So for the rest of the quarantine period, we are pledging 10% of all sales to Shine Cancer Support. To help us help them, we are offering a 10% discount to the Oliver Spencer community on all products online this Easter weekend (until midnight Monday). The discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Look after yourselves,

Oli.

1. Buy organic cotton

It isn’t always made clear why making the switch to organic cotton can have such a profound impact, but it really can. Conventionally grown cotton can be one of the most environmentally damaging and socially harmful parts of the fashion industry due to its excessive use of insecticides and water. Cotton accounts for 2.5% of world agriculture, but it uses a disproportionate 16% of world insecticides. Largely speaking, the insecticides used in cotton growing are toxic for humans and the natural environment. By using organically grown cotton you eliminate their use, thereby increasing welfare for the growers and handlers of raw-state cotton. The carbon footprint is also reduced through increased soil fertility and elimination of greenhouse gases caused by the application of non-organic insecticides, pesticides, and fertilisers. Furthermore, less water is needed, not only through irrigation but also through eradicating water involved in creating non-organic inputs such as synthetic insecticides and fertilisers. Water use is subject to growing regions, but rain-fed crops are more commonplace with organic cotton because healthy soil is better at retaining water and once the water has been used it will not contaminate sources and can be used again in a productive and safe way. This is why we are increasing the percentage of organic cotton used in our collections year-on-year. It is not an easy transition and will take us time to develop fabrics with our current suppliers as well as finding new suppliers to meet our needs. However, we are committed and hope to be fully organic in the not too distant future.

Drawstring Trouser Eden Navy

Blenheim Crew Loseley Oatmeal

Pablo Polo Clyne Grey

Hockney Jacket Temple Blue

Solms Jacket Eden Tobacco

Judo Pant Eden Black

Solms Jacket Eden Navy

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Loriston Grey

Drawstring Trouser Eden Navy

Blenheim Crew Loseley Oatmeal

Pablo Polo Clyne Grey

Hockney Jacket Temple Blue

Solms Jacket Eden Tobacco

Judo Pant Eden Black

Solms Jacket Eden Navy

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Loriston Grey

2. Learn to love linen

The life-cycle of linen is a one-of-a-kind process that thrives on working with nature. As a seed, linen is gently pressed into soil using a large roller that places it approximately 2cm below the ground where sufficient amounts of moisture can be absorbed, allowing the seed to successfully germinate. The best time to plant the seeds varies year to year as the success of the crop is dependent on temperatures not dropping below 3 degrees Celsius and no early exposure to heavy rain. Farmers must be aware and in-tune with weather patterns to have a good crop. Environmentally progressive growers will only sew flax on the same plot every 7 years as this allows for crop rotations to keep a balance of nutrients and maintain healthy soil. After 100 days you have a fully grown plant at around 1 metre tall. When it flowers, it does so for only a single day. After this, the field swiftly moves back to its former green glory. Following the flowering period, each plant develops seed pods that are used for food, linseed oil and for sewing next year’s crop.

From a style point of view, it's a fantastic summer cloth, especially in shirting and tailoring. Yes, it creases easily, but that's its joy. That crumple offers a louche, casual vibe to tailoring, removing any notions of stuffiness or formality from a suit. Moreover, it's extremely lightweight and dries quickly, making it ideal for holiday wardrobes.

Coram Jacket Evering Green

Cowboy Jacket Evering Sand

Cowboy Jacket Evering Navy

Drawstring Trouser Evering Green

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Pavillion Yellow

Cowboy Jacket Evering Teal

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

Brookes Jacket Evering Navy

Coram Jacket Evering Green

Cowboy Jacket Evering Sand

Cowboy Jacket Evering Navy

Drawstring Trouser Evering Green

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Pavillion Yellow

Cowboy Jacket Evering Teal

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

Brookes Jacket Evering Navy

3. Timeless style

Fashion has an obsession with trends, primarily because us humans like fawn over new things so the more trends there are, the more reasons we have to shop. We're also herd creatures that often prefer to follow the direction dictated to us, thus trends become something alluring and simple for us to hang on to. At Oliver Spencer, we've never espoused trends or been dictated to by them. Instead we put our own spin on timeless, classic menswear pieces that will never go 'out of fashion'. If your wardrobe is a combination of tailoring, workwear and loungewear classics, we can guarantee that they will still be relevant in 5, 10, 20 years time. Sure, certain styles may go in and out of general favour, but mostly you'll have a streamlined wardrobe that stands the test of time. Moreover, it's important that you discover your own individual style and be confident with it. Of course, it can evolve over the course of a lifetime, but if it is formed by the rudimentary menswear silhouettes, you'll get a lot more out of it than you will from any overpriced, cheaply made, hype-driven products. 

4. Repair, reuse, recycle

No matter how well a garment is made, there will always be a point where it must enter the trusty hands of repair or alteration to take on a new lease of life.  Alteration and repair is a service we have provided from our beginnings and is something that will always be entwined with our approach to clothing. We want you to feel comfortable in our clothing and for it to be useful for as long as possible. We can pretty much make any alteration or repair you desire, but for more complex or unique cases please contact a store manager or our customer services team for more information. 

5. Buy quality

Quality garment construction and the use of quality fabrics have always been core values of ours, as we want to create menswear that can be enjoyed and valued for years. Aptly, a garment’s environmental footprint is strongly determined by its quality and usage. Purchasing one quality garment which can last for years has a significantly smaller environmental impact than purchasing multiple poor-quality garments over the same period of time. One of the greatest luxuries of having physical stores is when we see garments that have been worn for years or a garment that has been passed down through generations. 

Click here to shop this season's finest ecological and sustainable pieces.

Pleated trousers

Pleated trousers have the unique trait of being able to effortlessly straddle the smart-casual divide. Recently we've seen the resurgence of a more louche 50s tailoring style (think Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr. Ripley) where the typically high-waisted pleated trouser is paired with knitted polos or t-shirts, but equally, they can form part of a modern suit, or better yet, separates. Our pleated trousers come with single reverse pleats (reverse pleats, favoured by Italian tailors, face the pockets and have a looser feel, whereas English pleats face your fly fastening and are considered the smarter option), which create a little more space in the seat than, say, flat-fronted trousers. While we love a pleated style in a flannel cloth in the winter, pleated trousers are excellent in cotton, linen and linen blends during the summer, when they are perfect for dressing down with short-sleeved shirts, polos and tees. A pair of loafers would be the smart approach to footwear, but for an everyday casual look, we'd been inclined to add a roll-up to the trouser and wear them with Quoddy's Maliseet Oxfords, or a pair of our Coventry or Marton sneakers.

Pleat Trouser Hidcote Green

Pleat Trouser Eden Navy

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Pleat Trouser Cannock Charcoal

Pleat Trouser Hidcote Green

Pleat Trouser Eden Navy

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Pleat Trouser Cannock Charcoal

Judo pants and drawstring trousers

Some of our most popular trousers styles are our judo pants and drawstring trousers, primarily because they are so versatile. The drawstring style, as the name suggests, has a drawstring waist which makes them very easy to wear (read forgiving!). They're cut straight in the leg so they're not too slim but not overly roomy either, providing a relaxed look and feel. That said, they can just as easily be paired with soft tailoring as they can with classic workwear pieces such as chore jackets and overshirts. Our judo pants provide a contemporary alternative to a traditional trouser, since they are loose-fitting, cropped, and sit slightly higher on the waist with a gradual taper towards the hem. They also feature a patch pocket on the leg to give them added utility. This season, we've created a number of judo pants in 100% ecological linen, making them an ideal choice for casual weekend wear with grandad collar shirts and lightweight jackets.

Drawstring Trouser Hidcote Green

Judo Pant Evering Teal

Drawstring Trouser Hesketh Navy

Judo Pant Evering Navy

Drawstring Trouser Eden Tobacco

Judo Pant Eden Tobacco

Drawstring Trouser Evering Teal

Judo Pant Eden Black

Drawstring Trouser Hidcote Green

Judo Pant Evering Teal

Drawstring Trouser Hesketh Navy

Judo Pant Evering Navy

Drawstring Trouser Eden Tobacco

Judo Pant Eden Tobacco

Drawstring Trouser Evering Teal

Judo Pant Eden Black

Fishtail trousers

The Fishtail trouser is our classic fit suited to all occasions. It's a flat-front trouser that's slightly tapered through the leg with a casual topstitch hem. The name comes from the fishtail detail in the rear of the waistband which just adds additional comfort and movement to the fit. There really isn't anything you can't wear this style with, from blazers to workwear on top, to sneakers, boots and Oxfords on your feet. This season, we have cut our fishtail trousers from a variety of fabrics including ecological linen, cotton, and organic cotton, each offering a slightly different finish and handle.

