NICHOLAS DALEY COLLABORATES WITH BRITISH MILLINER CHRISTYS’
British-Barbadian Saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings Models The Jazz-Inspired Baker Boy Hat Collaboration
British-Barbadian musician Shabaka Hutchings fronts the new collaboration between London-based designer Nicholas Daley and renowned British milliner Christys’.
Frontman of jazz quartet Sons of Kemet (who were nominated for the Mercury Prize this year) Shabaka Hutchings is a ground-breaking instigator in shaping the new UK jazz sound. Signed to Impulse!, an imprint of Universal which John Coltrane was also signed to, the 33 year-old saxophonist and clarinet player is at the forefront of the UK jazz scene, now taking it international. Hutchings first collaborated with Daley on his AW18 collection show, where he played lived with Yussef Dayes, Mansur Brown and Alfa Mist for a special jam session (now available to hear through a mix made by Touching Bass for Daley).
Stylistically the Baker Boy has always played a prominent role in the jazz scene, sported by legendary musicians such as Miles Davis. For his AW18 collection titled Red Clay (named after Freddie Hubbard’s seminal 1970’s jazz album), Daley’s exploration of the links between 70s jazz and sartorial style is prominent. For the editorial, Hutchings is photographed in a music club in East London by Daley’s long-term collaborator Mishael Phillips.
This isn’t the first collaboration between Daley and Christys’ either, with the designer beginning his relationship with the prestigious British milliner back in 2014 for his SS15 Culture Clash collection (which Champ published in issue 8). Founded in 1773, Christys’ are renowned for their craftsmanship, and for his bespoke hats, Daley worked with their incomparable expertise to develop a rare over-sized Baker Boy available in three styles: red herringbone, forest green herringbone and Red Clay corduroy. The herringbone fabric has been custom-made with Scottish mill Lovat in Hawick, known for decades as the birthplace of tweed. The striking colours stem from the rich and vibrant tones found in Blue Note record sleeves, with the legendary record label a continuous inspiration for Daley.
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The Nicholas Daley x Christys’ Baker Boy collaboration is available in select stores in Japan only.