Nicholas Daley’s subcultural ethos embellished his AW23 collection, peppered with subversive spirit. Dubbed Roots to Rebel, it channelled the punk realism of the 1970s in particular, with the infectious groove of Jamaican reggae and ska seeping in.
The collection was synonymous in the drawing of two boundary-pushing figures of the era: “Roots” was representative of poet Benjamin Zephaniah and “Rebel” pertained to Pauline Black, the front woman of The Selector and original Rude Girl. Her defiant female led approach inspired the cool cadence of the collection.
Merging tradition and nonconformity, a new uniform merged bespoke, brushed mohair tartan reminiscent of Daley’s own Scottish heritage with technical, water-repellent Italian fabrics. Lightweight polyamide cotton was used to accent a utility cropped coat, with a heavier version cropping up in hardwearing pieces such as the Smock Parka and cargo pants. A subtle Roots to Rebel monogram designed by London-based artist Kione Grandison was lightly scattered throughout the collection while hand-crocheted cottons returned in a long-sleeve relaxed fit crewnecks and a selection of accessories including belts, bags and berets.
To close the collection, a collaboration with GH Bass saw a shoe available in two colour ways – navy and black or burgundy and chocolate – bringing to mind those worn by the original Rudeboys, Mods and jazz icons. Between its visual impact and background, the collection embodied a continued dialogue between classic and contemporary, generating something wholly unique.
Text by Felicity Mansell. Photography courtesy of Nicholas Daley.
