Following the launch of drop one in October 2025, John Smedley has unveiled the next chapter of its collaboration with Bill Nighy – a capsule collection designed in partnership with someone who has been quietly loyal to the brand since the age of 17.

For over five decades, Bill has turned to John Smedley knitwear as a foundational part of his wardrobe. This nostalgia is what drew him to the project, and it is a united feeling for the John Smedley fan base. The Bill Nighy collaboration has been the brands most successful to date, selling four times as many as any previous collaboration in the first week with the polo shirts both long and short sleeved being sell out items.

“I’m cautious with colour, it’s not often I dare. But Spring drives me crazy, it’s no time for squares”
— Bill Nighy on drop two

In addition to John Smedley’s own store and ecommerce, drop two will be available at Mr Porter andSelfridges. In Selfridges flagship store, an installation on the menswear floor welcomed the collaboration and to celebrate, Bill hosted an in conversation with writer, friend and cultural commentator, Miranda Sawyer.

Established in 1784, John Smedley, holder of HM King Charles III Royal Warrant of Appointment, has built its name in crafting the finest merino knitwear in England for centuries — it remains the oldest, still operational factory in the world. Through its circularity project John Smedley is committed to responsible production and its mission to fulfil its own emission-reducing targets. In 2024, it invested over £3 million in machinery bolstering its production line in order to reintroduce third-party manufacturing which aims to encourage brands to bring knitwear manufacturing back to UK shores.

From Autumn/Winter 2024, the brand introduced men’s and women’s lifestyle staples to complement the core knit offering and has recently launched a diffusion line, JS by John Smedley, bringing British made knitwear to a wider audience.

The Bill Nighy for John Smedley unisex collection features a refined range of pieces designed with modern influences – larger collars, more prominent ribs, and subtle yet transformative tailoring cues.

Among the highlights: a sharply angled waistcoat and cardigan, conceived as a distinctive twin set – a nod to traditional suiting with a relaxed attitude. Further key pieces include a cashmere and merino set of Long Johns – a historically significant set of garments for the brand, and one of practicality for Bill who ensured they were included in the collection as he wears a pair on every set during his film projects.

Across the shorter, boxier, unisex silhouette, perfected, the latest instalment sees the colour palette evolve into spring neutrals, with heather grey, wildling green, and hemingway ‘sky’ blue alongside the perennially classic midnight. The detail is driven by nuances of Bill’s personal and professional life  featuring ‘Stay Modern’ as a statement of intent across product labelling and a bird motif originally an illustration of Bill’s drawn on every script throughout his career.

“Working with Bill has been a genuine privilege for everyone at John Smedley,” said Jess McGuire-Dudley, Managing Director, John Smedley. “His relationship with the brand spans decades, and that depth of understanding is something you simply can’t manufacture, it comes from a real, lived appreciation of the knitwear. Bill approaches design with the same thoughtful precision he brings to his acting; every detail matters, but it’s always in service of effortless style. The response to the first collection was incredibly encouraging, and we’re delighted to continue that journey with season two. It builds on what made the collaboration so special in the first place, timeless knitwear, subtle character, and the quiet confidence that defines both Bill and John Smedley.”

Each piece is responsibly designed and made in John Smedley’s Derbyshire mill, in the brand’s renowned fine gauge merino wool, cashmere silk and John Smedley’s Sea Island Cotton – responsibly made, fully-fashioned, and enduring by design.

With prices starting at £200, drop two of John Smedley’s Bill Nighy Unisex Collection launched on Johnsmedley.com, in the brand’s two London stores and across Mr Porter and Selfridges.

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