McDowell honors his grandmother through grandiose designs stitched with his family’s memories.
Patrick McDowell is more than a world-renowned designer—he is also a powerful storyteller, sewing love into every seam and hem of his most intimate collection yet, “The Lancashire Rose.” For Spring/Summer 2026, the British designer crafted a capsule offering an exquisite, heartfelt tribute to his late grandmother, who first inspired his design flair.
Presented on Sept. 20, during London Fashion Week, McDowell’s new collection honors his grandmother through sculptural tailoring, sustainable techniques, and grandiose designs stitched with his family’s memories.
McDowell learned to sew on his grandmother’s sewing machine, which she used to make her sisters and children’s clothes. Her creative abilities and resourcefulness as a fabric weaver has since been the inspirarion of the 30-year-old designer’s momentous career.
“This collection is about my grandmother, who was born in 1923. She used to make clothes for herself during the war, and smaller versions for her little sisters,” McDowell told WWD. “I learned to sew on her machine. She’s the reason I do this.”
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Everything at the runway show spoke of McDowell’s mastery of orating history with beauty and grit. Instead of opting for a glossy white runway, the designer set it up in Battersea Power Station, a decommissioned power station in south London that is rich in British industrial history. The artful tension echoed on the catwalk scattered with rose petals and ran between old dials and Bakelite control panels.
Models showcased tailored silhouettes that draw from the styles of the the 1940s and ‘50s, when McDowell’s grandmother got married. Each piece is a fusion of vintage romance and hard graft without unnecessary theatrics. They carried both sentiment and strength, as seen in silk evening gowns like an one decked with crystals shaped like safety pins, and another one that came embellished with vintage thimbles.
The perfect balance is likewise reflected in structured outerwear, including bricade jackets cut like armor and cropped jackets fashioned from reclaimed fabric, as well as the sheer capes decorated with rose prints. Suits are reimagined with voluminous skirts, blurring the lines between masculine and feminine power.
Roses are core to the collection whose title pays homage to the historic red rose of Lancashire, where McDowell’s grandmother was born. Rose prints and embroidery are stamped on flouncy gowns, tulle skirts, sculptural outerwear, and sheer capes.
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McDowell describes the final look as the paramount portrayal of “timeless romance and heritage craftsmanship that defines [the] collection.” It was intricately crafted from three vintage wedding dresses and completed with 200 delicately hand-sewn organza flowers and embroidered satin ribbon.
McDowell’s The Lancashire Rose is not only a celebration of his grandmother’s legacy but also the superior value of British talent. It features handbags the designer crafted with luxury bag maker Aspinal of London. Three bespoke hats were meanwhile produced in collaboration with milliner Niall Daniel.
Above all, The Lancashire Rose is a celebration of love, its beauty sewn in every seam. Each look is stitched with a scannable digital product passport (DPP) developed with tech company Certilogo. It links clients to the story of each masterpiece and his grandmother’s life.
“You scan it and get access to everything, like the story [tied to the show], the material journey, the number of pieces made,” McDowell said. “We can even update it later, so if something new connects to the piece, the client finds out first. It’s a way of keeping in touch, even when the client can’t be in the room.”
Patrick McDowell’s Spring/ Summer 2026 show is part of the London Fashion Week, which featured over 70 designers from Sept. 18 tp 22, 2025.
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