In a landscape oversaturated with fast-paced drops and algorithmic aesthetics, Daniel Fletcher’s first act as Creative Director for Mithridate cuts through the noise with clarity and conviction. Titled Seven, Nine, Three, his debut capsule for the Chinese luxury brand is neither a nostalgic retreat nor a trend-chasing spectacle. Instead, it is an exercise in thoughtful permanence—a 30-piece wardrobe proposition that distills Fletcher’s refined British tailoring with the artisanal rigour of Chinese craftsmanship. Officially released on April 24, 2025, this capsule marks a new beginning not only for Mithridate but for the kind of design-led, culturally layered luxury fashion that many believed to be waning.

Recasting Tradition in a Contemporary Frame

Fletcher, best known for his tenure at his eponymous label and his previous role at Fiorucci, enters Mithridate with something rare in luxury fashion today: restraint. There are no shouty logos. No theatrical silhouettes engineered for virality. Instead, Seven, Nine, Three operates on an intimate frequency, one calibrated for the discerning wearer who values lineage over novelty and technique over noise.

Each garment tells a dual-origin story. A double-breasted jacket may look London on the outside—sober, sharp, cool—but turn it inside out and you’ll find Suzhou silk lining with a subtle numeric monogram: 7, 9, 3. These numerals aren’t decoration. In Chinese numerology, seven (变革) suggests change, nine (成就) signifies success, and three (生长) means growth. This philosophical code is embedded across the collection like a whisper, rather than a proclamation.

Alexa Chung as Muse and Mirror

Joining Fletcher on this journey is long-time friend and fashion polymath Alexa Chung, who served as both muse and informal creative consultant. The two reconnected during a photo shoot in New York last year, and it was there—between outfit changes and cross-continental musings—that the idea of “investment dressing for emotionally intelligent wardrobes” began to take shape.

That concept materializes in the form of trans-seasonal staples: Oxford shirts with asymmetric hems, sharply cropped rugby shorts in wool-cashmere blends, and 3D-knitted polos with crisp collars and seamless sleeves. These are clothes for people who move, think, and evolve—much like the designer and muse themselves.

“We weren’t interested in chasing relevance through shock,” Chung says. “We wanted to create something you’d still want to wear in five years, ten years—even if no one else was watching.”

Material as Message: Where East Meets West

While the silhouettes lean British in their core language—structured blazers, sharply pleated trousers, half-button rugby tops—the materials and methods carry the unmistakable precision of Chinese textile heritage.

• Hybrid fabrics such as Yorkshire wool and Suzhou silk show up in softly tailored coats and sleeveless vests, combining structure with flow.
• Technical taffeta pieces exhibit the engineering needed for urban mobility while preserving visual lightness.
• 3D knitting ensures sustainability, reducing textile waste by over 22% compared to traditional production lines.

Fletcher is keenly aware that materials communicate beyond trend. In this collection, silk isn’t used for sensuality—it’s used for intellect. Rugby knits aren’t ironic—they’re architectural.

Numerology as Narrative, Not Gimmick

Where many luxury brands adopt Eastern symbols as vague design tropes, Seven, Nine, Three builds an actual narrative scaffold out of numerology. The collection’s title does more than sound poetic—it sets the rhythm for the entire line.

• Seven (变革): Change is expressed in reengineered tailoring, like a trench coat with hidden zippers that convert it into a cropped jacket.
• Nine (成就): Achievement appears in the attention to longevity—garments that resist the obsolescence of the trend cycle.
• Three (生长): Growth translates into modularity, like a two-in-one shirtdress with detachable pleats that adapts to the wearer’s needs.

These values are reflected not only in the clothing but in the subtle design codes stitched into linings, embossed onto hangtags, and—perhaps most memorably—woven into a jacquard pattern found on what is quickly becoming the capsule’s hero piece: a slim, oversized shirt in sapphire and sand tones.

Market Strategy: A Cross-Generational, Cross-Continental Play

Fletcher’s appointment is a strategic move by Mithridate, aimed squarely at bridging geographic and generational gaps. His capsule collection positions the brand across three core consumer segments:

The Legacy Luxury Buyer

These are clients drawn to the quiet power of labels like The Row or Lemaire—minimalist, precise, and deeply considered. Mithridate’s unisex wool-cashmere vest at $1,850 is aimed directly at this demographic.

The Next-Gen Fashion Seeker

With reconstructed rugby shorts at $620 and a zip-sleeve deconstructed polo at $350, the line courts a youthful customer more interested in statement staples than archival homage.

The East Asian Market

By keeping 40% of its production in China while retaining 60% across Italy and the UK, Mithridate avoids the pitfalls of cultural tokenism while leveraging economic efficiency and authenticitThe Industry Responds

The capsule’s April launch coincides with an increasing appetite for modular, non-gendered, seasonless luxury. The prevailing fatigue with fast-fashion cycles, paired with a renewed appreciation for permanence, places Mithridate’s move in the vanguard of what some are calling “slow ambition.”

Early reception has been strong. Mithridate’s Mount Street flagship in London reported 35% higher-than-expected pre-orders, with the numbered jacquard shirting and hybrid rugby knits selling fastest. Retail partners in Shanghai and Seoul note that customers are spending more time with the garments—asking about weave density, construction technique, and garment care.

“Fletcher isn’t designing product—he’s building language,” says an editor at Business of Fashion. “Every stitch seems to say: Let’s slow down. Let’s mean more.”

Looking Forward: Spring/Summer 2026 and Beyond

Seven, Nine, Three is not a standalone capsule—it’s the overture to a new creative symphony. Fletcher’s first full collection for Mithridate, slated for Spring/Summer 2026, is expected to build upon this foundation, with added focus on eveningwear silhouettes, ceramic-infused textile applications, and calligraphy-driven embroidery.

Sources close to the brand suggest collaborations with British ceramicists and Chinese calligraphy masters are in development, part of a larger initiative to elevate Mithridate into a cross-disciplinary cultural entity—not merely a fashion brand.

Fletcher himself is characteristically composed about the future. “I’m not trying to define a moment. I’m trying to build something that earns memory.”

A Soft Power Statement

In a moment where many designers chase urgency and visibility, Daniel Fletcher’s debut for Mithridate is remarkably unhurried, cerebral, and sincere. Seven, Nine, Three isn’t a collection that asks to go viral. It asks to be lived in, learned from, and—most importantly—remembered.

And perhaps that’s the most radical thing a fashion house can do in 2025: resist the need to shock, and instead, whisper something true.

Collection Highlights

• Oxford Stripe Asymmetric Shirt: $890
• Cashmere Rugby Shorts: $620
• Unisex Hybrid Vest: $1,850
• Deconstructed Knit Polo: $350
• Convertible Wool-Silk Trench: $2,900

Production & Sustainability Breakdown

• Production Split: 40% China, 35% Italy, 25% UK
• Materials: 78% natural fibers
• Eco Tech: 3D knitting reduces pattern waste by 22%
• Packaging: Biodegradable garment bags with reusable cotton pouches

Seven, Nine, Three is now available via Mithridate’s global e-commerce store and at select retail partners in London, Shanghai, Seoul, and New York.

No comments yet.