The Saint Martin’s alumnus is known for his clean, sophisticated aesthetic, often playing with androgynous silhouettes and masculine tailoring whilst Jack Wills, although being a ‘fabulously British’ brand, definitely occupies a different place in our fashion minds.
Famed for its social activity more than its clothing, Jack Wills is synonymous with students and laid-back ready-to-wear, yet with the demise of its older sister brand ‘Aubin and Wills’ in 2012, perhaps this is an opportunity to bring the brand into the minds and wardrobes of an older and more affluent generation.
Nicoll will only be working on a part-time basis, but the British brand is very excited with this collaboration. CEO of Jack Wills Wendy Becker said, “His collections have global appeal, but he is a British designer at heart and will lead the creative direction of our brand into its next important phase. His aesthetic and talent in designing for both men and women will be a great match for our future vision for Jack Wills and reinforces our commitment to having quality and design at our heart.”
Similarly, Nicoll is anticipating great things for his forthcoming new position saying, “I’m excited to be working with Jack Wills, this is an opportunity to take a successful British design aesthetic and drive forward the product and vision. Wendy has exciting plans to evolve the Jack Wills brand and I am looking forward to being a part of that.”
With a combination of such contrasting creative visions, it will be interesting to see how this partnership turns out and what effect Richard Nicoll will have on the heavily established branding of Jack Wills.
