In conversation with

William McNicol, the designer behind William Frederick

Since its inception in 2018, William Frederick has embodied the refined creativity of Cleveland-based designer William McNicol. With carefully sourced manufacturers, an array of specifically selected textiles, and a devotion to craftsmanship, William Frederick’s FW25 collection effortlessly encapsulates McNicol’s vision for thoughtful design and intentional production. As we welcome the FW25 collection to L’Ensemble, McNicol discusses the inspirations, processes, and philosophies that continue to shape the label. 

As the FW25 collection arrives at L’Ensemble, McNicol reflects on the inspirations that continue to guide him — from cinema and sound to the trusted mills and artisans who bring each piece to life. His practice reveals a devotion to thoughtful sourcing, intentional production, and the quiet power of clothing as a vessel for meaning.

What few words encapsulate the William Frederick brand? Is there one piece that represents the ‘heart’ or ‘soul’ of the collection?

For each collection we work on, we refer to our three brand pillars: curiosity, intimacy, and intelligence. Then, we aim to present imagery that represents a sense of feeling, a sense of space, and a sense of product. Through this approach, we build our world for the brand.

For FW25, there is one specific piece - a plaid office shirt made with cream and brown FoxFibre organic cotton that is naturally dyed with iron, acacia bark, and chestnut mordant by Cara Marie Piazza. The cotton is grown in New Mexico, the fabric woven in Japan, the shirt cut and sewn in New York City’s garment district, and then naturally dyed in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Only 19 of these shirts were produced, and L’Ensemble will have 3 of them.

Who are your go-to style icons?

My style icons would be films more so than people - I attempt to capture the feeling of a film and find a way to translate that to clothing. In a roundabout way, you could say that my go-to style icons are the filmmakers who move me to create - John Cassavetes, Chantal Akerman, Michael Haneke, Andrei Tarkovsky, Eric Rohmer, etc.

Who are these designs best suited for? More importantly, how do you want people to feel in your designs?

I prefer to not identify a target market or decide who the brand’s offerings are for. There’s a unique joy in learning and seeing who is attracted or interested in the clothing over time. In a way, it’s information I would rather receive than impose - it feels more expansive that way.

With that said, I do think there are through lines between the values of the brand and the wearer - someone who is curious, kind, polite, attentive, and has a variety of interests in their life that have far more importance than clothing or products do. I would never want the clothing to be more interesting than the person wearing it.

What are your current rotational pieces in your closet right now? Do you have a way of "uniform dressing," and if so, what is your formula?

I wear nearly the same look every day - an oversized button-up, tee shirt, and William Frederick studio pants or atelier pants. Outside of my own brand, I rotate in pieces from Lauren Manoogian, Lemaire, and Wales Bonner with footwear from Aurora and Stoffa. My uniform is the extension of having a wardrobe that doesn’t require any thought when getting dressed - everything goes with everything.

How do you ensure your sourcing choices are in alignment with the brand while balancing cost, quality, and other factors?

First, we work with fabric mills that are tried and true. For each collection, we work with one mill in Belgium (in business since 1858), one mill in Ireland (in business since 1962), and two mills in Japan (third and fourth-generation owned, in business since 1948 and 1928). In addition, we work with a deadstock fabric supplier in Los Angeles and another in New York City, both of which are third-generation owned and family operated. We occasionally supplement our collections with fabrics from others, but these mills and suppliers form the core of everything we do.

Our price points reflect the quality of the textiles and manufacturers we work with. They’re rooted in honesty, fairness, and confidence. When someone comes into contact with our product, touches the fabric, sees the construction, and then looks at the price? The goal at that point each time is that they understand it and not be confused by it or question it?



Do you have any hobbies outside of fashion? Do you feel they ever influence your collections?

I care more about coffee, film, music, scents, art, furniture, and restaurants/dining than I do about clothing/fashion. The clothing that I design and wear are extensions of my other interests; what I take in and live with always makes an appearance in my work. An intentional way of doing this is working on collections while activating all 5 of my senses simultaneously. I often have fabrics in my hand, coffee or tea nearby, music playing, incense burning, and something visual - a movie on mute, Pinterest open, flipping through a photography book, etc. It’s a bit frenetic, but I’ve found it to be quite productive to distract myself with as many things as possible at the same time.

We are excited to share William Frederick’s creations with you.

Shop the FW25 collection here.