Nard Haus Research — Vest No.1

Place yourself in a wooden cabin high in the mountains, shared with close friends. The air outside is sharp, carrying the bite of early winter, but within these walls the world feels hushed and warm. Darkness arrives quickly here - the sun falling behind the peaks long before dinner - and the room is lit only by the glow of candles and the steady burn of the fire. The smell of woodsmoke drifts through the air, mixing with the faint sweetness of melted wax and the earthy aroma of a meal cooking nearby. Shadows move across the rough timber walls, and voices soften as the night deepens, wrapped in the crackle of the stove.

This is where the design process begins for me: not with sketches or theory, but with an imagined environment like this. I ask myself, what would I want to wear here? From that question, the shapes, the functions, and the colours reveal themselves almost naturally. The flicker of the fire suggests warmth and texture, the candlelight deepens the tones into something muted and lived-in, the walls of the cabin whisper of surfaces that are already aged and worn. Out of this atmosphere, the garment takes form.

From this environment, the choice of materials becomes clear. Fur, with its insulating properties and tactile softness, speaks to the need for warmth and comfort in such a setting. In contrast, upcycled Carhartt trousers provide durability and character. Their worn surfaces carry a patina that tells of use and labor, aligning with the Nard Studios atmosphere of age, wear, and transformation. Together, these two materials -fur and Carhartt canvas -reflect the balance of necessity and resourcefulness, of comfort and endurance.

The garment itself is constructed as a vest, chosen for its ability to reveal the Nard Studios uniform collection beneath. Without sleeves or front closure, it functions less as concealment and more as framework - a layer that highlights what is worn below. Designed to be reversible, it adapts to changing needs: fur turned inward for insulation, or outward for presence and texture.

The collar is shaped to accommodate a hoodie from the uniform collection, allowing the two garments to merge visually and functionally. In this way, the vest becomes a study in layering, versatility, and adaptation - a piece that acknowledges the constraints of its imagined world while remaining open to interpretation in the present.

This entry marks the first chapter of Nard Haus Research -a space dedicated to documenting the experiments, studies, and parallel worlds that shape Nard Studios.