Fishtail Trouser Vyne Navy

Fishtail Trouser Hesketh Grey

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

Fishtail Trouser Evering Navy

Fishtail Trouser Cannock Charcoal

Fishtail Trouser Vyne Navy

Fishtail Trouser Hesketh Grey

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

Fishtail Trouser Evering Navy

Fishtail Trouser Cannock Charcoal

About Jon Beaumont

"I’m primarily a painter though I have a background in art history which helps inform my work and has given me a broad interest across many mediums. Fairly obvious to anyone who knows her work, I’m a big fan of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye on whose paintings these figures were all based, I was very much looking forward to her show at the Tate Britain this year and hope it goes ahead in some form later on. Other artists I’m currently keen on are Michael Armitage, Karin Mamma Anderson, Anna Molska, Harun Farocki, William Kentridge; that’s quite a diverse group of interests but I think probably reveals an overall interest in artists preoccupied with quite specific elements of what it means to be human."

In fact, the entire premise of the film hangs on a piece of clothing - a Princeton-crested blazer that Ripley borrows in order to look the part at a musical recital in Manhattan, and which leads him to be mistaken as a Princeton alumnus. We soon learn that Ripley is the epitome of East Coast average, particularly in the way he dresses. He has no particular taste of his own, nor any idea of Mediterranean forms of dress, as highlighted by a cringeworthy Italian beach scene when he first approaches Greenleaf, wearing a pair of lime green bathing shorts, tattered brown brogues and an “undercoat” of milky pale skin. Dickie, on the other hand, is reclining assuredly, oiled up and sunkissed, wearing a pair of cream printed shorts and looking every bit the Europeanised dandy.

As the film opens up, so too does Dickie’s wardrobe, which is a masterclass of casual tailoring, inspired by jazz musicians and Italian flair. Perhaps most iconic are Dickie’s short-sleeved shirts which come in a variety of collar styles, from accentuated points to the camp or Cuban collar style that is extremely popular right now. Some, such as a pale yellow and white one, are made with an open weave to appear more sporting (he even wears a black polo made from a gauze-like weave in Sanremo), while others are constructed from a more tightly woven cotton to appear smarter, most of which he counters with rolled-up linen trousers of the baggy variety or shorts in white and pastel pink hues, bookended with a pair of Gucci loafers. It’s effortless bourgeois style with the decadent shabbiness of someone with no permanent address.

Celebrated costume designers Ann Roth and Gary Jones were responsible for the wardrobes. Roth had just won an academy award for her work on Minghella’s previous film, The English Patient and relished the idea of creating a dichotomous wardrobe for Greenleaf and Ripley: “The ’50s were, for the most part, very dull visually,” Roth told Live Design in 2000. “In the ’40s, we had the restrictions of the war and limited fabric. After the war, Dior came with the New Look and that was very interesting, with the use of more fabric, the bigness of men’s clothes, the double-breasted jackets. When we went into the ’50s, there was this aspiration to look like a solid citizen… Then, the jet-set thing started to happen — Italians, the Riviera, Brigitte Bardot and the Mambo Kings… There was a certain air about town, which had to do with Marlon Brando and Anna Magnani, and dancing all night. And I was right there.”

To this day, Roth and Jones’ work still stands up to sartorial scrutiny. Paltrow and Law’s characters could have stepped off any resortwear runway show of the last 20 years, such is their timeless style, which is something we aim for at Oliver Spencer. Rather than chasing trends, we prefer to create seasonal collections that elevate the classic pieces of casual tailoring so they are never out of style. Our selection of linen trousers, for example, could just as easily be worn by Dickie Greenleaf in Mongibello in 1955 as they could be by you in Dalston in 2020. If anything, we want you to buy less, but buy better, and creating a timelessly stylish wardrobe is the best way to do this.

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Hawaiian Jersey Shirt Yale Red

Yarmouth Shirt Fan Navy

Hawaiian Shirt Pavillion Yellow

Judo Pant Evering Sand

Pleat Trouser Eden Tobacco

Spencer Sunglasses Spencer Tortoiseshell

Hawthorn Polo Tindall Ecru

Pablo Polo Clyne Navy

Brookes Jacket Evering Sand

Quoddy Maliseet Oxford Chromexcel Brown

Bleue Burnham Sunshine Signet Ring Silver

Eyevan 787 Blue

Aeolian Islands

This group of volcanic islands situated in the Tyrrhenian Sea, just north of Sicily, comprises of Lipari, Salina, Stromboli (an active volcano), Vulcano, Panarea, and the tiny Filicudi and Alicudi. What’s brilliant about them, apart from the ridiculous natural beauty, is that each one is discernibly different from the other. Panarea, as diminutive as it is, is something of a party island thanks to the very chi-chi Hotel Raya; Stromboli regularly pipes plumes of smoke into the air, which are best viewed from one of the other islands (UNESCO listed the islands as a World Heritage Site in 2000 as "an outstanding record of volcanic island-building and destruction, and ongoing volcanic phenomena”);  Lipari is the largest of the islands and therefore the most populated and accessible; Vulcano, as the name might suggest, is a volcano (yep, still active) boasts black sand beaches and hot springs; and Salina is arguably the prettiest of the islands, carpeted on one side in a luscious green forest. The islands have been ruled by just about every marauding civilisation you can name, ensuring they are rich with fascinating historical points of interest too.

Brookes Jacket Evering Teal

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

Havana Shirt Hattison White

Marton Trainer Nubuck Rust

Veja V-10 Bastille CWL White

Judo Short Eden Navy

Porter Flex 2Way Duffle Bag Navy

Brookes Jacket Evering Teal

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

Havana Shirt Hattison White

Marton Trainer Nubuck Rust

Veja V-10 Bastille CWL White

Judo Short Eden Navy

Porter Flex 2Way Duffle Bag Navy

What to wear: You’ll want a mixed bag to have every base covered here. Smart attire for evenings should include lightweight cotton or linen blazers which can be paired with judo pants or pleated trousers. Seersucker is an excellent choice of fabric to stay cool in during the heat of the day, too, and perhaps opt for sneakers rather than flip-flops or sandals, given the volcanic terrain.

Pietrasanta

The northern coastline of Tuscany is best known for the resort town of Forte Dei Marmi, which attracts the upmarket Milanese crowd looking to escape the heat of the city. While it provides no end of great people watching and excellent dining in many of the restaurants that line the long stretch of beach, in the evening we’d suggest you escape the crowds and head inland for 10 minutes to the town of Pietrasanta, a beautiful art-commune town tucked away in the foothills of the Apuan Alps (from which Michelangelo sourced the marble for his statue of David). Running off the Piazza Duomo you’ll get pleasantly lost down narrow cobbled streets dotted with intriguing galleries and small al fresco restaurants serving delicious Tuscan fare. 

Brookes Jacket Evering Sand

Judo Pant Evering Sand

Grandad Shirt Marbury Green

Box Tee Paz Grey

Hawaiian Jersey Shirt Wellesley Navy/Oatmeal

Spencer Sunglasses Spencer Tortoiseshell

Brookes Jacket Evering Sand

Judo Pant Evering Sand

Grandad Shirt Marbury Green

Box Tee Paz Grey

Hawaiian Jersey Shirt Wellesley Navy/Oatmeal

Spencer Sunglasses Spencer Tortoiseshell

What to wear: Style-wise, you’ll want to dress up for dinner, but nothing too formal as Tuscan nights can be really warm. A linen suit or separates works really well, as would a simple tee layered with an overshirt such as our Hockney jackets (very apt given Pietrasanta’s art heritage).

Favignana

There are easier Italian islands to get to but you’ll be thankful for the effort when you finally reach Favignana, a tiny speck of paradise just off the west coast of Sicily in the Egadi Archipelago (you’ll need to get to Palermo and/or Trapani on Sicily to then catch a ferry). “Favignana” is derived from the Latin word “favonius“, a Latin term used by Romans to indicate the hot wind coming in from the west. It boasts some of the most picturesque beaches in all of Italy and excellent snorkelling and scuba diving in some of the most crystal clear water you’ll ever see. Indeed, the best way to experience the island is by boat, provided you book well in advance. For foodies, the local lobster and sea urchin are a speciality. 

Judo Short Eden Tobacco

Eyevan 787 Blue

Hawaiian Shirt Pavillion Yellow

Grandad Shirt Chamberlain Blue

Judo Pant Evering Green

Coventry Shoe Nubuck Grey

Judo Short Eden Tobacco

Eyevan 787 Blue

Hawaiian Shirt Pavillion Yellow

Grandad Shirt Chamberlain Blue

Judo Pant Evering Green

Coventry Shoe Nubuck Grey

What to wear: Casual is king on this paradisiacal outpost, so no skipping leg day from here on out. Shorts and polos or short-sleeved shirts will be your go-to, but as the name of the island suggests, it gets seriously hot, so long-sleeved lightweight linen shirts can provide stylish protection from the sun. A good bag is also a must-have as you’ll often need to carry refreshments and beach kit for a lot of the beaches and coves are without facilities. 

Ostuni

You could easily be forgiven for thinking the Puglian village of Ostuni was actually somewhere in Greece, given that all the buildings are entirely whitewashed (it is only 45 miles away from the Greek coast). With a network of labyrinthine streets, it’s a stunning base from which to explore Puglia and the artistic centres of Lecce and Matera. Our GM Tom Bodaly spent some time there and can thoroughly recommend the stunning (but "terrifying") drive to Lo Scalo di Novaglie, a renowned restaurant carved into the rocky coastline at Marina di Novaglie. 

