Nicholas Daley is known for his merging of traditional British tailoring with his Scottish and Jamaican heritage, and his FW25 collection is no different. Suave, structured silhouettes, thick textures, plaids and other Scottish patterns make this a collection full of steeze and uncompromising craft.
We linked up with the big man himself to talk more about his new collection “Island Ties”, which celebrates his dual lineage.
On his FW25 collection:
“‘Island Ties’ looks at my ancestral roots [of Britain and Jamaica], the two islands of my heritage, through the fabrics, styles and colour tones. We also worked on a collaboration with Lyle&Scott, who are celebrating their 150th anniversary curating a knitwear capsule. And we also worked on footwear with Japanese outdoor brand Flower Mountain, blending Japanese materials with our key design details.”
On fusing craftsmanship with his culture:
“We curated several bespoke tartan fabrics and knit techniques for this season. Our Fair Isle knit takes a traditional Scottish design and [subverts] it with unique colour combinations from Jamaica. It’s one of my favourite pieces from the collection, fusing craftsmanship and ancestry while feeling playful. It’s really a celebration of my dual heritage.”
On the mood board:
“I had this iconic photo shot by Adrian Boot of the band Steel Pulse on the streets of Birmingham – I really love their style and the composition was really inspiring for the collection.”
On the music:
I played a lot of ‘70s and ‘80s British Roots reggae music such as ASWAD and Steel Pulse. But, also, The Clash and The Specials – I always love the intersection with Reggae, Punk and Ska music born from multicultural Britain during that period.”
On the challenges of being an independent designer:
“My biggest challenge is allowing more time to be creatively free when working through our brands, collections and projects. Due to the demand of running the business as an independent, covering multiple areas can be extremely time consuming. That is why a great team is so important and having people around you who are truly invested in the vision whether that is an employee, stockist or customer.”
On his advice for young creatives:
“Always follow your own path.”
Featured images Nicholas Daley©
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