Fashion Journalist and Commentator

Colin McDowell is one of the world’s top fashion commentators. He is best known for his work as the Sunday Times’ chief fashion writer and for his role as the founder of the influential Fashion Fringe, a major initiative supporting young designers.

He knows the fashion business from both sides of the catwalk, having spent 10 years as a designer, illustrator and publicist in the Italian fashion business, where he worked with highly respected artist and couturier, Pino Lancetti.

Mr McDowell has been a journalist for over 20 years and has at one time or another written for every quality newspaper and magazine in Britain. Currently he is a regular contributor to the Business of Fashion, for which he interviews a wide-ranging selection of international fashion figures, whilst still writing occasionally for The Sunday Times Style.

He has Honorary Doctorates from The University of the Arts (London) and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh and several other British universities. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art and was appointed MBE in the New Year Honours List 2008. In 2015 he received the WGSN Global Fashion Awards 2015, Hall of Fame, Outstanding International Achievement.

Photo credit: Nick Knight