Nicholas Daley Explores The Trans-Atlantic Legacy Of Quilting For S/S 22
Paying homage to folk greats Richie Havens, Jo Armatrading and Davey Graham, Nicholas Daley's S/S 22 campaign goes above and beyond to uncover the beating heart at the core of his community; craftsmanship and culture.
Paying homage to folk greats Richie Havens, Jo Armatrading and Davey Graham, Nicholas Daley's S/S 22 campaign goes above and beyond to uncover the beating heart at the core of his community; craftsmanship and culture.
Titled Blue Quilt, the campaign shot by Piczo evokes blissful and charming memories of happiness and friendship. Set in a recording studio featuring Nigerian-Irish artist Caleb Kunle, the essence of the campaign explores the 'trans-Atlantic legacy of quilting within the American deep south and the development of black folk and blues both in the US and UK.'
An invisible line runs throughout the imagery for Blue Quilt, connecting the past to the present. Inspiration from global music treasures like Richie Havens, Jo Armatrading and Davey Graham sit next to contemporary figures like Lianne La Havas, Sons Of Kemet and Caleb Kunle. Although references are carefully and intricately woven together, there's a separation present between them, highlighting how they've influenced Daley and, in turn, what he's done with that inspiration.
The collection itself is unapologetically Daley from start to finish. The bespoke wax resist pattern roketsu features on wide-leg pants, a shirt and relaxed kimono. Depth and texture are created across the collection through a variety of techniques that appear in a mix of high-twist cotton woven checks and embroidery motifs, following on from previous designs. Knitwear and jerseys, both hand-knitted and crotched, also allude to 70s folk as psychedelic visuals - which stamp the collection with vibrancy and colour, made possible thanks to the intricate DIY practice of hand-dying clothes.
Through weaving in Ireland's rich textile history by creating a striped-linen pattern and bringing on board illustrator Gaurab Thakali to establish a distinct visual language taking hold in seventies folk music-inspired artworks, Daley instead puts artists at the forefront of his campaign. The designer has also colourfully taken inspiration from artist Michael Thorpe by calling on UK-based quilt specialists to upcycle past season fabrics. As ever - the underlying theme is as clear as day, Daley's S/S 22 collection puts community first, above all else.
Shop the collection atnicholasdaley.net
