Jamaican-influenced Scottish brand Nicholas Daley has teamed up with Carhartt WIP on their first fleshed-out collaboration, bonding over a shared love for music that runs deep throughout both brand’s identities.
The first meeting between the self-titled Nicholas Daley and Carhartt WIP centres around a story close to the heart of the Jamaican-Scottish designer, who uses the opportunity to pay homage to his parents and the “Reggae Club” they ran in Edinburgh between the 1970s & 80s.
Nicholas Daley’s singular use of cultural references to music and the arts in his collections isn’t the only factor behind the brand’s partnership with Carhartt WIP, as their approach to design is rooted in the same sport and workwear themes that Carhartt WIP has built a career on.
Iconic Carhartt cuts such as the chore coat, work vest, double knee trousers, and cargo pants are all reworked in a combination of corduroy and denim, finished with contrasting stitching that enhances the visible proof of Carhartt WIP’s long-lasting durability. Topping off the workwear-focused portion of the collab, Daley includes his signature Baker Boy hat in an assortment of heavy-duty fabrics.
Alongside the contrast stitching, a co-signed label scanned directly from the pen of Nicholas Daley runs throughout the collection, appearing on the graphic tees and the collection’s lone hoodie option.
Already a mainstay element in Daley’s mainline collections, the designer has tapped his mother’s knitting club to develop a custom tartan pattern for the collection, which appears printed on a herringbone Harrington jacket and matching bags.
The tartan’s palette of mustard yellow, blue, and green tie together the colours of the Jamaican and Scottish flags — used in a broader sense on one of two knitted bucket hats.
Giving fans the full Nicholas Daley experience, the collaboration also includes input from Japanese incense manufacturer Kuumba International, who have produced specially-infused incense sticks that “reflect the natural outdoor scents of Jamaica and Scotland”.
The Nicholas Daley x Carhartt WIP collection officially launches on October 23, available via both brand’s websites and select retailers.
