Following last season’s martial arts-inspired collection – inspired by his newfound love for karate during lockdown – Nicholas Daley’s SS22 offering explores the trans-Atlantic legacy of quilting within the American deep south, touching on the immense blues music culture throughout the region.
Titled Blue Quilt, the designer – who held his first solo exhibition at London’s Now Gallery early this summer – uses fabrics and textures popular across Japanese, American, Irish and British design. In his collection notes, the designer speaks of wanting to “draw a line” between his musical inspirations of the past and today, name-checking the likes of Richie Havens and Davey Graham, as well as contemporary musicians Lianne Le Havas and jazz outfit Sons of Kemet.
For the garments themselves, Daley took inspiration from all over the world. Firstly, NYC quilt artist Michael Thorpe whose artworks use a range of colours and textures relating to his own heritage. Daley decided to upcycle past seasons fabrics to create a series one-off looks. He has also continued his collaboration with Japanese artisans, as seen through the use of specialist Japanese fabrics in a mixture of high-twist cotton woven checks, embroidery motifs and a bespoke wax resist pattern on Daley go-to wide-leg trouser. The designer’s knitted and hand crocheted accessories come in bold hues, a nod to psychedelic visuals from the 1970s.
This season’s collection continues to highlight Daley’s three pillars in which his menswear brand is built on: community, craftsmanship, and culture. Whilst displaying new musical reference points and collaborators to bring yet another authentic story, Daley is cementing himself as one of British menswear’s greats.
Photography by Piczo.
