Patrick Michael Hughes is a fashion and decorative arts historian. He writes about fashion cultures past and present, making connections to New York, London and Copenhagen's fashion brands with an eye toward men's fashion. He also is a Senior Fashion Editor and Men’s Fashion Writer at IRK Magazine- France since 2017.
Following his BA in the History of Art from Manhattanville University in Purchase, New York he later completed graduate studios in exhibition design in New York. it was a conversation in regard to a graduate architecture assignment, about exhibition design interviewing Richard Martin and Harold Koda curators of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when he was encouraged to consider shifting his focus to the decorative arts with a specially in fashion and curation.
Patrick completed his graduate work in 17th and 18th century French Royal Interiors and decoration and 18th century French Fashion and Decoration at Musée Les Arts Decoratifs-Musée de Louvre in Paris. Upon his return to New York along with independent studies in museology and exhibition research in American Fashion he earned his MA in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from the prestigious Parsons/Cooper Hewitt Design Museum program in New York. His final specialist areas of distinction are in 19th century English fashion and interiors with special distinction in 20th century American Fashion history and mid-century design.
Prior to committing to a faculty position, Patrick worked a casting assistant for Diane von Furstenburg, Kenneth Cole and others. He was also a resident guest historian researching the luxury western American market at the Texas Fashion Collection, Neiman Marcus accessions and private trusts at the University of North Texas.
Currently, he is an Associate Teaching Professor at Parsons School of Design leading themed integrated design studios and fashion lecture-studios, engaging in original generative projects, introducing the practices of fashion editorial, art direction and creative layout in the First Year BFA School of Art and Design History and Theory. He also teaches in the 19th and 20th century fashion history in the Fashion Business and Fashion Design certificate program. At Parsons, he has been a cohort leader as well as served as a recurrent multi-year contract committee chair and committee member for part -time faculty tenure.
Patrick is often cited as a historical source for numerous news sources, digitally and in print. His fashion career also includes years as a reporter/photographer of branded content for the New York local news in the hyper-digital sector. As an experienced luxury sector operative, his prior work experience further extends to LVMH New York headquarters. For over four years he was a luxury culture educator for high-level Mandarin speaking associates ascending into various LVMH brand holdings. He also recurring online/ on camera presence with the former Condé Nast - Teen Vogue editorial leads in Fashion Industry Essentials- Unlocking Visual Style. Patrick has also been a faculty member at Kent State University -New York Atelier and for over a decade lectured in textile and decorative arts history and fashion history at The Fashion Institute of Technology.
Patrick's love of travel and open terrain enabled to him becoming an experienced cross-country equestrian riding in a number of countries in South America, Scandinavia, The United Kingdom and Germany. However, he is not currently riding, but rather speaking internationally to designers, product development teams, marketing teams and ascending designers in the US, Europe and China. During the summer, Patrick can be found in Greenwich Village at the beach, on a shoot/set location or in London or Copenhagen.
Selected Prior Media Appearances
The Wall Street Journal 2013, 2014, 2020 2024
The Jewish Chronicle (London) 2023, 2024
Fashionista 2024
National Public Radio 2022
ELLE Magazine 2022
The Sunday Times (London) 'Beau' Magazine 2021
New York Times -2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020
Highsnobiety Podcast 'Fashion and Race' Summer 2019
Levi Strauss & Co.- Global Management Conference- 'Accurate Fashion Trends'
Men's Health UK Winter Styles 2018 and 2019
Zara/ Inditex- Keynote Speaker - 'Fashion Trends 2020 Vision' Spain Headquarters 2017 Headquarters 2016
Condé Nast Entertainment-Digital- Glamour Magazine- Style Expert 2016
Fox News Edge National Affiliates- NY Fashion Week Wrap-Up SS-2015
Glamour Magazine- Fall 2014
Esquire Magazine- 2009, 2013 2014
GQ Magazine - 2012
Vogue- India-2010
ABC News- Good Morning America- 2009, 2010
CNN- Anderson Cooper, Guest- 2007
