Bill Nighy Turns Designer With John Smedley Collaboration

LONDON — Bill Nighy has been wearing John Smedley since the age of 17.

The British actor, now 75, has collaborated with the brand on a unisex collection for a considered and elegant wardrobe of staples, including sweaters, jackets, waistcoats, cardigans, and a set of cashmere and merino long johns.

He’s added in large collars, prominent rips and elements borrowed from tailoring.

“If you’d told me when I was 17 that I’d be working with John Smedley to design a collection, I’d have arranged to be more cheerful in my early life. I wore John Smedley polos in the ‘60s and ‘70s in frontline defiance of the silk shirt open to the third button or the tie-dye T-shirts doused in patchouli oil. We were pioneers,” Nighy said. 

“As I got older, and Mod became Modernism they remained an essential item. If I do nothing else with my life, there will always be this. Don’t forget to disco,” he added.

The collection launches on Oct. 17 online and at John Smedley’s London store. The pieces start from 200 pounds.

Jess Mcguire-Dudley, managing director of the brand, said that working with the actor was “a true lesson in considered design — every decision was intentional, from fabric to fit. His genuine connection to the brand came through at every stage, from exploring the archive to the final fittings. It’s been an honor to collaborate on such special pieces — ones that will now become part of the John Smedley legacy, and we hope, the wardrobes of many for countless years to come.”

John Smedley, the 241-year-old British brand, named Mcguire-Dudley its new managing director earlier this year.

She has been with the company for 11 years, climbing the ranks from head of marketing and merchandising to, most recently, deputy managing director, where she oversaw e-commerce, retail, licensing, buying and merchandising.

Her role breaks from tradition since she comes from a creative background and is also the brand’s first female managing director.