In a special tribute to Richard Nicoll, London Fashion Week February 2017 salutes his talent with a colour dedicated to him, Nicoll Blue, chosen by a group of his close friends and developed by the Pantone Color Institute. The Arundel St and main entrance to The Store Studios, 180 Strand; the central hub of LFW, have been painted in Nicoll Blue to honour the designer after his sudden passing in October, 2016.
Born in London and brought up in Australia, Richard Nicoll graduated from Central Saint Martins MA in 2002. He emerged as a member of the new wave of London talent, whose original take on modern sportswear fused with relaxed tailoring won him NEWGEN sponsorship in 2006 and three Association Nationale pour le Développement des Arts de la Mode (ANDAM) awards. His experience beyond his eponymous label included freelance design for Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton, the creative direction of Cerruti 1881, Fred Perry and later of youth label Jack Wills. In June 2012 he launched his debut menswear line at London Collections Men (now London Fashion Week Men’s).
Sarah Mower MBE, BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent commented: “Richard was a designer whose talent and character inspired all around him. He registered his affinity for the spectrum of blues hundreds of times in the collections he showed in London. For a decade, Richard’s life-enhancing gift for bonding people together contributed immeasurably to the spirit of a whole London fashion generation. The visual presence of Nicoll Blue throughout the main fashion week venue is a way to remember and celebrate a great London friend and to convey our respects and eternal gratitude to his family.”
Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute said: “We were so pleased to be able to work on the creation of Nicoll Blue, a unique new blue shade in memory of esteemed fashion designer Richard Nicoll. Modest and humble, yet at the same time lively and playful Richard Nicoll’s Nicoll Blue embodies the elegance and sensitive spirit of this much beloved designer whose innate kindness, loving soul and good natured sense of humour held a special allure to all that entered into his orbit.”
To honour Richard, a minute’s silence will be observed just before the Central Saint Martins MA show on Friday 17th February.
The Nicoll Blue custom colour was developed and standardized by the Pantone Color Institute. The Nicoll Blue paint was exclusively blended by Valspar®.
Plans are underway for a multifaceted, retrospective exhibition of the designer’s work to launch later in the year.