The new Jack Wills collection is worth the wait

Designer Richard Nicoll has drawn on the Sixties and the Britpop era for his new Jack Wills collection, says Rebecca Gonsalves

Where there’s a Wills, there’s a way: models wear Jack Wills; jackwills.com

Almost a year ago, the London-based designer Richard Nicoll was announced as the creative director of Jack Wills, a British brand with a dedicated, and decidedly youthful, following. As one of the favourites of the London catwalks, news of Nicoll’s new role was greeted with much excitement, only tempered by the fact that his first collection wouldn’t be released until this spring.

But it seems it was worth the wait, as the designer has managed to create a collection that is young and fun, while remaining true to Jack Wills’ collegiate style, which blends sporty and preppy signatures from the primary bright section of Pantone’s colour chart.

For his first collection, Nicoll looked at periods when youth and British sub-cultures ruled – namely the Sixties “youthquake” and the Britpop era of the Nineties – which he translated into casual tailoring cut with a Moddish, narrow silhouette, fishtail parkas and bomber jackets.

Pops of colour come courtesy of knitwear, lightweight rain jackets and those signature sweats. Branding is still an important part of the new aesthetic, but it’s been given a discreet makeover.

Jack Wills pricing has long been at the more aspirational end of the spectrum, especially when considering that the average age of the wearer means they’re more likely to be spending their parents’ money than their own, but with Nicoll’s design direction such positioning seems more justified. “It’s not just about creating for young adults,” says Nicoll, who has also created a covetable women’s collection. “It’s for anybody with a youthful spirit.”

jackwills.com