When Clothes Actually Mean Something
In an industry obsessed with what’s next, Wright + Doyle offers something more lasting. A conversation with Izabella Doyle on fabric, fit, and the emotional weight of clothing.
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Chatting with Izabella Doyle
If you log into Reddit, or any stock-related forum, you will see users asking what the next big stock is, where to invest. Whether it’s penny stocks, or something like GameStop, everyone’s watching, lurking, or engaging within the community, trying to catch what’ll boom. I’ve tried several, several times, only to crash out each and every time.
We’re constantly chasing the next big thing. Especially in fashion, where people are scurrying through shops, publications, or tapping tastemakers to see what they’re feeling right now. All in an attempt to figure out what’s next, what’ll be trending six months from now.
Why am I saying all this?
Because in the middle of all that, throughout my constant scrolling, digging, poking around, I came across a brand that, despite having a strong presence in Asia, remains surprisingly quiet outside of it. The kind of brand that feels like the next big thing before everyone else catches on. Unlike Gamestop, I feel like I’ve managed to get in early this time.
Wright + Doyle, the British label founded by Izabella Doyle and Matthew Wright, is one that genuinely stopped me in my tracks. I’ve mentioned them here and there before. How much I love their garments, the intentionality behind their fabric choices, the playfulness in the designs, and how, despite all of that, everything still feels refreshing, modern, and timeless.
It’s the kind of work that rewires your perspective on fashion. You start reflecting on what you’ve bought. Is it worth it? Where does it sit in your life? Temporary, or is it something you’ll actually hold onto?
I’ve had the pleasure of owning three pieces now. The Langhaus Jacket, Krefeld Jumper, and Kassel Trousers — the latter being my most recent pickup, and now my most cherished. For context, the Kassel’s construction features a deep front pleat that creates a sculptural silhouette, bringing a flare of the dramatic into something meant for everyday wear, while the raw-edge waistband adds a touch of grit to an otherwise beautifully elegant pair of trousers.
The feeling you get when throwing these on is rare, a sense of being complete. It’s something that only really happens when there’s a genuine connection between you and what you’re wearing. Kind of like what someone at Burning Man would say about aligning your chakras.
Safe to say, mine are now aligned courtesy of Wright + Doyle.
During my trip to Men’s Fashion Week, I had the chance to meet Izabella at her showroom to see their FW26 collection. What I saw left me sweating, wondering what I could sell from my wardrobe to get my hands on a few of these pieces, with the leather jacket being my main target.
Bella showed an accompanying leather apron that, when paired with the jacket, feels almost like armour. “I put this on one night when I felt awful — long day, emotional — and instantly felt powerful,” she says. “Clothes should do that.”
It’s a gorgeous leather, the kind that immediately catches your eye, developed in collaboration with an atelier Bella has worked with for over 25 years, one that has produced for the likes of Christopher Kane, Burberry, and Mowalola. The idea for the jacket came after working on a bag with the same atelier, something personal she wanted for herself, before naturally evolving into something larger.
“They sent me all these materials,” she says. “It’s a tough material, so I wanted to introduce a bit of looseness. It ended up feeling like something between a gladiator’s apron and a butcher’s apron.”
That rawness carries throughout the collection, but this jacket is what ties it all together. A true showstopper.
“How long did it take to put this collection together?” I asked.
“Months and months,” Bella says. “I start developing fabrics about six months before we even begin the collection. Most of the mills I work with are exclusive, I design my own fabrics with them. Not everything, but a large portion.”
For example, one fabric comes from an old Italian suiting house that only produces lightweight tailoring. It was originally an archive piece, one they didn’t want to remake, but Bella committed to it for two seasons, bringing it back into production.
But what really pulls me in is the intentionality behind Bella’s choices. Her attention to detail, her approach to material. Everything feels considered, refined. She showed me a mulberry silk sourced from the Himalayas. “It feels incredible, but it’s almost too much,” she says. “It’s so luxurious it can feel overwhelming. I keep it on the inside, I don’t want that on the outside. Having it against your skin is what matters.”
Silks, wools, breathability, functionality. All key pillars in her work, forming a cohesive body of garments that left both myself, and several buyers, genuinely floored.
