Fabric. Fabric. Fabric. It's the most important element of the design process at Oliver Spencer because it underlines everything we do, from provenance and sustainability to quality, comfort and exclusivity. We work really closely with our suppliers to ensure that we can together create unique textiles with amazing colour qualities and textural finesse. This season is the most sustainable Autumn collection we've ever produced, thanks to an increase in organic cotton and ecological wool fabrics. We've also introduced some stunning new textiles such as a technical ripstop, which is an amazing addition to our outerwear. But enough waffling - dive straight into the meat of the info to get a handle on the key fabrics we've used this season...
Rhodes
The Rhodes is a heavy organic cotton drill that we have created in two colours for this season - black and khaki green. It's traditionally been a workwear fabric thanks to the twill weave which makes it very dense and hardwearing. Hence we've used it to cut our blue collar-inspired Buffalo jackets, Skye bombers and matching drawstring trousers. The twill weave gives it its characteristic diagonal lines, offering a subtle textural effect. Think of it as a smooth denim and you've got the picture.
BUFFALO JACKET |
BUFFALO JACKET |
Penton
An organic cotton corduroy that's super soft and brilliantly textural, our Penton fabric has been used to create a host of jackets and trousers this season, while also being used as detail elements in our Bembridge faux fleece jackets. The narrow wale gives it a subtle finish, helping to bring out the nuances in the two tones we used it in: light midnight and rust. It's constructed from 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane, so it has a slight stretch for extra comfort.
BUFFALO JACKET |
HOCKNEY SHIRT JACKET |
Calder
New for Oliver Spencer, Calder is a water-repellent ripstop cloth that we have used to create our Torridon Parka, Skye bomber and Millman hooded jacket this season. Incredibly lightweight and hard-wearing, rip-stop is a very technical cloth, constructed from PA nylon, a semi crystalline thermoplastic with low density and high thermal stability. In non-geek terms, that means it's waterproof, virtually impossible to rip and breathable to boot, hence why your tent is probably made of it. It has an interlocking weave which gives it a distinct raised box pattern, which also adds to the technical look.
TORRIDON PARKA |
SKYE BOMBER JACKET |
Slater
Constructed from 55% virgin wool and 45% cotton, the Slater cloth is a beautiful example of British weaving. With a herringbone finish for a subtle textural effect, it lends itself well to the smarter end of our wardrobes, hence we've used it to create the Pathfinder chore jacket, as well as the iconic Solms jacket and myriad trouser styles. The blend keeps it feeling lightweight while the virgin wool element gives the fabric a relaxed drape. You'll understand why we love it when you try it on.
PATHFINDER JACKET |
FISHTAIL TROUSERS |
Burrell
Burrell is a midweight water-repellent cotton cloth that is the perfect canvas for wet weather outerwear. It's a blend of 65% cotton and 35% polyester, the latter giving it its water-repelling qualities. This season, we have dyed it an earthy moss green to create a trio of outer layer pieces: the perennial Grandpa coat; the new Millman hooded jacket, and the Skye bomber. It's a super versatile tone in a super versatile fabric. What's not to like?
Heston
Cut in the Torridon parka, Solms jacket and Moorland gilet styles this season, Heston is one of the most ecological wools we've ever used. The wool is farmed and spun here in the UK, with the sheep grazing a proverbial stone's throw from the mill. The result is a beautifully neutral toned fabric that is soft yet substantial, perfect for the colder months ahead.
PATHFINDER JACKET |
MOORLAND GILET |
Hartnet
This soft ecological wool in charcoal features a Prince of Wales check pattern consisting of a subtle blue accent running through it. It provides a sartorial edge that we have juxtaposed with more casual silhouettes in our Grandpa coat, Moorland gilet and Linfield bomber jacket. It's also made right here in the UK.
Fairfax
One of the most striking fabrics in the Autumn 21 collection, Fairfax is a faux fleece constructed from a 59% acrylic and 49% polyester blend. Why the two fabrics? Well, polyester is more breathable and acrylic is a better insulator, hence why we've used it to create our Bembridge fleece jackets in midnight and rust, which are impossibly soft and cozy. 
BEMBRIDGE FLEECE |
BEMBRIDGE FLEECE |
Bickerton
Exclusive to our Grandpa coat silhouette, Bickerton is an extremely lightweight technical cloth made from an Italian water-repellent nylon. For those that want a technical jacket that they can wear in a smarter context, then this style ticks all of the boxes. The Grandpa is a classic long-line style but the Bickerton cloth gives it a contemporary edge that you can wear with casual fits as well as layer over a suit.