N+M  developed the colour palette for the Manifold 2 Collection – a collection of tables each made from a single sheet of folded steel and  launched  by British designer Anthony Leyland at Designersblock in London last month.

We were briefed by Anthony to develop a palette that was modernist and rational – as opposed to  ‘traditional and current post modern surreal’.

The N+M palette was created in 2 halves -   strong, rich, jewel shades contrasting with  softer, lighter muted shades.  Strong vibrant shades to work within  a minimalistic, monochromatic interior and the softer, lighter shades to contrast   a vibrant, colourfully energetic  setting.

In Anthony’s own words:

“I am slightly embarrassed to say that, after designing the shape of my new table range, their colours were somewhat of an afterthought. Thankfully, I took them to Nightingale + Metcalf who, with their magic mix of creativity, professionalism and diplomacy, set me on the right path. I couldn’t really see what was wrong with my own colour selection until I saw their proposal, at which point I started to wonder what the hell I had been thinking. Their selections were instantly compelling, and delivered with such gentle but firm conviction, that there was no question about adopting them.

As soon as the designs were in the public eye, I saw for myself how annoyingly right N+M were! Colour was the first thing people noticed, and became the way in which the tables were referred to (”the yellow one”). Get the colour wrong and you might as well go home. I have no doubt that N+M were a vital factor in the success of my product”

After cycling through wind, rain, snow and some sun! in our training, we finally arrived at the start of the Etape du Tour 2009 . The sun was already shining and we were ready for the 172km ride from Montelimar to Mont Ventoux.

With so much  suncream on we could’ve passed as  extras from the film ‘Braveheart’   and 100s of calories in energy gels, bars, bananas in our back pockets we set off with the other 8,448 riders towards the Giant of Provence – Mont Ventoux.

7396 of the riders finished the course in temperatures reaching 36 degrees celcius.

What an amazing day…

Montane is a company owned and run by people with a passion for outdoor performance sports in challenging and inspiring places.

By reducing weight and pack size of all MONTANE clothing to the lowest achievable levels, the outdoor experience is greatly enhanced.

We worked with Montane to develop new women specific additions to their range. We can tell you more, once they’ve been launched. Sign up to our mailing list to find out more.

The Tschus! coat and how cycling is becoming a pastime for the stylish woman of Europe.

It’s goodbye to high viz and Velcro and hello to the first ready-to-wear lady’s cycling mac. At a time when cycling in the city is at an all-time high, the Tschus! coat is a tailored piece with all the functioning of a technical waterproof – perfect for ladies who like to ride in style.

Tschuss! uses classic design and superior grade fabrics for a cut that takes its inspiration from traditional English tailoring and city cycling in  East Berlin. The coat benefits from a high performance Japanese fabric lined with pure  silk and is cut to allow freedom of movement on and off the saddle.

The breathable coat is available in striking red or matt black with a contrast cyan or Yves Klein blue lining. There’s room for a merino sweater below in the winter months and it’s cool enough as a top layer during the spring .

Designed with the bicycle in mind, the coat sits neatly around the seat and hangs clear of the wheels and your Campag. The wool lined pockets are secured by a zipper and are large enough for the essentials. The ladies of Europe can now look forward to a more refined cycling experience with all the virtues of smart attire and modern outdoor wear.

Bike Week 2009

A busy week for us bike fanatics.

We started early in the week with a trip to Derby Catherdral to see the Cycle Fashion Show there. The period cycle fashion  & bike looked really impressive as you can see…

Then back home for a stylish spin around our own fair city.

We liased with the organisers to ‘enforce’ a  hi-viz vest ban  and for riders to dress to impress – and whether on a fixie or a more mature hybrid – people had really made an effort.

And finally, we stood in for our local CTC cycle champion at the Heeley Wheelie Festival. A great excuse to sit in the sun and chat about bikes all day!

Liam really impressed us with his bike handling skills – and on such a mini bike!

Crux is a specialist brand dedicated to developing product specifically for climbing. We developed the protoype pattern & fit  for the new Crux women’s Torq Jacket & Flak pants. 

The design philosophy is simple – crux products are to be tough, light and functional. The fit of both garments has been designed, like all Crux clothing,  to give full movement when climbing and to fit an active (female) climbers build. The uncompromising combination of the specialist ‘Crux’ fit and eVent fabric  makes the Torq Jacket & Flak pants the ultimate gear for the alpinist climber.

Torq Jacket Features

Roomy chest pockets – easily accessed from outside of chest
Full adjustable mountain hood – non-wired for easier use without a helmet

Womens Flak Pants Features

3/4 length side-zips – these open wide enough to be pulled over boots fitted with crampons
Internal waist belt – help prevent the trousers from riding down
Kevlar reinforcement panel on inside cal

The womens Torq Jacket & Flak Pants were launched at ISPO in February 2009.

We worked with Kid Acne to develop the colour palette and wallpaper patterns for his 1st solo show – Up in Smoke – at the Stella Dor Gallery, London EC2.

We were able to marry  Ed’s original artwork with tradition inspired patterns and colours, with more than a nod to  medieval heraldry & the cloaked world of freemasonry.

Unicorn are the ‘choice of champions and the choice of millions of darts players around the world’ and they chose Nightingale + Metcalf to work with them to design & develop their new darts shirts.
Not being darts players ourselves, it was naturally very important that we spoke to Team Unicorn – including the World Champion -Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.
Darts, we observed, is a glamourous sport, combining the showmanship of the boxing ring, with the bar room skills snooker.
Taking our inspiration from Italian sportswear- think Gabicci, Fila, Tony Soprano – we designed a collection of 3 darts shirts for Unicorn.
The concept was understated glamour (more Italy than Essex – apologies Essex) and maximum performance.
The colour palette was developed to be strong, vibrant, accessible and with the addition of gold – glamorous too.
The men’s Teknik shirt and Polo shirt  both have an engineered cut for maximum movement -utilising an action shoulder cut – more usually seen on a hunting jacket – and an underarm gusset respectively.

We were in Munich in January of this year, visiting Winter ISPO. We always try & make time to visit Munich too – to get away from the air-con & flourescent tubes – but more importantly, for any inspiration we might pick up. The bold use of green plastic is seating provided by a car hire firm. The buildings, shop windows & people of Munich also came up with the inspirational goods. Colours, patterns on the exterior of buildings, patterns on patterns, sculptural lighting, typography and of course – bikes!