Beginning
My 2026 debut collection introduces staple items, or uniform pieces, to the wardrobe.
Double Pleat Trouser / W001 £650
Two years ago, in 2024, I watched a shepherd in Albania guide his goats up a mountain. I was struck by his clothing - a 1960's tailored jacket and trousers that perhaps once hugged his younger frame but now hung comfortably and generously off his shoulders and belt. When I returned to London, I found a pair of 1980’s pleated trousers on Portobello Road and began recreating the shepherd’s suit. I begin most tailoring development this way - learning from the old to create something new. I step into the mind and skillset of its original creator, tracing and sometimes disassembling the reference, editing it into my own vision. My pursuit of the perfect shape and pattern is the foundation of Hamish Thwaites.
For my introductory collection, I felt the clothes didn’t need colour. Instead, the clothes speak to the cut, the finishings and the materials. I found a Belgian fabric supplier who sold me a single roll of black grain de poudre (a tightly woven, dry wool with a grain-like surface which I love for its matte appearance) whose clean bodied drape brings the movement of the Double Pleated Trouser to life.
Single Pleat Trouser / W002 £650
This trouser is very versatile, easy to pair with anything from chunky brogues to sandals. This makes them my personal favourite. They feature single outward pleats, a relaxed fit around the waist and a straight silhouette to the hem. The fabric, a navy heavyweight wool twill, is elegant and lends a fluidity of movement to the clothing. Some garments require a great deal of refinement and reworking during creation and some seem to come together naturally as did the Single Pleat Trouser.
For these trousers, I was inspired by the 1917 painting, A Young Breton by Glyn Philpot, a soldier and refugee dressed in early uniform and workwear - pleated trousers and layered t-shirts. The proportions of the weighty trouser with its pleats pulled open, hands buried deep in pockets, was an inspirational silhouette to start from.
It is important to me that each article of clothing is created with integrity. Making clothes is very personal - I draw each paper pattern and sew every development sample. I manage our production in a small scale factory in London and am involved in each stage of their creation. Every step along the way - from sourcing waistbanding, pocketings and fabric, to working with a local pattern grader, to developing labels - all of these knowledgeable and skillful individuals have contributed to the clothing I am making.
Moving Forward
My second collection will mark the introduction of outerwear. I have always loved coats and jackets, born from years of working with them as a pattern maker and searching archives for my own interest. I try to learn from the archives of outerwear brands that have been making coats for a very long time. I am currently building new silhouettes in my studio (including the shepherd’s jacket), and will soon begin searching the UK and Europe for the best materials possible. I am very excited for this next chapter.
Photography by Ted Belton