'BlackArk' - Nicholas Daley AW19 LFWM Runway Video

For his fourth season with the British Fashion Council’s Newgen programme, Nicholas Daley presents ‘BLACK ARK’; a collection taking its name from the Jamaican studio of renowned music producer Lee Scratch Perry.

The brainchild of Perry, Black Ark was a nexus for the wider dissemination of dub music which has ultimately impacted the way we hear and approach modern electronic music and many other genres. In its very nature, dub is about the practices of the music engineer, who tinkers his equipment to version and reimagine existing rhythms. This idea echoes Nicholas’ approach to design: wherein he continually explores the impact of the Jamaican identity upon the cultural landscape of Britain, from the post-war era to our contemporary moment.
Authenticity is a crucial element of Nicholas’ design philosophy. Often, he works with figures who were pivotal in the specific period of history being explored. This season Nicholas has partnered with legendary British producer and icon Dennis Bovell (aka Blackbeard): a pioneer in the crossover between post-punk music and dub, who has worked with the likes of The Slits, Maximum Joy, Aswad, Janet Kat and Orange Juice to name but a few. For AW19, Dennis has created an exclusive mix consisting of unheard tracks which span his longstanding career. Nicholas has also worked with emerging artist Puma Blue, who has recently released a new record ‘Blood Loss’. His sound glides across multiple genres and plucks from reference to reference: poetic but hard to define. For the presentation, he blends soul and punk infused tracks, in turn representing the current music coming out of South London.

The interplay between music and style is at the heart of the Nicholas Daley brand and over the past few seasons, the presentation format has enabled Nicholas to work with artists who push his designs into new performative contexts. ‘BLACK ARK’ takes place at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, a setting known for its long history of hosting British music. In this regard, Nicholas’ work seeks to underline the thriving craftsmanship of Britain’s creative communities - from the country’s remaining manufacturers, to musicians pushing their sound into new directions; all of these elements interact and expand through the medium of contemporary menswear.

FILM CREDITS
Director: Joseph Dunn
Stylist: Stephen Mann
Show Music: Puma Blue, Dennis Bovell
Location: Bethnal Green Working Mens Club