A Swiss-born label growing from sustainable intimates to Italianate resortwear, PATER et FILIUS champions conscious luxury. Driven by design, travel and ethical values, their Riviera‑inspired capsules embody a thoughtful modern masculinity.
Let’s start at the beginning – what sparked the creation of PATER et FILIUS?
The idea for Pater et Filius wasn’t born in a boardroom. It was born in the intimate moments of everyday life. Surrounded almost entirely by men, both in my personal and professional life, I became acutely aware of how masculinity is shaped – not just socially, but aesthetically. I found myself asking: Where are the garments that honour this experience?
At the same time, my background in art and architecture instilled in me a deep respect for form and function. Pater et Filius was born from this intersection: a deeply personal desire to raise boys in a world where masculinity could be both strong and sensitive, and elegant and ethical. The brand is a bridge between my life as a woman and mother, and my design-driven pursuit of beauty with meaning. It’s my way of making the world (or at least a small corner of it) a little better dressed.
The name PATER et FILIUS is intriguing. What does ‘Father and Son’ mean in the context of your brand?
Absolutely – the name Pater et Filius is intentionally rich with symbolism. While on the surface it speaks to the literal bond between father and son, the deeper resonance is with the archetype of generational connection — a passing down of values, craftsmanship, and identity. Pater represents origin – the root, the wisdom, the classical. Filius represents evolution – the daring spirit that questions while still honouring the past.
Your journey began with a line of premium intimates. How did that evolve into a full resortwear label?
Starting with premium intimates was very intentional. Intimates are the closest thing to the body – they demand attention to detail, to comfort and to how fabric interacts with skin. There’s nowhere to hide. That experience taught us how to build not just a garment, but a feeling.
But from the beginning, we knew we didn’t want to stay solely in that private space. What carried through was our obsession with fabric, fit, and finish. Whether it’s a crisp linen shirt or a tailored swim short, each piece is designed to feel personal, considered and quietly powerful.
You’ve spoken about championing ‘refined masculinity.’ What does that phrase mean to you?
When we speak of refined masculinity, we’re talking about intention and reclaiming a masculinity that is elegant, self-aware and rooted in quiet strength. In today’s fluid style landscape, there’s a vital freedom, but there’s also a risk of losing the grounding that certain identities can provide. We’re not nostalgic for old power structures, but we do miss the clarity of masculine role models that carried dignity without bravado. Pater et Filius is our way of offering that again – a wardrobe for the man who leads with presence, not noise.
There’s a nostalgic thread in your work, particularly the influence of the 1950s and 1970s. How do you reinterpret this for a contemporary audience?
There’s something undeniably magnetic about the 1950s and 1970s, and not just aesthetically but emotionally. These were eras of guiltless pleasures, where resort life wasn’t just a pause from reality, but a lifestyle in itself — thoughtful, sensual, and deeply present. People dressed to travel, to dine, to lounge. There was ceremony in leisure, and that’s a spirit we feel is missing today.
We reference the elegance of 1950s tailoring, the ease of 1970s silhouettes, the cinematic glamour of resort towns like Capri or Biarritz, but we reinterpret them with a contemporary and global eye. Fabrics are lighter, lines are cleaner, and the palette speaks to today’s sensibilities. Our man might live in Paris, London, LA or Tokyo, but he shares that same desire for leisure with meaning.
Sustainability is embedded into the brand’s very structure. Can you walk us through the decisions that reflect this ethos?
Sustainability isn’t a marketing layer — it’s the skeleton of Pater et Filius. That starts with materials. We avoid cotton wherever possible, and not because it’s unfashionable but because its water consumption and environmental toll are staggering. Instead, we favour linen: naturally breathable, far less resource-intensive, and beautifully suited to our Mediterranean-inspired aesthetic.
For our swim shorts, we’re proud to use only regenerated materials and production is kept deliberately local. We work exclusively with European manufacturers to keep shipping distances short and traceability high. Finally, our packaging is minimalist by design. We use as little material as possible, always recycled or recyclable, always understated. It’s part of our broader belief that luxury doesn’t need excess, it needs purpose.
The Riviera collection, alongside others like Escapist and Rogue Gentlemen, carries strong identities.
At the heart of each capsule is our philosophy that true luxury is intentional. The Pater et Filius man doesn’t dress to impress; he dresses to express his values. Our travel-ready wardrobes are built for movement and mindfulness; they’re garments that carry stories, crafted with care from responsibly sourced materials.
Each collection is a passport to a different version of the self, because the modern man is not just one thing. He is many.
Why is structure so important in leisurewear, and what details set your garments apart?
We treat structure as a kind of quiet luxury. In leisurewear, it’s often overlooked — but for us, it’s essential. A well-cut swim short that echoes the sharp lines of a formal trouser allows the wearer to move effortlessly from poolside to restaurant, from boat to bar, without ever looking underdressed. It’s freedom without compromise – and that’s the kind of versatility we believe in.
Functionally, we obsess over the details. For our swim-shorts we use high- quality, regenerated fabrics that resist fading and wear from salt, chlorine, sun and sand — materials that can take a beating but feel incredibly soft on the skin.
What does the ideal customer journey look like for you?
The ideal customer journey with Pater et Filius is one of discovery — of pieces that feel like companions, not commodities. We want our clients to pack less, live more, and move through the world with clarity, comfort, and style. This is a wardrobe not for the man who escapes life, but for the one who escapes into it.
You produce in limited runs and even offer made-to-order pieces. From a commercial perspective, that’s a bold stance.
It’s true – choosing to produce in limited runs and made-to-order pieces is not the fastest path to growth. But for Pater et Filius, it’s the only path that aligns with our values.
Personal connection is the new luxury. Customised service, meaningful dialogue, and items that are made for someone and not just sold to them – these are things that don’t scale easily, but they resonate deeply. We believe that in time, this approach will make the difference. Because the man who wears Pater et Filius doesn’t just want to look good, he wants to live well. That kind of loyalty is worth far more than scale.
Your linen throws have a deeply artisanal feel. Can you tell us about your collaborations with local craftspeople?
Our accessories, and especially the linen beach throws, are where the soul of Pater et Filius really comes through. These pieces may seem simple at first glance, but they carry layers of meaning, technique, and human connection. For us, working with local craftspeople isn’t just about quality – it’s about relationships.
The company that produces our linen throws runs their entire production with green energy, which was a major draw for us. But what really won us over was their philosophy: they reuse all fabric cut-offs, ensuring that nothing is wasted. As well as this, by working so closely with artisans we’ve learned that true craftsmanship lives in the details we often overlook: the slight variation in weave, the way linen softens over time, the pride a weaver takes in their work. These are things you can’t replicate at scale… and we don’t want to.
Finally, what’s next for PATER et FILIUS?
We’re aiming to deepen the world we’ve already begun to build, and we’re exploring a series of creative collaborations with hotels and travel destinations that share our ethos: places that value intention, refinement and a sense of quiet luxury.
We can’t say too much yet, but what excites us is the idea of redefining what a fashion brand can be. Not just a label, but a companion for the well- travelled life. Whether that’s through limited-edition collaborations, curated travel essentials or eventually even our own physical spaces, we’re interested in crafting a universe, not just a collection.
For further details visit pateretfilius.com
