Saul Nash’s film ‘Juxtaposition’ takes us from chicken shops to the slopes

Emerging British designer Saul Nash is having quite the 2023. His Spring/Summer 24 showing became one of London Fashion Week’s biggest talking points (who could forget his sand-filled runway complete with crashing waves?), and in May, he became a recipient of the esteemed BFC NEWGEN. Now, he’s continuing that momentum into the year’s closing chapters, releasing a new film for his FW23 collection titled Juxtaposition.

The film sees Emmy-nominated director Fx Goby join Nash for a three-minute film that explores the tensions between the popularity of skiwear on the street and the social barriers that prevent most people from going on extravagant trips to Europe. 

The film begins with a group of young men strolling through Hoxton dressed in tracksuits, quilted gilets and tubular Merino wool knits. The film’s protagonist is then transported from an east London chicken shop into the almost fairytale-like Tolkienian Icelandic landscape. Quite the juxtaposition, right?

The film is pretty much landscape porn – drone shots soaring over the breathtaking scenery showcase the Tolkienian black sand alongside daunting cliffs and rapidly flowing ice-cold rivers. Meanwhile, the protagonist performs expressive dance movements following his transportation, twirling across the mossy ground. Eventually, he awakens from a trance surrounded by friends, returning to reality after a life-changing experience.

Speaking on the film and the collection, Nash says, “This is about escapism. Looking at the streets, where ski garments are worn, and looking at the true context of where they were designed to be worn. 

Clothing from the collection arrives in a palette of Alpine Blue, moss greens and ski-bunny creams paired with volcanic blacks and bursting reds. Despite its exploration-ready aesthetic, Nash’s FW23 collection works just as well in east London chicken shops as it does on the slopes.