After being acquired by China’s leading apparel group, BIEM.L.FDLKK (SZ:002832), British luxury fashion brand KENT & CURWEN is undergoing a comprehensive brand transformation.
The group has taken the lead in establishing a brand creative center in Paris for KENT & CURWEN and has brought back former creative director Daniel Kearns. In this exclusive interview with Luxe.CO, Daniel Kearns candidly admitted: “Our design style was too conservative in the past.”
Daniel Kearns is a veteran in the luxury fashion industry, having served as the menswear design director at Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent, and Gucci. More importantly, he was KENT & CURWEN’s creative director from 2016 to 2021. Throughout the interview, his deep understanding and expectations for the brand were evident.
So, what brand vision did Chief Creative Officer Daniel Kearns share with us? Under his leadership, where is KENT & CURWEN headed next?
Defining KENT & CURWEN’s Uniqueness: A Pioneer of Collegiate Style and British Youth Culture
A familiar fashion style always possesses a timeless quality. These styles reemerge across different eras, which is why people often say fashion is cyclical.
For a brand, having a distinctive and unparalleled style is a significant advantage—something not every brand is fortunate to have. The century-old British brand KENT & CURWEN is one such example, renowned for its unique take on British Preppy Style.
Daniel Kearns told Luxe.CO:
“We have always had a deep connection with British tradition and the origins of collegiate style. KENT & CURWEN’s preppy aesthetic was shaped by British clubs, universities, and sportswear. These elements serve as a timeless foundation, evolving with each generation while remaining relevant.“
Founded in 1926, KENT & CURWEN was established through the collaboration of tie-maker Eric Kent from London’s Savile Row and dressmaker Dorothy Curwen. In its very first year, the brand introduced bespoke striped ties for Oxford University, Cambridge University, and Eton College.
In 1932, KENT & CURWEN innovatively blended sportswear with classic tailoring, creating the first striped V-neck cricket sweater. This groundbreaking piece quickly gained popularity alongside the rise of cricket.
By the 1930s, KENT & CURWEN had become the official uniform supplier for the Hollywood Cricket Club. In the 1970s, it provided rowing uniforms for Oxford University’s Boat Club, and in the 1990s, it became the official uniform supplier for Wimbledon.
The club tie and cricket sweater, often paired with Oxford shirts, polo shirts, embroidered blazers, and khaki trousers, came to define the quintessential British collegiate look. Princess Diana, an icon of British preppy fashion, frequently incorporated KENT & CURWEN into her signature outfits.
For a creative director, identifying a brand’s unique stylistic identity is not the hardest part—the real challenge lies in successfully interpreting this style for contemporary audiences and ensuring it resonates with them.
For a century-old brand deeply rooted in British club and uniform culture, how can its heritage be distilled? How should its traditions be expressed in a modern context? These are the top priorities for Daniel Kearns. It is likely one of the key reasons why BIEM.L.FDLKK brought him back after acquiring the brand.
Since the 1980s, British collegiate style has gained global popularity through literature and film, becoming a key element of British youth culture. A major aspect of youth culture is self-expression—clothing serves as a way for individuals to convey their identity and values.
In recent years, the collegiate aesthetic has made a strong comeback worldwide, benefiting brands like Ralph Lauren and Miu Miu, which have reinterpreted the style on the runway in their own ways. This timeless fashion trend fosters a sense of community and cultural belonging among generations of young consumers, allowing them to showcase their unique tastes and lifestyles through their wardrobe choices.
Daniel Kearns emphasizes that the brand’s British collegiate DNA remains a crucial asset. However, he and his team also recognize the importance of not relying too heavily on traditional British preppy aesthetics.
How Is Daniel Kearns Rebuilding KENT & CURWEN’s Relevance in the Modern Era?
How can a brand remain loyal to its unique identity while avoiding being constrained by it?
Daniel Kearns states: “Our strategy is to create British-style charm and surprise without losing the timeless essence.”
He elaborates: “The British collegiate style that emerged from London’s cultural melting pot is distinct from the more minimalist American Ivy League aesthetic.”
In the latest Fall/Winter 2025 collection, unveiled at London Fashion Week, Kearns deconstructed and reassembled classic collegiate patterns such as herringbone, argyle, and athletic stripes. He introduced incomplete silhouettes, oversized shoulders in outerwear and blazers for a sense of soft protection and structure, and extended rugby shirt hems into baby doll dresses.
Pictured: KENT & CURWEN Fall/Winter 2025 runway look. Kearns explains: “This season is about using clothing as a form of protection—protecting our hopes and life journeys. In an uncertain world, we are dressing for the future we aspire to.”
According to Kearns, the focus this season is on conveying a sense of “balance”—a fusion of adaptability, playfulness, and reinvention of tradition.
On the traditional side, “the iconic Three Lions and Tudor Rose crest, along with the brand’s signature colors, remain essential.” On the modern side, “rugby tops and cricket knitwear are reinterpreted with fresh silhouettes and bolder color choices.”
Pictured: KENT & CURWEN Fall/Winter 2025 runway look.
Pictured: KENT & CURWEN’s Richard I Three Lions crest and Tudor Rose emblem, originally derived from King Richard I’s royal insignia. It shares its heritage with the national emblems of England’s football and rugby teams, symbolizing nobility, prestige, and the spirit of chivalry.
Daniel Kearns has set a clear vision for the brand: “To become the go-to British heritage brand for Gen Z consumers worldwide.”