Hockney Jacket Temple Blue

Hawaiian Jersey Shirt Yale Red

Grandad Shirt Marbury Blue

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Dark Tortoiseshell

Judo Pant Evering Navy

Quoddy Blucher Tan Leather

Hockney Jacket Temple Blue

Hawaiian Jersey Shirt Yale Red

Grandad Shirt Marbury Blue

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Dark Tortoiseshell

Judo Pant Evering Navy

Quoddy Blucher Tan Leather

What to wear: Puglian style is a more relaxed affair than on the Tuscan coast, so we’d recommend taking a variety of jerseys and polos for the day and linen shirts and trousers for the evenings. An unstructured jacket or overshirt is an easy way to instantly smarten up a shirt having to feel ‘smart’ or overdressed. A lightweight knit is also always handy for cooler evenings.

Porto Venere

Steeped in history, the picturesque town of Porto Venere nestled into the Ligurian coastline is perhaps best known for one Lord Byron, the English poet who famously swam across what is now known as the Bay of Poets in 1822 in order to visit friend and fellow scribe Percy Bysshe Shelley who was residing in San Terenzo. The grotto is named after Byron because he would apparently meditate there. These days, Porto Venere is the perfect place from which to explore the Cinque Terre towns dotted along the coastline, such as Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza or even further north to the millionaires’ playground of Portofino.

Solms Jacket Eden Navy

Pleat Trouser Eden Tobacco

Grandad Shirt Twynham Blue

Hawthorn Polo Tindall Ecru

Quoddy Maliseet Oxford Chromexcel Brown

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Sepia

Solms Jacket Eden Navy

Pleat Trouser Eden Tobacco

Grandad Shirt Twynham Blue

Hawthorn Polo Tindall Ecru

Quoddy Maliseet Oxford Chromexcel Brown

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Sepia

What to wear: With an abundance of day-trippers all along the coastline, in our experience, it pays to dress smarter if you want to stand out from the crowd (it’s amazing how a polished outfit can earn preferential treatment in restaurants!). Grandad collar shirts in cotton, linen or seersucker are a good option during the day with a pair of shorts but make sure you take a cotton blazer with you to whip on for a nice lunch. If you’re on the move, Quoddy’s Maliseet Oxfords are an excellent choice of footwear, being lightweight, sturdy, and perfect for hopping on and off boats.

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Comfort Tee York Indigo Blue

Half Zip Sweat Milner Beige

Quoddy Fireside Slipper Shearling Chestnut

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Comfort Tee York Indigo Blue

Half Zip Sweat Milner Beige

Quoddy Fireside Slipper Shearling Chestnut

Of course, the modern-day sweatshirt has cast off its original purpose, evolving from its origins into a wardrobe essential that can be neatly deployed in almost all casual looks. One Benjamin Russell can probably take the most credit for reinventing the sweatshirt back in the 1920s, as an alternative to the heavy woollen sports jerseys. His son, Bennie Jr, was on the University of Alabama football team and complained to his father about the cumbersome, uncomfortable, shrink-prone jerseys they had to wear. Russell Sr came up with the novel idea of using the cotton usually earmarked for women’s underwear. 

House Sweat Milner Beige

House Sweat Milner Midnight

House Sweat Harris Indigo Blue

Robin Crew Clayton Grey

Robin Crew Clayton Navy

House Sweat Milner Beige

House Sweat Milner Midnight

House Sweat Harris Indigo Blue

Robin Crew Clayton Grey

Robin Crew Clayton Navy

However, it wasn’t really until the 50s when the post-war American population decided that fit was the new rich, that the sweatshirt went mainstream. Up until then, it was largely confined to the sports field, alongside its matching cohort, trackpants, where athletes and sportspeople alike would use them as warm-up garments (the tracksuit was actually the first piece of apparel Adidas ever made in 1967). Since then, the sweatshirt has become synonymous with casual menswear and has stepped away from the sporting field (which has since become dominated by technical fabrics).  Its athletic history still persists from a functional perspective: it is lightweight and warm, especially given the ribbed collar, cuffs and waist, but that open loopback weave ensures it disperses heat effectively too. Above all though, it’s the versatility of the sweatshirt that we love. One could easily laze about the house all day in a sweatshirt and pyjama bottoms (and we have been doing a lot of that recently), but swap out the PJs for some trousers or denim and you have a perfectly cool and comfortable look for heading outside in. The fact that its design hasn’t really changed since the 20s is indicative of the sweatshirt’s timelessness as a practical yet stylish casual menswear garment.

Click here to explore all of Oliver Spencer's SS20 sweats or shop our edit below.

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Clemson Crew Yale Red

Clemson Crew Yale Navy

Robin Crew Clayton Grey

Robin Crew Wellesley Navy/Oatmeal

Robin Crew Wellesley Midnight

Robin Crew Murphy Navy

Robin Crew Clayton Navy

Robin Crew Batten Navy

Robin Crew Batten Charcoal

House Sweat Milner Beige

House Sweat Milner Midnight

From our London vantage point, we need to peer across the channel to discover where the roots of the chore jacket lie, although we needn’t strain our eyes past the flat green pastures of Brittany, or more specifically, the majestic coastal town of Mont Saint. Michel, where one of the very first manufacturers of the chore jacket - known then as bleu de travail - still remains today. Such longevity is indicative of the chore jacket’s enduring appeal over the last 150 or so years. As the name might suggest, the jacket’s original intention was a strictly utilitarian one, designed to be worn by the French proletariat and blue-collar workers (hence the bleu de travail name), specifically railroad labourers and engineers in the late 1800s whose jobs required a tough yet lightweight jacket that could be easily patched up, replete with three or four exterior pockets to carry small tools and no doubt a sandwich or two. It needed to withstand the rigours of daily use, hence it was typically constructed from a hardwearing cotton drill or moleskin and dyed in a ‘hydrone’ blue hue. It would be appropriated by American railroad and farm workers too, where it was made up of durable fabrics such as denim and heavy canvas. As such, it became an icon of American workwear and has evolved over the decades to incorporate softer, more luxurious fabrics, all the while maintaining the traditional boxy cut, button front, and utilitarian pocket details.

In contemporary culture, the chore jacket’s greatest moment of fame probably came upon the shoulders of Paul Newman in the 1967 prison drama film Cool Hand Luke in which it is given the role of standard prison-issue clobber. But more recently, it was the New York Times’ late great street fashion photographer Bill Cunningham who best championed it. In fact, he was very rarely seen without it, so much so that his colleagues at the NYT gave the jacket its own moniker: “The Bill”. For Cunningham, it was less a style statement or personal signifier than it was the perfect functional jacket. In it he could run, cycle, scurry, bounce and crouch into the perfect shooting position to capture that fleeting moment on a New York sidewalk, while the pockets were amply sized to fit rolls of film and the odd pancake lens. Cunningham was in many ways the perfect modern advocate for the chore jacket - humble, discreet and hardworking – everything that the jacket pertained to be too.

Needless to say, the chore jacket has always been an integral part of our collections at Oliver Spencer where it has occupied a versatile role between casualwear and traditional tailoring. This season, it is perhaps best represented by our Cowboy, Cromwell and Hockney jackets, the latter of which comes in the classic indigo rinse for traditionalists, while also in Forest green and Temple blue options. Each of them is perfect for spring/summer layering over a standard t-shirt or perhaps a grandad collar shirt if you prefer a little more structure without reverting to a collar. For a slightly more stylised option, we have our Coram jacket which is a three-pocket chore jacket at its core, but riffs on the Nehru collar rather than featuring a classic turn-down collar. It also comes in three versions: Evering green linen; Marwood rust organic cotton; and Vyne navy seersucker. 

Even if you’ve never thought of yourself as a workwear guy, we’d highly recommend you give the chore jacket a spin. It’s so versatile and easy to wear that we’d put money on it becoming the first thing you reach for when looking for a lightweight summer layering piece this year.

Shop all Chore Jackets here.

Main image: By Patrick Demarchelier.

Related

Hockney Jacket Kildale Indigo Rinse

Hockney Jacket Kildale Forest Green

Hockney Jacket Temple Blue

Coram Jacket Vyne Navy

Coram Jacket Marwood Rust

Coram Jacket Evering Green

Cromwell Jacket Vyne Navy

Cromwell Jacket Evering Green

Cowboy Jacket Evering Teal

It’s thought by many that the genesis of the Western grandad collar shirt can be traced back to one enterprising lady by the name of Hannah Montague, a New York native from the town of Troy who in 1827 took it upon herself to cut off her husband’s shirt collar in order to better wash the garment separately (interesting fact: an entrepreneurial Reverend in Troy saw the potential in the innovation and quickly set out a shirtmaking factory - Troy quickly became one of the big shirtmaking hubs in the US). And with that stroke of female intuition was born the detachable collar, quite extinct these days but by all accounts a great innovation in 1920s menswear due to the fact that men were often required to wear white shirts that required different collar styles given their respective professions (such as the wingtips worn by legal professionals). Sartorial lore has it that certain rebellious types took to wearing the shirts without any collar attached, forgoing the need for a tie. The British and Irish working classes of the 20s and 30s rarely found occasion for the tie at any rate and so appropriated the shirt. Indeed, for many of them, a tie was not just unnecessary, it could cost them their lives if it happened to get caught in industrial machinery. 

