EDWARD Windsor, Lord Downpatrick: son of George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, grandson of the Duke of Kent and Princess Diana’s godson, has ventured into the fashion industry with his menswear brand Fidir. Drawing on inspirations from rural Scottish scenery, the collection helmed by the connection to the crown is comprised of pieces ranging from T-shirts to duffle bags, fabricated in earthy hues.
Just as the feather logo represents the golden eagle which soars across the Scottish Highlands, Windsor hopes to take his brand to new heights, aiming for global success. Passionate about the brand he has crafted, Glass spoke with Windsor about the Fidir brand, his personal style and the challenges that have been faced along the way.
Lord Edward Downpatrick, founder of Fidir
Fidir is Gaelic for feel/experience. Why did you choose this name for your brand?
We wanted a name that connected the brand to its source of inspiration and Gaelic presented us with some beautiful words from which to choose. Heilan (Highland in English) crossed the bows, but there were complications, shall we say. We loved the tri-part meaning and chiastic lettering of Fidir so happily settled on it, despite some people’s problems pronouncing it.
Duffle bag by Fidir
Fidir is inspired by the landscapes of Scotland, could you explain this in reference to the current collection?
Most of the current collection is rooted in Highland landscape, whether it be from our materials, colours, cuts, or linings, the idea has been to evoke the landscape’s ruggedness and beauty. To take two examples, we cut our T-Shirts and Henleys (and soon-to-be-released Sweaters) with unfinished, flat-lock hems silhouetted to ape a particular ridge atop Beinn Dearg, a hike up which formed part of my inspiration to create the brand in the first place. All our bags and accessories, save the Foldable Rucksack and Card Holder, are lined with magic-realist paintings of the Highlands and Islands – the artist herself, a very old friend, is Highlands-born-and-raised.
You wear Fidir yourself. Are the fits and silhouettes inspired by your own style? And if so, can you explain how?
To some extent, yes, my style (if I can call it that) is a rough, understated one, but inspiration also came from my dislike of lazily-constructed, unflattering tops. Taking the T and Henley as examples, I wanted sleeves that hugged the arms without being gym-bunny-ish, colours that were (the white aside) brooding, and a hem that finished more naturally on the hips, the sum of which is a smart garment that complements a male upper body.
Green marl t-shirt by Fider
Why and how do you believe Fidir fits into today’s menswear market?
I don’t necessarily believe that Fidir fits into a particular slot in today’s menswear market. To us, it feels a little more yesterday for tomorrow.
When creating Fidir, what was the biggest challenge you faced and had you prepared for this?
The conflict of the more precise direction with which we wanted to kick off. There was more than one set of product ideas that matched our story and vision so really and truly, the greatest challenge was self-restraint and no, I had not prepared myself for that.
Blue card holder by Fidir
Looking towards the future of Fidir, how do you see the brand developing?
As our visibility increases, we’ll look to seed with department store and boutique retailers (especially in Scotland), add loveable pieces to and boost the sophistication of our collection. We hope to be distributed in countries beyond the UK where the brand feels serious love (North America and the Nordics are obvious target markets), but ultimately, I want people across continents to be wearing our tops and carrying our bags. For me personally, when the time comes, I want to be devoting myself to this endeavour in the very place that inspired it.
by Joseph Furness
Find out more about Fidir here
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