This week’s “Who’s that Girl (in menswear)” features Donya-Patrice Campbell, one of the most stylish ladies bowling around London Town. You may have caught a glimpse of her on The Sartorialist, or perhaps spotted this well-garbed woman in the pages of Elle magazine. With impeccable taste and a flair for masculine tailoring she’s one of the most effortlessly chic gals styling her way through this city.

Girl in Menswear was lucky enough to catch up with Donya-Patrice for an interview, and find out a bit more about her unique look, her career as a stylist, and her take on the upcoming menswear trends.

Image: Dapper Lou

Image: Dapper Lou

Please introduce yourself. My name’s Donyapatrice I’m a freelance stylist/designer from London

Where can we find you? Twitter: Donyapatrice –  Instagram : Donyapatrice – Blog coming very soon: Donya-Patrice.com

Describe your personal style? I would describe my personal style as masculine/feminine, very clean and smart.

Do you read blogs and source inspiration from them? Which ones should we look out for? I enjoy image focused blogs as the likes of The Sartorialist  and Dapper Lou, its always inspiring to see fashion across the world. Blogs to look out for are Park and Cube and Songs of Style.

You’re a stylist, where do you source your inspiration? It depends really, I get inspiration from films, art, designers, musicians from the past and present, it really does depend.

Styling is a notoriously hard career to get into, what would your advice be to aspiring stylists? My advice would be to intern and assist on photoshoots. You can gain so much first hand experience and knowledge interning and assisting stylists, and learn so much about how the industry works. Also don’t be afraid to network and go to events, this industry is based on who you know so don’t be afraid to network.

Also, my first venture into styling was styling my own shoots, I had no portfolio and at the time I was designing t-shirts, so I styled the photoshoots for them. That was the first start to my portfolio.

You style your brother Mr Flyy, how did that come about and have you always been his style advisor? I don’t actually style my brother he styles himself. He is his own personal stylist lol. Although I’m heavily involved with his style projects, we work together as a styling team on shoots and we also design as a team, but he takes full credit for his personal look.

A love of hats seems to run in the family, where does it originate? Who are your favourite hat brands/milliners? My interest in hats stem from my mum and brother. My mum collected accessories, which include bags, scarves, hats, back in the 80s. My bro also has a massively huge hat collection, from a very young age he began collecting all sorts of different styles from many brands.  My favourite hat brands are Christy’s and Bates.

donyapatrice

Image: Camilla Treharne for Oliver Sweeney

You’re also a designer; tell us a bit about your work? I specialise in print design, and at the moment I’m working on my men’s accessories line Dlyle Treasure, I’ve created all the prints for the accessories which is coming out very soon. There’s also a few other collaboration projects coming soon too. Will keep you posted.

Who are you favourite designers?  I have a few, they are Balmain Paris, Saint Laurent, Rad Houroni, Paul Smith, Thom Browne and Canali.

You often feature in street style photography, what do you think makes you stand out from the crowd? Erm I think the photographers photograph me because I’m just being myself.  I’m doing me, staying true to what I do.

You recently attended LCM, what menswear trends should we be looking out for, for 2014? The menswear trends to look out for are the   recurrence of prints; all over prints for men and printed suits, and the bare leg trend which is cropped trousers to the knee. Shorts with blazers.

What makes the London fashion scene unique? Londoners on the fashion scene are not afraid to express themselves. They are very free, and express themselves through style.

Any hidden gems around London you can recommend? I would say a hidden gem is Kingston market, its a massive house and inside it has some vintage treasures.

 

donya elle lcm

Image: Silvia Olsen for ELLE

 

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