Nigel Cabourn boasts more than 4,000 military uniforms in his vast archive, which he turned to for his spring collection – a fusion of British and American naval uniforms from the World War II. Cabourn particularly looked at when the two forces were “getting together in the Atlantic convoys,” he said.
Peacoats, wide-leg cropped pants and overalls in blue, ecru and white were all faithful to his label’s signature workwear silhouettes. Presenting the collection in his Covent Garden store, the designer worked with chandler Arthur Beale, who provided maritime memorabilia to complement the clothes, with maps, vintage life buoys and heavy ship’s ropes dotted about the artfully distressed space.
Cabourn also incorporated uniform details onto civilian shapes, as in an oversize cream smock top with two large chest pockets, or a roomy corduroy parka with heavy-duty toggles and buckles.