Royal Ascot’s first creative director has spoken about how Harry Styles was his first client and says he wants racegoers to mix up their outfits for this year’s event.
Fashion designer Daniel Fletcher graduated from the renowned Central Saint Martins College of the University of the Arts London in 2015.
Fletcher launched his graduate collection shortly after leaving university, but little did he know that one of the world’s most popular stars would be his first client and ultimately help him launch his brand.
After showing off her designs at an event, stylist Harry Lambert said he thought Harry Styles would like her clothes. A week later, the former Only one direction singer I bought them all.
Speaking ahead of Royal Ascot, which starts tomorrow, Daniel said: “He bought all the shirts in my collection, then I made some custom ones for him and then it really took off.”
Harry Styles appears on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2015 wearing a t-shirt from Fletcher’s Graduate collection.
Daniel Fletcher said he wants racegoers to adopt new ways of dressing instead of “sticking to what they know.”
“When Harry wore my shirts for the first time, it was cool because I was a student just out of college and I had this megastar walking through my (designs).
“It’s a really surreal feeling, especially when I sewed them all myself (and used) fabrics that I printed here in London and drew myself.”
He altered Styles’ clothes, making them an inch longer, and says all of his shirts have stayed that way since then.
Styles wore Fletcher’s navy and light blue striped shirt during an interview on Jonathan Ross’ show, giving him the boost he needed to launch his career.
Fletcher, originally from the northwest of England, has since worked with other big names in the music industry including Joe Jonas and landed the role of Royal Ascot’s first creative director.
He said: “It’s quite daunting for me to become Royal Ascot’s first creative director because here we’re talking about dress codes dating back to the 19th century.”
“I went through all the sets from hundreds of years and tried to pay homage to them, but also bring something new and a fresh approach to them.”
Fletcher, who competed in the Next in Fashion program in 2020, wants racegoers to adopt new ways of dressing for the event, rather than sticking to what they know.
Harry Styles bought Fletcher’s entire Graduate collection. Above: Pictured one of his designs from 2015.
Harry Styles is pictured wearing one of Fletcher’s t-shirts at Carpool Karaoke and was his first customer when he graduated from college in 2015.
While all the dress codes remain the same, the designer’s goal was to give revelers an “unexpected chance” of what is acceptable to wear.
For example, in one of the looks a feminine dress appears with ties, flower bags and berets. Fletcher said she brought elements of outfits one would expect to see “in the boardroom or in the school uniform” into a flowy silk dress to liven up traditional ensembles.
For the first time in 300 years, Royal Ascot has unveiled its lookbook and Fletcher explains its designers for each edition.
The Best of British Edit draws on Daniel’s lifelong fascination with British heritage and features contrasting stripes and ties paired with extravagant silk dresses.
He said New Guard Edit is dedicated to the next generation of independent brands and designers, with a new vision of special occasion dressing.
The Conscious Edit aims to show how race-goers can dress while thinking about the impact their fashion choices have on the environment. This includes a custom suit designed and manufactured in London by Fletcher using a lightweight tweed.
Fletcher, originally from the northwest of England, has since worked with other big names in the music industry such as Joe Jonas.
Above: A look taken from Daniel Fletcher’s The Best of British Edit for Royal Ascot
Fletcher is pictured altering a hat on a model’s head for her lookbook photo shoot.
Daniel talked about his “signature look” while launching the lookbook, which includes “building an outfit based on neutral colors and my love of tailoring.”
Fletcher said Luxury Edit is for racing fans looking to enhance their appearance and add a touch of glamour.
Some pieces included have intricate and unique elements in the designs, for example, the intarsia weaves in Missoni dresses, Zimmerman pleats, and Marc Jacobs draping.
While the designer says you can never go wrong with a classic top hat and tailcoat, Tailoring Edit highlights other ways to incorporate tailoring into your race day attire.
Fletcher said: “This season, I wanted to bring a new take on racing fashion and the magical world of special occasion dressing.” The inspiration arose from my lifelong fascination with British heritage and the stylish characters one might encounter at the racecourse this summer, while also paying homage to the variety of styles on display at each venue, and my favorite looks from Royal Ascot through the decades.
‘This includes my signature style of creating an outfit based on neutral colors and my love of tailoring, juxtaposed with more playful maximalist looks that highlight our sense of British sartorial elegance and Royal Ascot glamour.
‘Whether extravagant or understated, Royal Ascot gives us the opportunity to embrace the famous dress codes and dress smartly, encouraging freedom of expression through dress.
“For 2024, I want to capture that joy and inspire racegoers to push the limits with their own unique style and embrace their own creativity.”
