Nicholas Daley Autumn/Winter 22 'Dark Haze' Collection

For Autumn/Winter 22 Nicholas Daley places the guitar front and center, exploring the instrument’s otherworldly appeal through a collection deeply rooted in the energy, aesthetic and attitude of black rock, punk and funk.

Continuing where folk-infused Blue Quilt SS22 left off, Dark Haze mines a more dynamic and assertive music tradition. From George Clinton’s raucous P-Funk mythology to Sly and the Family Stone’s genre-blurring output, the collection taps into a world where hard rock, funk, blues and West Coast psychedelia converge. Dark Haze’s anti-establishment muses pushed their craft to the limit, producing spaced-out tracks that conveyed emotion and narrative, dissent and pure joy. Picking up the baton in the decades that followed, punk-reggae masters Bad Brains, Guns & Roses icon Slash…a new generation went on to create their own highly-stylised identities. Nicholas traces this line to the current moment, Dark Haze’s contemporary references including Ho99o9, Sam Akpro, Mansur Brown and South London multi-instrumentalist Wu-Lu, who provides this season’s atmospheric score.

Jagged feedback, trippy distortion and freeform riffs, AW22 gathers these sonic soundscapes to imagine a wardrobe fit for the stage. Having carefully crafted their own idiosyncratic personas, Slash, Sly Stone and Bootsy Collins became natural visual reference points. While the sound took precedence, flamboyant attire and theatrical presentation were vital in constructing a universe around these noted nonconformists. With this in mind, the season’s flagship garment takes its cue from a signature of stage costume, turning an eye-catching oversized poncho into a distinctly warm and wearable layer. Daley draws together collections past in literal form, utilising previous seasons’ bespoke wool mohair tartans to create a striking outerwear piece, reuse and rework key tenets of the brand going forward.

Roomy silhouettes continue across outerwear with two bold cuts. The Big Mac softly drapes from the shoulder, constructed in custom boucle tartans from celebrated Highland weaver and past collaborator, Lochcarron. Weatherproof fabric specialists Halley Stevensons return for AW22, their tough and durable waxed cottons paired with Melton wool for material contrast across the Oversized Raincoat. As always, specialist fabrics take centre stage, storied UK mills and artisanal Japanese makers celebrated and showcased across the line. An assorted range of textures, palettes and techniques add depth to each garment whilst speaking to the importance of slow craft and the preservation of skills honed over generations.

Japanese Roketsu print fabrics, hand-knitted jute crochet (made in England) and a duo of richly patterned silks from weavers Stephen Walters & Sons of Sudbury can be found across familiar ND styles, from Aloha Shirts and Kimono Jackets to berets and pouches. London based leather ateliers capture the movement and motion of stage performance in a selection of custom pieces, hand-cut fringing appearing on the Clinton Coat in five whale corduroy and soft nappa leather as well as exclusive collaborative Chelsea and Chukka boots from historic Canadian footwear manufacturer, Viberg.

Artwork and iconography play significant roles this season. Classic rock, punk and funk motifs found on record sleeves and tees are reimagined by illustrators Gaurab Thakali & Ollie Dove, inspired by Daley’s personal vinyl and memorabilia collection. Finally, themes around personal heritage are addressed with the return of the symbolic kilt. In a nod to his Scottish roots, Nicholas has transformed Lochcarron tartans and Halley Stevensons waxes into contemporary wrap and knife pleat kilts. A fitting addition to a collection examining the power of costume in all its forms.

Creative Direction by Nicholas Daley
Styling by Stephen Mann
Video by Joseph Dunn & Grimshaw Mink
Music by Wu-lu

@nicholas_daley