Of course, as with much of modern menswear, the collarless shirt actually bears its origins from British military uniform during World War I, where a grandad collar was used on the standard-issue greyback shirt as well as a number of khaki green wool undershirts during WWII. Yet its widespread adoption in menswear as a ‘fashionable’ item wouldn’t occur until the 50s, with Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s preference for muslin grandad collars that brought the shirt back into favour. His style was aptly named the ‘Nehru collar’ and was probably more closely related to the mandarin collars worn by officials during the Chinese Qing era (whereas the western grandad shirts were literally collar-less, the eastern versions had a band with rounded edges that stood up from the shirt neck, a bit like an upside-down Eton collar). While the Nehru collar was seen as a subcontinental style only, it was the arrival in India of four guys called John, Paul, Ringo, and George who proceeded to go all-in on Indian culture, including the wholesale adoption of the collarless shirt.

Today, the grandad collar has become relevant once again with the widespread demise of the tie and the wholesale adoption of workwear and streetwear aesthetics, not to mention a starring cameo on the backs of the Peaky Blinders. At Oliver Spencer, we’ve always championed the classic shapes and silhouettes of workwear, so the grandad collar is very close to our hearts. Of its myriad benefits, the foremost must be its ability to dress down traditional tailoring. The absence of a collar immediately refreshes a suit and removes all of the implied formality. What’s more, it is incredibly versatile: casual enough to hold its own as a summer shirt, while the lack of any collar means it can also be worn beneath a crew neck sweater without being visible. On the other hand, it still has enough structure to smarten up a pair of chinos or cotton shorts.

This season, we’ve expanded our grandad collar range to include cotton, linen, organic cotton and seersucker styles in a wide variety of plain hues and striped options. If you’ve never gone collarless before, trust us when we say it’s quite the liberation from the classic spread collar and is definitely something you should consider adding to your wardrobe.

Shop all Grandad Collar Shirts here.

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Grandad Shirt Marwood Rust

Grandad Shirt Marbury Green

Grandad Shirt Marbury Blue

Grandad Shirt Hattison Navy

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Grandad Shirt Hattison White

Grandad Shirt Abbott Navy

Grandad Shirt Abbott White

While the seersucker suit was reputedly born in New Orleans in 1909 at the skilled hands of a haberdasher named Joseph Haspel (he designed the very same suit worn by Peck), the dimpled fabric gained widespread popularity when it began to be adopted by Ivy League students in the 1920s. Chief among them was Princeton’s preppy lot, who perhaps enjoyed the liberal connotations of that wrinkled, carefree finish, peddled to them by master tailors Brooks Brothers no less. While we’re on the subject of finish, seersucker actually takes its name from the Persian words شیر shîr and شکر shakar, literally meaning "milk and sugar", from the resemblance of its smooth and rough stripes to the smooth texture of milk and the bumpy texture of sugar.

By the 1940s, Princeton’s boys’ predilection for seersucker had lent it something of a sartorial halo, so much so that the Duke of Windsor wore a two-piece seersucker while on holiday in the Italian riviera. Despite its slightly crumpled appearance, the suit was widely acknowledged as the preeminently tasteful summer fabric, sported by only the most discerning of stylish chaps. For a fabric whose roots were very much ingrained in the working-class South, seersucker had in a very short space of time become the choice of the rich and flamboyant, but that balance would once again shift in 1958 when the jazz impresario Miles Davis wore seersucker on the cover of his live album At Newport 1958.

These days, seersucker is a thoroughly democratic fabric, with no affiliations other than stylish folk. Yes, if you find yourself with an invitation to the Kentucky Derby, you may feel obliged to summon up your Southern gentleman sensibility and don a classic seersucker pin-stripe suit, but otherwise, this dimpled cotton can be worn in all social situations, whether as a short-sleeve shirt beneath a blazer or as a shirt itself, half-tucked into a pair of shorts and sleeves casually rolled up. 

By now, you’re thinking, ‘So why is it regarded as a summer fabric only?’ Ah, funny that you ask… Seersucker is of course cotton that has been woven in such a way that the threads bunch together, hence it has a natural stretch. The dimples vastly reduce the surface area of the fabric that actually rests on your skin, creating dimples that act as micro air pockets that keep your skin cool.  Given that it has a natural crumple, this placates the burden of ironing somewhat too. So there you have it. Seersucker. It’s amazing. This season, we’ve created some really interesting pieces in this awesome fabric so that your summer wardrobe is not only functional but is also full of interesting textures too. Embrace the crumple!

Shop our seersucker shirting here.

Related

Buckland Jacket Hesketh Navy

Drawstring Trouser Hesketh Navy

Havana Shirt Phaidon Black

Havana Shirt Hattison White

Grandad Shirt Hattison White

Warham Shirt Hattison Navy

Drawstring Trouser Hesketh Grey

Warham Shirt Marwood Green

Coram Jacket Marwood Rust

Quoddy’s methods date back centuries, back to the native Passamaquoddy tribes who freely roamed the lands around Maine before the French and English trappers made ground. The name "Passamaquoddy" is an anglicisation of the Passamaquoddy word “peskotomuhkati”, which literally means "pollock-spearer" or "those of the place where pollock are plentiful".

Quoddy Fireside Slipper Shearling Brown

Quoddy Fireside Slipper Shearling Chestnut

Quoddy Fireside Slipper Shearling Brown

Quoddy Fireside Slipper Shearling Chestnut

Made to cradle your foot in comfort, Quoddy shoes are built to last a lifetime because they can be renewed by the same hands that created them. Their skilled artisans work at wooden benches with leather, needle, thread, and a few basic tools in order to stitch, coax, and charm these humble materials into beautiful footwear.

The company has stubbornly resisted trading the human touch for industrial efficiency. At Quoddy, output is measured in dozens, not thousands, guaranteeing that every single pair has been constructed with love and a dedication to the craft.

For this season, Oliver Spencer has procured some exclusive styles, including the Horween® Chromexcel Maliseet Oxfords with the classic four eyelet configuration; the Dorm boot in shearling chestnut; and the Fireside shearling slippers.

Shop the collection online and in stores now.

Related

Quoddy Maliseet Oxford Chromexcel Brown

Quoddy Dorm Boot Shearling Chestnut

Quoddy Maliseet Oxford Chromexcel Black

Miller Sock Mait Navy

Miller Sock Swanlea Grey Multi

Miller Sock Yates Red

However, it all could have turned out very differently for the 24-year- old Londoner. A few years back, as an aspiring young actor, Hauer-King was slavishly running from casting to casting searching for that first gig. However, things didn't entirely turn out as he had hoped. "I left school and wanted to be an actor. And then pretty quickly I got cold feet because I went to about six months of auditions and didn't get a single callback. So that was pretty scary," he recalls. Although from a creative family (his mother is a theatre producer and his father a restauranteur), this experience made him re-evaluate his goals and ambitions, fearing his aspirations of acting could, in reality, remain unfulfilled. Bright, and with other interests, he shelved his dream of studying drama to pursue another of his passions, enrolling at the University of Cambridge to read theology. All the same, once settled at Cambridge, Hauer-King threw himself enthusiastically into the dramatics society there. But it wasn't only taking roles in productions that helped him to develop his craft whilst there. "Cambridge is an unbelievable place," he remembers. "And what's most incredible is you are surrounded by really smart, young people - both passionate and determined. Being amongst them really informs you as a person. But I think it really informs your acting, as well." Ironically, once fully ensconced in his studies and away from the hubbub of London, the job offers suddenly started rolling in.

Grandpa Coat Marsh Beige

Blenheim Crew Loseley Navy

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Carrington Jacket Westbury Green

Hawaiian Shirt Marwood Rust

Grandpa Coat Marsh Beige

Blenheim Crew Loseley Navy

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Carrington Jacket Westbury Green

Hawaiian Shirt Marwood Rust

He says he still pinches himself today, thinking back to 2016 when he was cast alongside Kenneth Branagh in John Osborne's groundbreaking 1950s play The Entertainer, at London's Garrick Theatre. As an aspiring young actor still in higher education, this was an important moment for Hauer-King. "I grew up going to a lot of theatre with my mum. When I found out I'd been offered the job, we almost felt it was too much, too soon," he opines. "But working alongside him [Branagh] was really special; he is really unique in his professionalism and his commitment to his work." He also acknowledges that the university's support for his newly-discovered double life was a vital part of his development as an actor. But perhaps even more importantly, he claims it taught him how to be more efficient with his time; something he particularly values now as a full-time actor. Despite only recently becoming a household name, Hauer- King has already starred in the best part of a dozen films and continues to work on stage. Equally, he has also been gracing the small screen for the past few years - having already bagged roles in a few classic period dramas.