“The first phase is to rebuild our visual identity and brand DNA. The goal is to establish KENT & CURWEN as a high-end, expressive British style brand for contemporary consumers—one that seamlessly blends tailoring, sportswear, and fashion.”
Pictured: KENT & CURWEN Spring/Summer 2025 campaign image.
Kearns previously served as KENT & CURWEN’s creative director from 2016 to 2021. Following BIEM.L.FDLKK’s acquisition of the brand in 2023, he was invited back—this time with greater creative freedom. He describes his return as “a rare opportunity to work again at a brand you’ve already shaped.”
Comparing his two tenures, he notes a significant shift in his focus:
“During my first time at KENT & CURWEN, I was dedicated to redefining the brand’s heritage. Now, I’ve learned from that experience, and my priority is to modernize that heritage—to evolve the brand for a younger, global audience and refresh its core identity in a more fun and contemporary way.”
Pictured: Daniel Kearns taking a bow at the KENT & CURWEN Fall/Winter 2025 runway show.
Throughout his career, Kearns has worked alongside some of the most influential designers in the industry, including Lee McQueen (Alexander McQueen’s founder), John Galliano (former creative director of Maison Margiela), and Alessandro Michele (former creative director of Gucci).
Reflecting on these experiences, he shares: “I was incredibly fortunate to work with these visionaries—they shaped and guided my approach to design. Lee McQueen and John Galliano taught me the power of storytelling in fashion, while my time with Alessandro Michele refined my understanding of brand identity and commercial viability. Today, as the consumer landscape evolves, reinterpreting these lessons is more important than ever.“
Kearns has observed a new shift in fashion consumption trends: “People are once again looking for self-expression and playfulness in their wardrobe.” He continues: “Now more than ever, there is space to experiment with a brand’s core identity in a way that is both fun and meaningful. My challenge is to strike that balance—modernizing KENT & CURWEN’s heritage without diluting its authenticity.”
Since returning to London Fashion Week last year, KENT & CURWEN has expanded into womenswear—a natural evolution under Kearns’ direction.
Although collegiate style originated in traditional British menswear, over time, it has gained widespread appeal among women and developed a gender-fluid aesthetic.
“KENT & CURWEN has always been about sharing club culture, and women hold just as much space in that world,” Kearns explains. “Women have long embraced our menswear, so expanding into a gender-inclusive collection was an organic progression.”
He concludes: “The response to our return to fashion week has been overwhelmingly positive. Consumers appreciate and understand the new design direction. From both media and sales perspectives, we’re excited to see a new generation embracing the evolution of the brand.”
Pictured: KENT & CURWEN’s first-ever womenswear collection, debuted at London Fashion Week in September 2024.
International Brands as BIEM.L.FDLKK’s Second Growth Engine
In 2023, KENT & CURWEN was acquired by Chinese apparel giant BIEM.L.FDLKK. With the group’s support, the brand is undergoing a comprehensive transformation—from brand positioning and design innovation to marketing, communications, and channel optimization. BIEM.L.FDLKK envisions KENT & CURWEN as one of its key drivers for secondary growth.
Previously, the brand stated to Luxe.CO:
“From the perspective of long-term brand development, the group will not localize KENT & CURWEN into a Chinese domestic brand. Instead, it will respect the brand’s unique DNA and international identity. Therefore, despite the current economic environment, we remain committed to increasing investments in KENT & CURWEN’s global expansion.”
Through Daniel Kearns, Luxe.CO has learned that the brand’s initial market focus will be on Asia and the UK.
Kearns emphasizes: “China has always had a strong consumer base for mature brands, and Chinese Gen Z has long resonated with British culture. The key now is to revitalize our existing stores in China while strengthening our global brand presence through e-commerce.”
Kearns shared insights into his collaboration with the Chinese team: “I have extensive experience working with the Chinese market. BIEM.L.FDLKK’s deep understanding of China is an invaluable asset—we can draw from it, learn, and adapt British aesthetics to create products for the global market. Our teams work through an established process, maintaining constant communication between our studios and offices in both regions. Our production spans Europe and Asia, and insights from both teams help ensure our designs resonate across different cultures, regions, and global audiences.”
In terms of physical retail, KENT & CURWEN has opened new concept stores in high-profile locations, including The Venetian Macao and Shenzhen’s MixC World. Moving forward, the brand plans to focus on China’s top-tier cities, targeting high-end shopping malls in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.
Pictured: KENT & CURWEN boutique at The Venetian Macao.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that KENT & CURWEN is taking a decisively global approach as it embarks on this brand revitalization. The establishment of its Paris Creative Center in 2023 and its return to London Fashion Week in September 2024 are testaments to this strategy. Historically, the brand has also been an official partner of numerous global sporting events, laying the foundation for international expansion.
With these efforts and investments, KENT & CURWEN is steadily regaining momentum and brand vitality. However, building global brand awareness remains an ongoing challenge. The road ahead will require further refinements in brand identity, deep market penetration, storytelling, and cultural engagement.
Daniel Kearns states: “Over the next decade, we will expand our D2C channels to gain deeper market insights, positioning KENT & CURWEN as the go-to British heritage brand for Gen Z consumers worldwide. After establishing a strong presence in Asia and the UK, our next phase will involve opening stores in the UK and the US.”
Reviving a century-old brand and unlocking its full potential is no easy task. However, with its comprehensive transformation, KENT & CURWEN is well-positioned to embark on a new chapter—one that could once again make British collegiate style a cultural phenomenon.
| Image Credit: Provided by KENT & CURWEN, official website, and Weibo account
| Editor: Zhu Ruoyu
