Saul Nash describes his latest outing as a study of the archetypes which make up the modern wardrobe. Regularly travelling to Paris for work over the last couple of years, the London-born talent was inspired by inner-city style in the French capital, and the nuances that are both shared and clash with men’s dressing in his native city.
The technical sportswear from which he made his name is evolving. “This collection is like a renewal,” says Nash in a preview. “It made me reflect on myself, where I’m going and how I’m changing as a designer.” He’s found interesting ways to expand his movement-focused design DNA into new areas, looking to both changes in his own wardrobe and staple garments worn by men globally as a starting point.
Throughout, he cleverly cuts shirting from recycled nylon, equipping various styles with ventilation panels and elasticated cuffs to fuse his signature sportswear with menswear classics. Elsewhere, Nash crafts a zip-up windbreaker from a gentlemanly check fabric that dances along the natural contours of the body. Throughout, he’s introduced a myriad of new components to his growing arsenal, including top-stitched Japanese work denim. “That came from when I put on a pair of jeans recently and my partner said ‘Wow, I’ve actually seen you in jeans,’” explains Nash, who has long been tied to tracksuits. This season he proposed elevated, three-tone shell suits which hark back to classic Lacoste get-ups of the early aughts, alongside track pants fashioned to look like suit trousers, designed for more formal occasions.
Devoid of print and vivid hues, Nash chose to skip on a narrative-driven collection concept, letting the technical flourishes of his design hand writing take centre stage. “I wanted to make something that reflects me, but also the people that I’m creating for,” says Nash.
Photography courtesy of Saul Nash