“I said ‘yes’ immediately,” he admits of the moment Jones got in touch about working together. “I’ve always been a big fan of Kim’s work.” British designer Jones is perhaps the UK’s most prolific fashion designer working today – he runs Dior Men and until recently the Italian house of Fendi. The process of creating the collection was more involved than just applying his name to something, insists Hamilton.
He clearly has relished the role of co-designer – the resulting designs sit somewhere between Courchevel ski savant and California surfing dude; tufted fleeces in fluorescent, painterly splodges, sporty cagoules and puffa jackets. “It was hands-on, which wasn’t easy when you travel as much as I do,” he says. “I really immersed myself in this process, we would meet up in person as much as possible and when I was on the road we would have a group chat to constantly share ideas, inspiration and feedback. Kim and his team offered their experience and talent to help shape my creativity.”