Men’s street style icon Nick Wooster designs a fashion collection with Lardini
By Vivian Chen
Wooster was in town last week to launch the capsule collection he created with Italian brand Lardini – which produces menswear for luxury brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Ferragamo. The collection reflects Wooster’s quirky yet classic looks, featuring patchwork wool blazers to pleat-front rolled-cuff chinos. He has created a grey patchwork suit with matching pants exclusive for Lane Crawford’s 165th anniversary.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge designing your own collection?
A: Part of it is super easy and what I like. It’s not too hard to figure out the kinds of fabrics and so on. It’s hard when you have an idea – sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, I can’t communicate because of the language barrier. I speak a little Italian but it’s like solving a puzzle. Sometimes across a puzzle you can finish in one go, sometimes you have to go back a couple times and then finish it. It’s a fun project because I love everybody that I met and worked with.
Q: Do you have a favourite piece?
A: I’m like a parent to the collection. I like them all but I really like the exclusive pieces for we did for Lane Crawford’s 165th anniversary because I felt they were the spirit of the collection.
Q: How do you like the inaugural New York Men’s Fashion Week?
A: The best part was that it happened. It took a lot of people and a long time to turn it into reality – it cost a lot of money, sponsorship, coordination of schedules – and it happened, which was an amazing thing. I think it’s good for New York; I think it’s good for menswear. I think it will be a working progress to see how important it is in the mindshare of men’s fashion but we have a respectable women’s fashion week so there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have the same for menswear. I’m very proud of us for having done that. I think designers love New York. New York is one of those energetic places and we’ve also seen how the resources go around the world in women’s pre-collections. I think may be we will experience some of that in menswear.
Q: What are the other places you would rather be when you are not in New York?
A: It’s a love-and-hate relationship with New York. Much like Hong Kong, it’s expensive, crowded, the weather is not so nice. But New York is home and I love New York. I’m travelling almost half the year so I’m always happy to be home. I love London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris – there are a million places I could imagine I like, but NY is home.