Saul Nash’s poetic sportswear isn’t just awe-inspiring, it’s award-winning. After nabbing this year’s highly-coveted Woolmark Prize, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British design, East London’s most voracious menswear designer is gearing up to choreograph an entirely new season of dynamic, wonderfully fitted style staples.

While last season, Nash looked to his Caribbean heritage and also his identity as a Londoner, this season the designer turns the lens back on himself once again in a different way, ducking out of shot in order to focus on the Nash family. But we’re not just talking about blood here, Nash also wants to pay tribute to those sweet souls chosen to form his tight-knit friendship group, looking to his most formative relationships as a source of strength that entails its own language of style. Movement still guides each seam and technical fastening within the designer’s work, grouting itself alongside function and ethereality as the building blocks for Nash’s forthcoming production, teased below.

“The season becomes a time for self-reflection – the process feels quite healing.”

What’ve you been thinking about this season?
“This season I have been thinking a lot about what I am drawn to and why. It has been a somewhat reflection of myself and relationship to my older siblings. Over time the idea of siblings has shifted from looking at the siblings I was born with and extending this to my chosen family also being siblings.”

Can you talk us through some points of inspiration for the collection?
“Movement is often the first inspiration behind my work however, this season I looked at old family photos. I grew up very closely with my older brother, and I think this is one of the important relationships in my formative years particularly shaping the way I see myself and the community of people around me. I was drawn towards vintage sportswear and references to basketball and baseball garments but also garments I wore as a kid; I had a towelling tracksuit and was inspired to try answer the question of what I would want this to look like now, in 2022. I enjoy finding ways to push these sportswear languages forward and this collection has been a great exploration point for that.”

“I was drawn towards vintage sportswear and references to basketball and baseball garments but also garments I wore as a kid.”

What feelings and emotions does the collection conjure for you?
“My work is often quite therapeutic. Through making a collection I often discover a lot about myself: the season becomes a time for self-reflection – the process feels quite healing.”

Are there any special techniques or fabrics we should look out for?
“This season sees our first bonded jacket and further developments on knitwear, we feature our first collaboration with Sheep Inc, which offers a more relaxed view on our technical alternatives. We also see the addition of towelling into this season which gives a somewhat varsity feel to the collection.”

Sum up the collection in three words.
“Ethereal, sensitive and functional.”

Saul Nash will show his SS23 collection at 13:00 on 12th June. Stay tuned for our fashion week content.