LONDON — Hugh Devlin, the go-to lawyer for members of the British fashion industry, has died, according to his law firm Withersworldwide.
The dapper Devlin loved fashion and was a ferocious advocate for his clients, who included Christopher Kane, Clare Waight-Keller, Chopova Lowena, Carmen Busquets and Natalie Massenet.
He negotiated contracts with brands, luxury groups and investors; fought hard for creatives, and championed established as well as emerging talent.
Withersworldwide described Devlin, who died on Oct. 4, as “a dear friend, colleague and mentor. Hugh’s reputation in the fields of luxury fashion, beauty and design was stellar and, over the course of nearly 30 years, he nurtured Withers’ creative industries practice.
“Hugh was immensely well-known and highly respected for his business and negotiating acumen, in particular his ability to bridge the space between creativity and commerciality. Everything started with his deep sector expertise and a genuine passion for working with creative founders to help them develop their vision,” the firm said.
He also had a talent, the firm added, for delivering “difficult messages in elegant, unexpected phrases with a soupçon of wit. Impatient, exacting and intensely committed to his work, Hugh was also an incredibly kind and thoughtful colleague.”
The investor Carmen Busquets said she always referred to Devlin as “Huge” instead of Hugh, “because you were huge for me, and to many creatives in this industry.”
She said she and her colleagues “learned so much from [Devlin]; we all felt the warmth and protection of your big wing, but mostly we all laughed at your unique and irreplaceable wit.”
Joy Yaffe, a fashion consultant who now works in the well-being space, said that when British industry figures needed a lawyer, “Devlin’s was the only name that came to people’s lips.”
Yaffe described Devlin as “sophisticated and highly intelligent. He was an English gentleman whose passion for fashion, intelligence and legal mind” made for a powerful combination.
Designers paying tribute on Instagram included Harris Reed, who said he “would not be where I am today without this extraordinary human being, constantly fighting for creativity, protecting, loving and nurturing it to its fullest.”
Rok Hwang described Devlin as a “truly, truly beautiful man with the kindest heart in the industry. He was not only my mentor but my friend.”
Chopova Lowena said “he helped so many of us, and was the kindest, smartest, warmest person.”
Devlin is survived by his wife Sarah Devlin.
