The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2025 - Issue 38

bitecatwalk M ithridate’s AW25 collection enters with assurance and confidence without spec- tacle. Under Daniel Fletcher’s creative direction, the brand embraces a new chapter that fuses British heritage with Chinese craftsmanship, creating a dialogue between cultures that feels authentic, lived-in, and forward-looking. Memory shapes the work, but never confines it; nostalgia lingers, yet momentum drives it on. The opening sets the pace. Familiar British codes are dismantled and rebuilt with fresh vitality: tailored coats carry the ease of Cambridge ball gowns, ladylike silhouettes collide with woollen hoodies, and velvet lace is sharpened into modern forms. Fletcher avoids repetition of stereotypes, instead rephrasing them. The question poses what if tradition’s classics were designed for who you are today, not who history expects you to be? A cinematic, playful, romantic, protagonist-ready spirit runs throughout. Textures ground the mood with soft wools, plush knits, and supple leathers. The effect balances Richard Curtis’ whimsy with the pragmatic rhythm of everyday British dress- ing. References to the Eighties and Nineties ‘bad taste’ arrive with wit, not irony. Pastels clash with crisp preppy hues, rock ’n’ roll prints bite against refinement. The result feels naturally British, chaotic yet cohesive, like a trench coat tossed over a club outfit at 2 am, or Oxford shirts adapted to whatever the weather demands. It’s a reminder that British style thrives on mismatched charm. Practicality anchors the collection. Mithridate motifs surface on heavy double-knit jumpers and vests; outerwear speaks directly to the realities of British weather while retaining personality. Coats span every mood, while corduroy blazers with donnish ease, softened Harringtons, sailor-in- spired jackets edged with blanket stitching, and silk scarves drifting across prints that nod to old British music scenes. Chinese influence appears not as ornament but as craft. Hand-embellished beads, time-honed techniques, and meticulous finishes lend struc- ture to otherwise unruly styling. This balance of discipline and freedom gives the collection its pulse. Ultimately, Fletcher offers a vision both nostalgic and new, a reimagining of British staples through a freer, more intuitive lens. The collection is assured without excess, thoughtful without stiffness, and the cultural interplay feels seamless, natural, and alive. https://mithridate.com MITHRIDATE FASHION WEEK LONDON Autumn/Winter 2025