Carrington Jacket Marwood Rust

Judo Pant Evering Green

Colchester Rubber Co. Basketball High Top Olive

Warham Shirt Marwood Green

Carrington Jacket Marwood Rust

Judo Pant Evering Green

Colchester Rubber Co. Basketball High Top Olive

Warham Shirt Marwood Green

Before World on Fire, he starred in Howards End alongside Hayley Atwell, and also Little Women with Angela Lansbury, Michael Gambon and Emily Watson - both in 2017. To date, he has worked with some of the biggest names in showbiz which he says has vastly enriched him as an actor. Aside from Sean Bean and Helen Hunt, co-stars in World on Fire, he also worked with Tim Roth and Clive Owen in last year's film Song of Names. And in the movie The Last Photograph, he was directed by Danny Huston, famed actor and member of the Huston dynasty. Working with so many established professionals has had an incredible impact on his own craft. As he is quick to point out, "It's easy to assume they all work in the same way, but they all approach their craft in their own unique ways, and they are different kinds of people. As a young actor, it's amazing learning from them, seeing their individual ways of working.

One might have tirelessly rehearsed and prepped, whereas another may seek out the essence of a scene through the visceral experience of the moment." And one imagines that this openness to learning and a desire to take on exciting roles with real emotional depth has helped him develop into the gifted young actor he is today. As he is quick to point out, "I spent my first three or four years doing a lot of independent films, which is something I feel really passionate about. A lot of the time, the stories are so interesting. And you are working with fascinating people too. These projects might not get the largest audiences, but I've always tried to act in a diverse range of productions." While this perhaps explains why it has taken a while for him to catch the attention of the public, there is no doubt that Hauer-King is the rising star of British acting, and now Disney has come a-knocking, his is the name on everyone's lips.

Fully immersing himself in the exclusive Oliver Spencer photoshoot for this issue, he talks engagingly about the long history that links cinema and fashion, and how he, himself, uses clothes and props to develop his characters. "Cinema is a visual art, and so much of the storytelling is about how something looks - the aesthetic and how that makes you feel. The two go hand-in-hand," he explains. "The clothes do a lot of the work for you. A pair of shoes can influence how you walk, for example. When I was filming World on Fire, something as simple as wearing the army uniform helped me get into character. It was stiff and itchy, so that tells you little details and gives you vital prompts." Yet it seems ambition and determination, rather than prompts, have been the driving forces behind Hauer-King's career so far. Without a doubt, this star still has much further to rise.

Shop the new Spring Summer '20 collection here.

Related

Grandad Shirt Marwood Rust

Solms Jacket Eden Tobacco

Pablo Polo Clyne Navy

Judo Pant Evering Navy

Robin Crew Wellesley Navy/Oatmeal

Conduit Tee Farrell Blue

Paraboot Avoriaz Buffalo Grain Leather

Paraboot Michael Smooth Leather Coffee

Paraboot Michael Smooth Leather Black

Paraboot Michael Buffalo Grain Leather

Paraboot Avoriaz Smooth Leather Black

Paraboot Avoriaz Buffalo Grain Leather

Paraboot Michael Smooth Leather Coffee

Paraboot Michael Smooth Leather Black

Paraboot Michael Buffalo Grain Leather

Paraboot Avoriaz Smooth Leather Black

The man who started it all was not born into business, wealth or commerce. Rémy-Alexis Richard, born in 1878 into a humble farming family, became a semi-skilled cutter at Chevron, one of a score of shoe factories in the small Isère village of Izeaux. These factories received orders from contractors "in the city", bought the leather, cut it and had the pieces assembled at home by farming families in the surrounding hills, before fixing them (by nailing or sewing them) onto wooden or leather soles. Rémy, being an enterprising young man, soon realised that these contractors from the cities earned more money than his own boss, and decided to try his luck; he went up to Paris with designs for his own models to sell them as a "factory agent”. His plan worked. Rémy had his first shoes manufactured by the factories in Izeaux – including the one he had just left – and sold them to the "major" clients in Paris. In 1908, he began to hire his own staff.

Rémy met Juliette Pontvert, the daughter of a wealthy notary and married her in 1910, founding his first company, Richard-Pontvert. He brought to the table his knowhow, designs and equipment; she contributed her dowry money as capital. War broke out in Europe shortly thereafter, but after Remy was injured, he was sent away from the Front and put in charge of repairing the army’s shoes, harnesses and other equipment. At the end of the war he returned to his business, which was a moderate success. He rented and then bought premises and a warehouse close to Les Halles market in Paris, bringing him closer to his clients. In 1920, he purchased his first factory in Izeaux, to gain better control of the manufacturing of sophisticated shoes with leather soles, as well as work boots with nailed wooden or leather soles. He registered the “Galibier” trademark for these boots in 1922.

Although he didn’t speak a word of English, he set sail for the United States in 1926, where he noticed the rubber “boots” worn by the Americans. This was something of an epiphany. Immediately upon his return Rémy put in motion the manufacture of his own boots with "layers" of latex added by hand on wooden lasts and vulcanised in stoves in order to make them entirely waterproof. He then had the idea of using this rubber to replace wooden soles which he eventually did with an old walnut oil press that made it possible to bake, and thus vulcanise, his shoes in steel moulds. Rémy registered the Paraboot name in 1927, from "Para" – a port in Amazonia, where the latex was exported from, and "boot" – the interesting new shoe he had discovered in the United States.

In 1937, Julien, Rémy Richard's son, got his feet under the corporate desk. Despite economic pressure to convert to a new cheaper construction method of glueing plastic soles to uppers, the 20 year old decided to preserve the traditional Goodyear method on thick leather soles and in 1945 he released the “Michael” model which is still to this day Paraboot’s poster boy.

Despite the Michael being hugely successful and worn by some of the world’s most celebrated climbers, explorers and adventurers, the aforementioned dark years rolled round and Paraboot found itself staring at bankruptcy. Whilst negotiating with the trade tribunal, 4th generation Michel Richard went to Italy in search of more efficient equipment and to understand the methods of his most formidable Italian competitors. The Italian stylists of a fashion distribution firm Michel had been negotiating with decreed that men needed to get themselves a new look: gone were the dark suit, shirt and tie and black thin-soled moccasins and in were tweed jackets, corduroy trousers and roll-neck knits. All that was missing was a thick-soled shoe, made from decent materials. Although they had all they needed in Italy, they chose the Michael model by Paraboot. Orders flooded in, ensuring that Paraboot is where it is today: one of the world’s finest leather bootmakers. Although the two historic factories in Izeaux and Fures are now closed, a new modern facility in Saint Jean de Moirans has guaranteed that Paraboot continues to craft rugged, versatile footwear of the highest order.

Shop the Paraboot collection at Oliver Spencer Studio, including the iconic ‘Michael’ model.

Related

Colchester Rubber Co. Basketball High Top Black

Paraboot Michael Buffalo Grain Leather

US Rubber Military Low Top Navy

Miller Sock Swanlea Red Multi

Attirecare Ultimate Shoe Care Kit

Miller Sock Byram Navy/Oatmeal

Grandpa Coat Marsh Navy

Blenheim Crew Pergola Grey

Grandad Shirt Hattison Navy

Pleat Trouser Eden Tobacco

Paraboot Michael Smooth Leather Coffee

London Undercover x Oliver Spencer City Lux Umbrella – Scorched

Grandpa Coat Marsh Navy

Blenheim Crew Pergola Grey

Grandad Shirt Hattison Navy

Pleat Trouser Eden Tobacco

Paraboot Michael Smooth Leather Coffee

London Undercover x Oliver Spencer City Lux Umbrella – Scorched

This time of year poses a perennial style conundrum: Spring-Summer collections have launched but the weather isn’t getting the hint. The solution is to layer your look with a combination of technical lightweight fabrics and mid-weight natural fibres to ensure you’ve got all bases covered. Fabrics like cotton and wool do an excellent job at temperature regulation while technical outerwear pieces such as our Grandpa coat offer protection from the elements, while also being lightweight and hence easy to stow away in a bag when you're on the move.

Moorland Gilet Onslow Navy

Talbot Roll Neck Henham Beige

Drawstring Trouser Hidcote Green

Paraboot Avoriaz Buffalo Grain Leather

Rucksack Nylon Green

Moorland Gilet Onslow Navy

Talbot Roll Neck Henham Beige

Drawstring Trouser Hidcote Green

Paraboot Avoriaz Buffalo Grain Leather

Rucksack Nylon Green

You'll want to keep your colour palette neutral so that each of you layers holds its own within the entire look - think about incorporating navy, green, grey and off-white hues. Avoid overly chunky knits unless you're a masochist - there's nothing worse than melting under a thick cable knit when you're indoors. Instead, go for a fine-gauge crew or even a cardigan that you can button up or down to reveal a contrast tee. Bookend the look with some Paraboots - functional enough to handle any terrain but perfectly smart too.

