Breathing space is the language of Spring Summer 2021. It’s a determined bid to break down the visual clutter and elevate the essentials, leaving just enough room to layer up with molecules from past – and present. Studio Nicholson has always married fabric, fit, form and function, but now, more than ever before, there’s an emphasis on positive reduction. Bringing balance and focus to the modular wardrobe requires restraint, which, as luck would have it – is something that founder Nick Wakeman has excelled in since launching the brand in 2010.
Why be bombarded with unnecessary add-ons, when instead you can dive into a pool of perfectly put together, expertly engineered, modular pieces – made for modern, blended lifestyles and liberated living? Pulling the focus back towards the roots of the brand, the future direction centres around intelligently cut, standardised basics. Dramatic but durable fabrications have been included to bolster a feeling of autonomy, by encouraging the wearer to rip up the rule book and consider a new formula for dressing. 2021 is a time to turn up the volume – in more ways than one.
Leather has been introduced to expand on the theory of age-old luxury, providing an entirely new texture and elevated patina. Carefully sourced from a trusted tannery in Turkey, this buttery soft 100% lamb leather elevates three key styles for spring and beyond. Forging the guaranteed ease of an elasticated waistband, the Maison Shorts look set to become a cult classic, with amplified sportswear connotations and the promise of serious longevity. Team with a crisp clean t-shirt in White or Truffle, and accessorise with Studio Nicholson Moonstars and a pair of box-fresh socks pulled up to the mid-calf.
Smashing the previously held perceptions of day-wear leather continues, with the boxy, short sleeve Hector Shirt and zip-through Nebo Jacket. Made for casual use, these shouldn’t be saved for special occasions – they’re designed to be worn with the same attitude as workwear. Over time, they’ll become more personal, characterful and unique.
Oversized, double faced polo knits are constructed with the pop of a three-button placket at the centre front. Made from a cashmere, merino and silk blend, these short-sleeved perennials are slouchy but smart. The Sorello Knit reappears in a brand-new 7-gauge format for SS21 – this lighter, twisted, trans-seasonal yarn is utilised across a range of saturated mid-century shades of Navy, Grey Marl and Tangerine.
Denim enters the frame in a brand-new playful mid-wash. Made from Studio Nicholson’s signature 100% cotton denim, it whispers authenticity, but keeps the trademark selvedge section under wraps. Already gently broken-in from the factory laundry cycle, the Palmero Shorts, Puch Pants and Lazar Jacket are ready to slip into. See SS21 as a coded system of ergonomic colour blocks, designed to work in unison with the body’s natural contours. Boxy shirt plackets, rubberised buttons and innovative fabrications in youthful architectural hues –masterminded for movement and swift integration with the rest of the modular wardrobe.
Men's Spring Summer 2021 Drop 1 Launches Tuesday 16th February
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Leanne Cloudsdale is the Studio Nicholson Editor-at-Large