For AW20, Studio Nicholson menswear takes the colour chromatography route. Vivid individual shade components bring vigour, vitality and Technicolour energy to a season more commonly known for its muffled, muted palette. Punctuating the final season in a year of uncertainty, the concept for Autumn Winter is propelled by the need to invigorate.
Inspired by the works of French film maker Jean Renoir, whose dreamlike footage of mid- century India has been a major influence on the likes of Wes Anderson, the collection takes saturated sequences to a new level of sophistication. The son of Impressionist painting heavyweight Auguste Renoir, it was a foregone conclusion that his career in moving image would be celebrated for the use of colour. His 1951 indie blockbuster, The River, set in Bengal was the driving force behind this season’s hues. Beetroot, Brick and Bubblegum harmonise with Espresso and Truffle, with are punctuated with the surprise of Violet and flashes of chartreuse Acid.
Modern layers have been cut with maximum slouch, reinterpreting the language of volume by giving the wearer room to breathe and express themselves. Elasticated waistbands are engineered in a clever cotton/poly mix and made to offer a reliable, defined but super comfortable silhouette. Worn with socks or teamed with tech leggings, these transitional Romi Shorts are ideal for interchangeable climates – or time spent working at home. Teamed with the felted Merino Ronda knit, the bold stripe Hinko shirt or the short-sleeved Zanza in powder cotton, these Studio Nicholson stalwarts epitomise fuss-free dressing.
Tailored wool pieces are cut with exceptional youthfulness at the core. Generous pockets and playful proportions give the pure wool Prince of Wales check or Scottish Heritage Herringbone pants a seriously upbeat, urban twist. The modern eccentricity DNA seeps over to the Conde Jacket, with its soft, nonchalant shoulders and amplified patch pockets. Clean, powerful wovens are interlinked with big bang knits, spearheaded by the iconic Toesa – 100% British Lambswool with its chunky ribbed high neck, hem and cuffs.
Enveloped origami forms are charged with valiant colour, designed to be interchangeable. AW20 puts the wearer in control of the finished formula. Separates created to give power to perfect every pieces and offer the freedom to add and subtract as you see fit. Shelter from the cold in the sturdy recycled wool Kenton Coat, or finish off the laid-back layering process with the wide brimmed Risso hat. The Studio Nicholson modular wardrobe doesn’t dictate how anything should be worn – instead, it gives you the essential the building blocks to generate a system that works for you.
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Leanne Cloudsdale is the Studio Nicholson Editor-at-Large