Bermondsey Bomber Marsh Green

Roxwell Knitted Jacket Mills Black

Oli's Tee Conway White

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Veja V-12 B-Mesh Olive/White

Bermondsey Bomber Marsh Green

Roxwell Knitted Jacket Mills Black

Oli's Tee Conway White

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Veja V-12 B-Mesh Olive/White

Related

Solms Jacket Marsh Navy

Roxwell Knitted Jacket Clyne Grey

Swanfield Henley Tindall Navy

Robin Crew Murphy Navy

Carrington Jacket Westbury Green

Eltham Shirt Eden Tobacco

Aden Scarf Grove Burgundy Multi

Porter Force 3Way Briefcase Olive

Attirecare Ultimate Shoe Care Kit

Solms Jacket Phaidon Black

Hawaiian Jersey Shirt Wellesley Navy/Oatmeal

Cowboy Jacket Evering Sand

Judo Pant Evering Sand

Solms Jacket Phaidon Black

Hawaiian Jersey Shirt Wellesley Navy/Oatmeal

Cowboy Jacket Evering Sand

Judo Pant Evering Sand

Hong Kong itself has such a fascinating sartorial heritage, with a strong tradition of artisanship in the textile industry and of course that very unique dichotomy of British colonial influence on the one hand and traditional eastern style on the other, the diversity of which is very inspiring. I wanted to further explore our signature relaxed tailoring, exemplified by an effortless deconstructed silhouette that carries through into more structured garments such as our classic blousons and summer raincoats. We continue to maintain a modern vision for tailoring that champions the comfort and ease of deconstruction and so you’ll find new iterations of our Brookes jacket with its hint of a peak lapel; our Grandpa coat in a marsh beige seersucker; and a four-pocket linen Cowboy jacket that perfectly answers the perennial smart-casual conundrum.

Brookes Jacket Westbury Green

New York Special Shirt Fairhurst Indigo Red

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Hawthorn Polo Farrell Blue

Conduit Tee Farrell Blue

Brookes Jacket Westbury Green

New York Special Shirt Fairhurst Indigo Red

Pleat Trouser Cannock Navy

Hawthorn Polo Farrell Blue

Conduit Tee Farrell Blue

As is always the case, my design process takes its initial cues from the fabric. For SS20, we have have not only brought traditional fabrics up to date with soft and luxurious finishing techniques but have also discovered new textiles exclusive to Oliver Spencer. Naturally, lightweight natural fibres take centre stage, with some stunning seersucker and light jersey that have both been uniquely reworked. Elsewhere, linens, cottons and their respective mixes have been carefully selected for the ecological credentials as we continue with our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint and negative impact on the planet.

Coram Jacket Evering Green

Conduit Tee Farrell Red

Pleat Trouser Hidcote Green

Brookes Jacket Evering Sand

Box Tee Paz Grey

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

Coram Jacket Evering Green

Conduit Tee Farrell Red

Pleat Trouser Hidcote Green

Brookes Jacket Evering Sand

Box Tee Paz Grey

Fishtail Trouser Evering Sand

We were very privileged to be able to shoot the new campaign in Hong Kong on rising screen and theatre star Jonah Hauer-King and you’ll be seeing and hearing plenty more from him this summer so watch this space. I really hope you enjoy the collection and we’d love to show it to you in person at any of our London stores or global stockists. You can often find me at our flagship store on Lambs Conduit Street so drop in and say hi.

Oli.

Related

Carrington Jacket Kildale Navy

Blenheim Crew Loseley Oatmeal

Pleat Trouser Eden Tobacco

Havana Shirt Thorndon Green

Swanfield Henley Tindall Navy

Rundell Jersey Jacket Wellesley Navy/Oatmeal

Grandpa Coat Marsh Green

Grafton Scarf Grafton Multi

Blenheim Crew Pergola Grey

Newington Coat Kingsley Cord Green

Talbot Roll Neck Henham Beige

Fishtail Trouser Halford Grey

Newington Coat Kingsley Cord Black

Newington Coat Kingsley Cord Green

Talbot Roll Neck Henham Beige

Fishtail Trouser Halford Grey

Newington Coat Kingsley Cord Black

Describe your personal style

Gus I don’t really deviate from simple and clean designs; I don't like patterns. I do have a consideration for sustainability when shopping - I am wearing Veja sneakers today! I am conscious of how and what I buy – it has to be comfortable. I also tend to only shop in only a few places.

Ollie I’m quite a clothes fiend. My family think I’m addicted. This weekend alone I bought tartan trousers from Favourbrook and an Oliver Spencer suit – honestly! At the moment I’m enjoying loose trousers and love an elasticated waist. Loose and easy, though stylish. Big fan of winter coats too so I’m glad winter is coming!

Foxham Jacket Halford Black

Robin Crew Murphy Navy

Fishtail Trouser Halford Grey

Roxwell Knitted Jacket Mills Black

Fishtail Trouser Onslow Navy

Solms Jacket Onslow Navy

Talbot Roll Neck Henham Beige

Foxham Jacket Halford Black

Robin Crew Murphy Navy

Fishtail Trouser Halford Grey

Roxwell Knitted Jacket Mills Black

Fishtail Trouser Onslow Navy

Solms Jacket Onslow Navy

Talbot Roll Neck Henham Beige

Object you’d never part with…

Gus My suit from Richard James. I bought it for my 20th Birthday party and I still wear it a few times a year. I’m very happy it still fits!

Ollie I had a beautiful, engraved watch that was taken when I was burgled so I am already parted from the one thing I never wanted to be! I wear two rings that I am a big fan of and I couldn’t imagine my life with out.

Last music you downloaded…

Gus Lewis Capaldi, Leon Bridges, Carole King.

Ollie Watch the throne – Jay Z and Kanye. I listen to a lot of Oasis on Spotify, my last searches on Spotify were Amy Winehouse, Drake, Alt J and Diana Ross.

Brockwell Jacket Kingsley Cord Green

Overshirt Raven Black

Judo Pant Kingsley Cord Green

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Tatham Orange

Fishtail Trouser Onslow Navy

Newington Coat Kingsley Cord Green

Talbot Roll Neck Hanley Navy

Judo Pant Kingsley Cord Black

Brockwell Jacket Kingsley Cord Green

Overshirt Raven Black

Judo Pant Kingsley Cord Green

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Tatham Orange

Fishtail Trouser Onslow Navy

Newington Coat Kingsley Cord Green

Talbot Roll Neck Hanley Navy

Judo Pant Kingsley Cord Black

Favourite festival

Both Glastonbury – it’s the only festival! It’s magical, nothing else matters whilst you are there.

Favourite restaurant / last supper

Gus River Café – it’s where Ollie and I met. I’ve eaten in some memorable places around the world, but River Café has such a special feel and the best food so I feel you can’t top it!

Ollie River Café for me too, when I worked there it's where I fell in love with food. I do love Saturday lunch at Lyle’s though. I used to work there and James and John are the best in the game. Also, La Soucoupe – I have had some memorable skiing lunches here with my family.

Miracle hangover cure

Gus In this order…Hard green juice, Berocca, cup of tea, bloody Mary and then a pint.

Ollie No, in this order. Nurofen (before you go to bed), Berocca (in the morning), Lucozade orange sport (on the way to work) and the ultimate trick if I’m not working is having a shandy.

Foxham Jacket Halford Black

Robin Crew Murphy Navy

Fishtail Trouser Halford Grey

Foxham Jacket Halford Black

Robin Crew Murphy Navy

Fishtail Trouser Halford Grey

Thank you to Soho House for having us and to Gus Haughton and Ollie Jones for being excellent models. 

Related

Blenheim Crew Varley Navy

Talbot Roll Neck Hanley Black

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Tobin Navy

Half Zip Jumper Henham Navy

Moorland Gilet Onslow Navy

We visited the Hoxton Hotel in Holborn, London to put this new range in it's natural environment. Also featured are favourites from Oliver Spencer Studio such as Hemen underwear, Bleue Burnham jewellery, Haeckels skincare and Timex watches.

Hemen Harri Henley White

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Hemen Harri Henley White

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Timex Acadia Watch Olive/Orange Herringbone

Pyjama Shirt Cannington Blue

Lounge Tee Miverton Beige

Bleue Burnham Bashed Ends Bangle Silver

Timex Acadia Watch Olive/Orange Herringbone

Pyjama Shirt Cannington Blue

Lounge Tee Miverton Beige

Bleue Burnham Bashed Ends Bangle Silver

Comfort Tee York Indigo Blue

Haeckels Bladderwrack Hand Cleanser 500ml

Haeckels Eau De Parfum 2334

Comfort Tee York Indigo Blue

Haeckels Bladderwrack Hand Cleanser 500ml

Haeckels Eau De Parfum 2334

Timex Acadia Watch Olive/Orange Herringbone

Hemen Marti Boxer Grey

Haeckels Bladderwrack Body Cleanser 300ml

Timex Acadia Watch Olive/Orange Herringbone

Hemen Marti Boxer Grey

Haeckels Bladderwrack Body Cleanser 300ml

Hemen Harri Henley Grey

Comfort Shorts Alroy Navy

Lounge Tee Miverton Beige

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Hemen Harri Henley Grey

Comfort Shorts Alroy Navy

Lounge Tee Miverton Beige

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Half Zip Sweat Milner Beige

Comfort Tee York Indigo Blue

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Craig Hill Venn Puzzle Steel

Half Zip Sweat Milner Beige

Comfort Tee York Indigo Blue

Pyjama Trousers Cannington Blue

Craig Hill Venn Puzzle Steel

Related

Hoodie Harris Indigo Blue

Lounge Jacket Birch Navy

Slim Fit Jogger Milner Midnight

Timex Acadia Watch Navy/Navy Velcro

Campbell Cole Simple Key Toggle Tan

Bleue Burnham Barhill Bracelet Silver

Hemen Gari Vest Grey

The finest fabrics have been sourced from mills in the UK, Portugal and Italy; and this season even includes an exclusive seersucker-like wool, the Heaton, designed by Oliver himself which has been used on the Solms jacket and Judo pant.

