It was one of the best experiences at London Fashion Week in February: the return of Dunhill after a four-year break from runway shows. Taking place at The Duveen Wing of London’s National Portrait Gallery, inaugurated by King George V and Queen Mary in 1933, the show was the epitome of luxury and classicism: the quintessential gentleman’s club ambience was completed with linen-covered tables, delicate lamps and culinary delights. Guests including British actor James Norton and Chinese model and actor Hu Bing were seated in front of grand oil paintings of European nobility—a set-up remarkably similar to the intimate salon presentation style of the early 20th century—and carefully viewed the looks brought to life by creative director Simon Holloway.
A little over a year ago, Holloway was appointed by Richemont as creative director for Dunhill and granted access to the British house’s 130-year archive. So often, when
