FEATURES: Patrick Grant’s stylish Sunday drive

Words - Taj Hayer 

Photography - Chris Floyd 

Patrick Grant, one of the UK’s most stylish men, the man at the helm of great British brands Norton & Sons and E Tautz and the uber cool judge on the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee is now working with BMW on the revival of the Sunday drive, reestablishing the pastime as an occasion to take pride in, to plan and dress up for and to allow you to switch off and enjoy your surroundings. 

For the record, Patrick is not committed to Sunday as a designated day for driving. “Over the last twelve months so many of us have spent so much time indoors, feeling the walls closing in on us and after walking the same path so many times I was aching for a literal change of things. There are so many nice things that come from the simple pleasure of being somewhere different. I loved being able to drive just for the reason to be able to be somewhere else and enjoy the scenery. And it’s not just the time spent driving that he enjoys so much, “It’s also the time preparing to drive. I always use paper maps and can happily spend hours pouring over maps looking at landscapes and imagining what they look like for real.” A BMW 4 Series is a perfect choice for such a journey, as fundamentally “they are just beautiful cars to drive.” Patrick describes “ a beautiful cockpit that not only looks amazing but provides a wonderful connection with the world around you. On a winding, narrow lane the car feels amazing to drive and the technology is quite spectacular.” 

A leisurely drive on a weekend afternoon is also a great reason to dress in something other than loungewear. In creating the video for the BMW campaign “part of the fun was having an excuse to dress up which was great after having worn the same clothes for the last seven months. As we were driving around Yorkshire and Lancashire I chose clothes that had textiles specifically from those places, but the general goal is to feel comfortable so I chose sturdy footwear and rainwear as you never call tell what the English weather will do. 

Whilst in lockdown, aside from being able to enjoy a Sunday drive in a BMW 4 Series, Patrick describes being able to film Sewing Bee as “the greatest thing that I was able to work on last year.” Filming the seventh series, despite all of the social distancing measures “felt very normal as it feels like a big family.” He felt that some of the contestants in the latest season, which will shortly air on the BBC were “so inspiring that I was taking their ideas into some of my own work”. Lockdown did not make Patrick Grant lazy though as he says that “last year I worked out that I worked two years worth of hours in one.” Spending so much time away from London, Patrick worked out that “I like living in the countryside, I like being in close proximity to the mountains and the sea.” 

Aside from his work on The Great British Sewing Brand, Patrick Grant is the Director of brands Norton & Sons, Community Clothing and one of our all time favourite brands E Tautz. It goes without saying that the last twelve months have been a precocious time for the fashion industry. Speaking of the pressures facing brands today Patrick says “Right now, brands on Savile Row are facing tremendous pressure and I would be surprised if all the brands get through this. We are lucky, we have had good support but we have been shut for eight of the last twelve months and even when we were open most people were not travelling to London to go shopping.” Of the challenges going forward “I am positive about us being able to get through it, and we need to do what we have always done which is to find ways to adapt.” Fundamentally “our customers will still want beautifully bespoke tailored clothes.” At the heart of these brands is an ability to make the wearer look and feel great, with the purchases often being made to last forever, making them incredibly sustainable. 

Patrick Grant has partnered with BMW to launch the stylish new 4 Series Coupé, delivering distinctive design from every angle and innovative technology. For more information, join Patrick on his journey to rediscover the joy of the Sunday Drive.