Patrick Cupid is an emerging, self-made contemporary designer fashion brand that plays the formality of elegance against the ease of elevated sportswear, enveloping a truly cosmopolitan style.
The Patrick Cupid brand launched in 2017, and the first collection, “All in Jest,” started a conversation around independent style without social restrictions in Fall 2019. The brand tells a story of independence and evolving culture through clothing seamlessly translating from professional to social. Each collection features a custom print designed by Patrick Cupid himself, emphasizing the seasons’ concept’s philosophy.Patrick received formal training at The Fashion Institute of Technology, Parsons School of Design, and Politecnico Milano. We sat down with Patrick at his midtown Manhattan atelier, and chatted all things fashion.
Pursuitist: How long have you been in business? How did you get involved in fashion?
Patrick Cupid: I have worked in fashion since I was 17. The brand officially since 2019 when I launched the first collection under Patrick Cupid. We launched here in New York in the garment district, and I had a mentor that said “you need to come to Paris. You need to do Paris Fashion Week”. I did, and it worked out and started the trajectory.
It’s all I ever really knew what to do. When I was a little kid, I would draw. It was never people, it was never animals, it was always clothing. I would read a book, I would watch a movie, I love old films, cartoons, I read like crazy- fairy tales, bible stories- anything about the world it could tell me. When I would be done, I would grab a pen, pencil, anything I could find, and I would just start to sketch. It was always some form of clothing. Oh, this is what a the princess was wearing. Then I discovered I could sew. I don’t really know why or how, it just made sense to me. When I was around 13, we got cable and Bravo used to have a show called Fashion File. They did a whole profile on Karl Lagerfeld and it was just this epiphany of wait, he draws. He sews. He does his thing, and it was like, ok, this is what I am supposed to do, and it kind of just stuck from there.
Pursuitist: Your current collection is inspired by the 1960’s. What was the inspiration?
Patrick Cupid: The spring/summer collection “Diurnal” really came about after looking what is happening now, and also this transition in myself. I started to think about things coming to light and happening more broadly. Politically, people are are being more outspoken. People are saying things now that haven’t been said, but there’s truth to history repeats itself. When I started to think about that, I sort of looked at fashion, looked at what’s going on, and in the early 60’s their was just this point that fashion just evolved really quickly. New styles, like almost weekly.
In 1960, it just exploded. I was kind of puzzled by it, and was like ok, what had happened. Why did this go on? And it was women. Women happened. They came out, they were speaking out, they were writing, they were in office, they were on television, they were in politics, they were getting degrees and education, not that this wasn’t happening before, but the world didn’t make room for it. Now that we were hearing from women as individuals, you could no longer put them all in the same uniform. They needed clothes, and fashion responded. Especially from the female designers. Feminists also responded, and they were wearing pants. The skirts got very, very short. The ideas of being a converservative or sexual being were shaken up. It required a new sense of style, it required a new sense of dress. Clothing had to function, and not just pretty.
The real ethos behind the brand itself is the autonomous person. Who is herself, expresses herself, is into the brand, because it is who she is. She’s not dressing to impress anybody, be liked, or gain anyone’s approval. It has nothing to do with that at all.
Pursuitist: What are some of your favorite pieces from the current collection?
Patrick Cupid: There’s definitely always the wide leg pants. The fabric (Italian double wool crepe), the weight, the drape is absolutely beautiful. They work on anyone. The height doesn’t matter- I really wanted to make sure I had things that anyone could wear and put them on and feel amazing. Working out the perfect fit was a huge deal for me, and this is probably one of the favorites.
The others would be the shirts and the blouses. The flower print takes on a very painterly aspect to them. I don’t do floral just to do floral, I try to do something a little different- something to think about when they look at it. It also gives the clothing a unique appeal because when doing so. I also believe in responsible design and have as little going to waste as possible. Lots of silk, cotton.
How do you see your brand evolving over the next few years and what are your goals as a fashion designer?
Patrick Cupid: Growing. I would eventually love to be in my own retail space, because I think in that way, I could really give people a front row seat to the world of Patrick Cupid and what that is, how I design and why.The art inspiration for the prints, because I was a freelance curator for a while working with artists both here and in the UK and showcasing their work. Like the love for color. Having them understand that their is more to the clothing.
Pursuitist: If you weren’t a fashion designer, what would you be doing, and what is luxury to you?
Patrick Cupid: I would be a lawyer. No question. It fits who I am and ties into the brand as well, because even with the message of autonomy, their is a sense of social justice. With the way the world is, I would want to make a difference in some way, shape or form, and I think being a lawyer is the way to do that.
Luxury to me is a specialness. It’s when something is truly special and not just the cost of the thing. It’s the quality, it’s the make. that it’s had a life and adds more to the story, and anything luxury has to have that. It’s not just about pretty things, it has that energy, that feeling and it’s really well done.
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