The current Duke’s grandfather, the 9th Duke of Richmond, raced as Freddie March during the 1920s and 1930s – before bringing motor-racing to Goodwood in the 1940s. And it is Freddie March’s passion for all things automotive that enlivens the classic menswear designs, such as trench coats, roll-necks and overalls, that make up the 19-piece collection. So where better to photograph Goodwood X Connolly than at the Motor Circuit that Freddie founded? And who better to model the clothes than his great-grandsons, the current Duke’s sons, Charles, the Earl of March, and Lord William Gordon Lennox?
As for Connolly’s heritage, the company, founded in the late 19th century, made leather that graced the seats and fittings of many luxury car marques, including Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin, along with the Queen Mary ocean liner, Concorde and of course those iconic benches in the Houses of Parliament.