What’s most interesting though is the fit, something Bella clearly prides herself on. “I cut larger pieces in a way that allows them to drape on smaller bodies.” And you can feel that immediately when trying things on. A jacket cut for someone 6’1” can still sit beautifully on someone much smaller, sometimes even better.
“That’s something I think about a lot, how garments move between people.”
Movement matters. How something shifts when you walk, how it responds when you twist, turn. These are the details she obsesses over, and her background in pattern cutting is evident in every piece. It’s also why, after this past presentation, more people are beginning to take notice of her work.
With that, this collection is her most personal yet. “It starts with my father-in-law’s suit,” she says. “He passed away last year. He had this beautiful handmade 1970s suit, and I used the lapel from it as a reference.” From there, the story continues through her son, who has been practicing taekwondo. “He’s been doing taekwondo, and I bought him some uniforms while I was in California,” she says. “Watching him wear them, I thought, I need to bring this into the collection.”
Through this, she’s created a body of work that, through her experience and vulnerability, forms a thread connecting her father-in-law to her son. “The arc goes from my father-in-law, to my father, to my son. You can see that through the stitching, the construction, it’s all connected.”
Conversations like these remind me why I love fashion so much.
That level of connection and storytelling makes it clear how much care Bella puts into her work, and with so much fluff in the industry, it’s refreshing to see Wright + Doyle carve out their own space, creating garments that aren’t just clothes, but reflections of lived experience.
Both the joyful parts, and the heavier ones.
Additional Tidbits
Before signing off, here are a few things that have caught my eye recently + some news. Also, next What I’ve Bookmarked post drops this weekend. If you haven’t subscribed already, now’s your chance.
You’ll have access to past recommendations, and there are a few more early-access drops with Wallace Mercantile coming up. Next drop is William Frederick.
I’m considering a trip out to Paris this June for coverage, though gas prices are pushing flight tickets way too high which is throwing me off a bit. Still TBD, but if we get a decent amount of invitations, then I’ll make it out.
My quest to replace my Lemaire slippers may have finally come to an end, and it couldn’t come at a better time since they are officially dead (for now). I’m picking up the Oval Mocas by Hender Scheme in black/python. After seeing Jesper Sjögren wearing them in Paris this January, I became immediately fixated and scoured the internet for a pair in my size. Well, it finally happened.
I’m also considering the Libidos (insane name) by Hender Scheme. Tried them on yesterday and I’d like to pick them up, but I’ve yet to find $80,000 on the ground, so no can do right now. I’m clearly on a Hender Scheme kick right now. Though, there is the Anatomical Slip-On by Lemaire that just dropped, for anyone interested. Very nice, very sleek, very Lemaire.
I might expand on the big shorts piece I wrote for Highsnobiety, but from a more Duchump perspective. For now, &Son dropped a few great options by Reformed: the Knchaku Wool Trunks in navy and brown.
It didn’t fit me, but I’d love to see this Skipper Shirt by Blanc YM on someone soon. Stupidly comfortable, and a great addition to anyone’s summer' wardrobe. The Washed C/L Corkscrew Jacket by Ulterior is also a favourite of mine at Sycamore right now.
VP Texi, a brand you probably don’t know just yet, currently has their Trouser-One on sale. I’ve yet to pick up a pair because I’m stuck in that familiar loop of wanting everything at once, or nothing at all. But for you, I’d recommend taking a look immediately. VP’s one of those brands that feels like more than just a brand, as they’ve released an LP for No You, a project recorded by Suzanne Kraft and Davy Kehoe, and have shown work in galleries. I love this kind of direction. It gives me something to actually connect to beyond the surface-level “nice pants, gotta cop.” They’re more culture-building, displaying their passion for the arts in a way that’s honest and true to them.
Someone else that’s caught my eye recently is Akari Tachibana. Insane silhouettes, somewhere between art and fashion, with pieces that feel almost architectural. Beautiful work.
My latest fixation is Fishmans’ live album 98.12.28 Otokotachino Wakare, and I’m ready to say that this version of Long Season is the greatest live recording of all-time.