Being an independent brand, we are able to oversee each stage of the construction and production process, keeping production runs low so every single detail is managed in order to deliver well-crafted, long-lasting and sustainable clothing.

Oliver Spencer’s relaxed take on traditional men’s style is prevalent throughout the design process this season with easy silhouettes reflecting the luxe feel and comfort that comes through in the rich velvets, fine wools and soft cottons.

A contemporary take on the classic double-breasted overcoat and an all-encompassing eight-button pea coat are introduced this season in heavy lamb’s wool. With a conscious effort in mind to reduce our carbon footprint, we have introduced our Cleveland cloth; an undyed, ecological wool that turns these classic pieces into ethically designed garments. 

Broadway Shoe High Shine Leather Chocolate SS20

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Sepia

Broadway Shoe High Shine Leather Chocolate SS20

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Sepia

Several trousers in this season’s collection have been constructed from suiting fabrics, which gives them an edge over your stereotypical winter trouser making it feel effortless to look sophisticated when getting dressed. A Fair Isle design appears on a range of jacquard knits including a  heavy zip-through cardigan to shield you from the cold. 

Inspired by an age of elegant travel and the alpine landscape, the collection effortlessly balances bold colours such as bright navy blue and forest green with rich tones including dark greys, sand and a bold ochre. A reflection of the journey from the foot of the mountain to the skiing towns and villages of the Alps.

Mac's work will be on show from the 14th - 22nd September. 

Hi Mac, how’s things? I hope all is well. As part of this year’s Shoreditch Design Triangle you are exhibiting at the Oliver Spencer store in Shoreditch. Can you tell us a little bit about your presentation?

I’m presenting my Iklwa chair with a few other objects I’ve designed, alongside some relics, including maquettes and sketches, which relate to my design process.

You graduated last year from Northumbria University. What did you study and what have you been up to since you graduated?

The course was titled 3D Design and offered the foundations for a future in both craft and more commercial design. I specialised in furniture making. Since graduating, I have had a busy year trying to decide who I want to be within this industry. I have been getting to know people and broadening my understanding of design and craft. In the past months, I have travelled to Cologne, Hong Kong and New York, exhibiting work, meeting designers and visiting workshops. I also currently have a residency at the university where I still have a studio space and access to workshops. From this position, I have been working on a number of other projects.

Tell us a little bit about your research process. What are the inspirations that influence your designs and your ideas?

Although my inspirations will inevitably evolve and change, recently I have been looking at aspects of my heritage and exploring how this can transpire into furniture. I have been taking inspiration from the people around me, and particular stories from my family members and responding to those. I also take a lot of inspiration from existing creatives - painters, sculptors, photographers and, of course, furniture makers.

You use a lot of wood in your work. Is that a conscious decision based on your ideas?

It is a conscious decision; it’s still the most satisfying and interesting material in my opinion, despite how frustrating it can be to work with - being a material that can warp, twist and change. There is something rewarding about going along with these changes and working with them. Timber is an age-old material; you feel connected to craftspeople throughout history, in a way, through that. I appreciate the fact that aspects of woodworking haven’t changed a great deal in thousands of years but yet there is always something new you can do with it. Although the tree was not felled by myself, you can often trace the origin of the timber and you have a better understanding of the origin of the material that you are working with. Sometimes with metals and plastics you can be so detached from the extraction of that material that you never really know what processes have gone into making it. With timber you know, and can make moves to be as responsible as possible.

Your final project piece at university was the Iklwa chair you mentioned earlier. Where does the name come from and why did you decide to call it that?

The name comes from a traditional southern African spear used during a particular stand against European colonialist interest in Africa. The armrests of the chair - which embrace and protect the sitter -took their form from this spear so it seemed fitting to name it after this. The chair itself has been designed to empower the user in the face of oppression so the name seemed relevant in this sense also.

What are your hopes for the future of design?

I hope the industry continues to diversify and more and more people from various backgrounds begin to take ever more present and major roles in design and craft. I hope that, despite the post-referendum climate of intolerance, people of underrepresented groups begin to get the representation they deserve. I also hope design becomes more sustainable and responsible. This is something I personally hope to get better at, for the longevity of the planet and the kind of lives we lead. I hope people continue to realise the fragility of the world and continue to respond to it.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a project with British furniture makers Benchmark. We are working on a collaborative range of furniture which we hope will begin to take shape soon. I am also in discussions about another collaboration and have a new personal project taking shape; the details of these will be out soon. Alongside these projects, I plan to spend some more time abroad, visiting makers and finding new inspiration. I need to learn as much as possible.

You can see Mac's work, including the 'Iklwa' chair from the 14th - 22nd of September in our Shoreditch store as part of Shoreditch Design Triangle. You can read more on the Shoreditch Design Triangle website here.

We will also be hosting an in-store event with Mac on Thursday 19th September where you can hear him talk about his work and processes. RSVP - events@oliverspencer.co.uk

Mac Collins - Designer and Maker

www.maccollins.com

info@maccollins.com

Featured throughout the collection, suiting is reimagined in a relaxed fashion; trousers and jackets in sumptuous fabrics combine in a range of styles and even our bomber jacket is paired with matching trousers. A classic double-breasted overcoat in wool adds elegance and comfort for the colder months. High-waisted, pleat trousers are paired with oversized patchwork shirts creating an easy, yet timeless, feel. An array of knitwear features throughout the collection; basket-knit rollnecks, chunky winter cardigans and classic sweaters, all made in Portugal from natural yarns, come in a selection of subtle colours that can be worn alone or underneath a jacket or coat.

With a particular focus on comfort and quality, fabrics such as tactile velvets, eco wools, heavy corduroys, soft knits and wool seersuckers feature throughout the collection. Influenced by the local scenery, natural colours such as rich cobalt blues, burnt mustard and earthy greens have been used to subtly accent gentle beiges, ochres and ecru. Elsewhere the collection is an ode to pattern, whether it be traditional check shirting, mismatch ginghams and stripes, or flattering dogtooth whilst bold, graphic patterns appear on knitwear and outerwear.

With a continued commitment to consider our impact on the environment, we are dedicated to working with low footprint fabrics. Elsewhere we have focused on minimising our packaging which lead to a 36,934 kg reduction in our carbon footprint last year. To put that in context, we have reduced carbon emissions approximately equivalent to five London buses running every day for a year.

Broadway Shoe High Shine Leather Black SS20

Broadway Shoe High Shine Leather Black SS20

We aim to be open and honest regarding the continuous steps we are taking the improve our carbon footprint and environmental credentials. This is an ongoing process and we are on the first steps of a long journey to be part of the solution.

More information is available on our website’s sustainability page and our staff are available at any time to answer your questions. Likewise you are very welcome to contact us on info@oliverspencer.co.uk

Hi Steven, really great to chat to you. Firstly, can you tell us how you ended up joining Oliver Spencer?

I started working for Oli just over five years ago shortly after I moved to London. I was always into my clothes - firstly from wanting to emulate my heroes in music and on film. As a teenager I was also a skateboarder - that’s a scene that has its own, distinct uniform. It’s a real counterculture style and that attitude still resonates with me today. Oli himself has always drawn his inspirations from artists and musicians; that was the main reason I was drawn to the brand. So when the opportunity to join arose it felt like a brilliant fit.

Sid Sunglasses Sid Pink

Sid Sunglasses Sid Pink

You actually live in east London close to the Oliver Spencer Shoreditch store and commute over to west London every day. You must be able to really see the differences between the two areas.

The most striking thing is how different the architecture is. The wide, open streets and white Georgian houses of Notting Hill are a million miles away from all of the new buildings that are springing up on every corner in Shoreditch and Dalston. But both have their unique charms. Some of the buildings that are going up in the city are - eyesores or not - incredible feats of engineering. There are similarities too. Ernő Goldfinger’s famous Brutalist blocks - the Trellick Tower and Balfron Tower - are close to each of stores and it’s nice to see that common thread even though London can seem vast and sprawling at times. Historically the areas are quite different too and you can still see that today. Portobello has the famous antiques market and was traditionally a hub for musicians and bohemians for many, many years whilst Shoreditch was more known for manufacture - everything from clothing to beer - so there are lots of old warehouses. In fact our store on Calvert Avenue still boasts an amazing independent upholsterer next door, Ainsworth Broughton.

Do you think there is a single thing that defines the Oliver Spencer customer?

They tend to be guys who want to dress well but don’t like branding and logos. They’re looking for labels that put a focus on the quality, materials and simplicity in terms of fit. They’re not looking for new styles forced on to them. It's always really interesting to see a customer taking one of our designs and then tweaking little elements to suit their needs - like shortening a sleeve or tapering a trouser leg just to give it a subtle customised element.

