / Makeup by: @makeupmymind / Hair by: @ledora / Creative Director: @jackson_fmf
Models: @dillonhughes / @olamorafa / @adriannoir