Oli's Tee Conway White

Fishtail Trouser Eden Black

Oli's Tee Conway White

Fishtail Trouser Eden Black

You have to traverse London to get to work every day. What’s your journey like?

Well, I either ride my bicycle or ride my motorbike depending on how fresh my legs are feeling.

Tell us about your motorbike?

I own a Triumph Bonneville. They're just incredibly simple and beautiful machines. I love the custom element to them too. They start as this British classic but a few tweaks and they're great for riding up mountains or sprinting around a racetrack.

Talking of racetracks, you were a competitive runner when you were younger, weren’t you?

Yeah, it was a big part of my life. I'd train three or four times a week then compete at the weekends. I carried on until I was 23 years old when an ankle ligament injury forced me to quit. I started as an 11 year-old with boundless energy - and for the first six or seven years I combined it with football as well. I have to say I'm eternally grateful to my parents for the amount of miles they put in driving up and down motorways to stand and watch me run for anywhere between two and 20 minutes at a time.

How has that formative experience shaped you as an adult do you think?

Running gives you a lot of time to think; as a kid I think that's probably fairly rare. It definitely taught me that I thrive when I'm competing against myself instead of constantly measuring myself against others.

Oli's Tee Conway White

Oli's Tee Conway White

Steven, thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today. Before we say goodbye; in the shop, customers must ask your opinion constantly. Is there one tip for dressing well that works for everyone?

Buy clothes that fit. You'll look a lot smarter than trying to hang on to a size you might have grown out of. And vice versa, if you drop down a size.

And lastly, one life lesson.

It's cool to be kind.

Photography by Thom Corbishley

The show was dominated by an easy, deconstructed silhouette whilst delicate, new textures have been created by reworking traditional summer fabrics such as seersucker and light jersey. Striking colours such as teal and burnt orange are prominent in this collection; they are mixed with ecrus and contrasting blacks and navies to create an overall impression that is reflected in the metropolis that is Hong-Kong. From its monochromatic skyline to its tropical islands, descending into the vibrancy of its night markets.

The show took place on Sunday 9th of June at 6pm and was hosted in the Dinerama street food market in Shoreditch, East London. The show consisted of 31 looks in total - scroll to view them all below:

Styling & Casting: William Gilchrist

Hair & Grooming: Johnnie Sapong at The Wall Group using Electric London professional hair products and Björk & Berries skincare

Music: Miles Copeland, Wonderful Sound

Production: Blonstein

Caller: Sarah Whisker

Seamstress: Issy Hickman

Models: Richard Biedul, Hu Bing, Dan Crowe, Kyle De Vole, Pablo Fernandez, Nat Gregory, Laurie Harding, Kayden Hesketh, Mark Hibbert, Earl James Charles, Wonil Jo, Krow Kian, Robert Konjic, George La Page, Nick Offord, Johan Ohlstrom, Dennis Okwera, Junkai Qui, Dean Webster, Wilfred Wong

1. Introduce yourself, and describe to us what you do at Oliver Spencer

My name is Peter, I’m an artist and songwriter and I work part-time in the stores on the shop floor. Although I’m mainly based in West London I work across the other stores as well, helping people with their sartorial decisions!

2. You spend a lot of your working time in our Notting Hill store, tell us some more about the area and the store itself.

I’ve always been close by or had some connection to Notting Hill. I used to live in Kensal Rise and worked in Kensington so I’d walk the length of Portobello Road every Friday morning when the market was on. The area has changed a lot in the last few years but there’s still something about it, there’s still a bit of a buzz through the mix of people and the community. It’s a strong community too, and obviously steeped in musical and artistic history. The store itself is an inviting place, I love it there. It’s a nice environment, we get to meet and talk to lots of interesting local customers.

Conduit Tee Arman Navy

Conduit Tee Arman Navy

3. We had the pleasure of visiting your studio in Clapham where we got an insight into your practise. Can you describe to us how you go about creating and making and what inspires you to do so?

Things usually start by just observing, noticing and collecting things in everyday life which I find uncanny or bizarre and then finding ways to reinterpret those things or present them back to the audience, hopefully in a way that they might find interesting or allow them to see that thing in a new light. For example, a few years ago I made a book using only quotes about the weather that were taken from found postcards. Presented next to each other they seem strange and monotonous but there’s something poetic about how we talk about the weather. I guess really I just want to present my take on life.

4. A lot of your recent work is based on the ‘found’ and reinterpreting this – what draws you to making in this way?

I like reusing things, giving something a new lease of life. I’ve always been drawn to old ripped billboard posters and a more ‘used’ aesthetic, things that I knew had had a life before. I never really liked anything that looked new or too slick. That’s changing slowly as I’ve got more into using paint but I still try and reuse materials whenever I can. I always feel like the work I make is a lot richer if I haven’t just gone to a shop and bought all the materials, like there’s more of a story there somehow.

Sid Sunglasses Sid Pink

Sid Sunglasses Sid Pink

5. We’ll be hosting some of your ‘Scratch Card’ work in Notting Hill over the next month or so, tell us about the concept behind it…

A while ago I started taking photographs of scratchcards that had been thrown on the floor, then began collecting them, not really knowing what I was going to do with them. I noticed all the scratch marks were different and had their own unique pattern. I started scanning them and playing around with the levels so I was left with a monochrome image of the scratches. I thought they would make great abstract pieces and I loved where the patterns had originated from. I see them as the markings of somewhere between hope and despair, you can visualize somebody scratching it off, hoping to win big, then realizing they haven’t and throwing the card on the floor. The paintings I’ll be showing at the Notting Hill store have all been made specifically with the store in mind - I’ve used pre-existing colours and sizes and certain other tones that will hopefully compliment the current collection and the space. I’ve tried to re-use materials where I can for the pieces, some of the canvas used were off-cuts and a lot of the wood was rescued from a skip. The store itself is quite an inspiring space - there’s artworks by David Austen whose work I now love and I’ve tried to frame the new pieces so they fit with the aesthetic of the shop.

6. How have you found your relationship with art has shaped the way you dress?

I don’t think what I’m wearing and what I’m making have too much in common, although I guess I might subconsciously take inspiration from certain colour pallets or shades. I do get inspired by other artists and musicians and how they dress, in particular those who have their own style without it looking like an effort. David Hockney is a good example of someone with his own stamp on the way he dresses, he completely has his own identity style-wize without looking like he’s trying. I think if you can manage to stand out unnoticed then you’re on to something.

7. What are your highlights of the current Oliver Spencer collection?

I’m a sucker for anything indigo dyed so the Travel and Hawaiian shirts in indigo are obvious favourites. The Drawstring shorts and Havana shirt in Ebley are standouts for me too, it’s a really lovely fabric with a great texture.

8. Lastly, do you have any upcoming projects in the pipeline…

A friend of mine used to DJ at the Hacienda and has loads of original bits from Factory records, so we’ve teamed up and I’m going to be making a one off piece using all the original stuff he has with the proceeds going to the Teenage Cancer Trust. I’m really excited about it, it means I’ll get to do lots of research on Factory, the Hacienda and all the bands and characters that made it happen. I’m also working on a video for one of my songs using photographs by Greg Girard, an amazing photographer from Canada. He allowed me to use his archive of photos from Vancouver and the far east from the 1970s which have been incredible to work with.

Related

Bleue Burnham Cefalu Signet Ring Silver

This collection brings together some classic Oliver Spencer summer staples alongside some new, exclusive styles. All the cotton in the collection has been certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard which is the standard-bearer for the textile industry worldwide.

Flax, the plant that linen comes from, is a hardy crop that doesn’t require pesticides. Likewise, the whole of the plant is used in the production of linen, which creates a greater yield and less waste. And if that wasn’t enough, linen is a breathable fabric making it a natural choice for warmer weather.

Buckland Jacket Temple Blue

Buckland Jacket Temple Blue

ABOVE: The Buckland Jacket in Temple Blue, cut from an organic Portugese cotton.

ABOVE: The Envelope Tee in Cranwell Oatmeal and Buckland Jacket in Temple Blue. Both cut from organic cotton.

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Veja V-10 White/Red/Green

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Sepia

Sid Sunglasses Sid Pink

Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Sepia

Sid Sunglasses Sid Pink

Traditionally drawing a more mature crowd who come to enjoy the town & slower pace, today Palm Springs also attracts a younger audience whose presence is due, in no small part, to the success of Coachella festival.

Early this month, stylist and Oliver Spencer collaborator, William Gilchrist took a road trip with photographer and artist Wanda Orme to this hip desert town to capture some of the key highlights from our latest collection.

ABOVE: The Havana jacket is a reworked trucker made from a geometric, textured cotton. With a revere collar, the box pleat detail on the front references the traditional Caribbean guayabera shirt.

ABOVE: Our classic grandad shirt has been reworked in a blue and white check and a bold, white fabric detail on the breast pocket. Our slim fit Fishtail Trousers are made with a textured 'Beckford' cotton fabric in an old English cream.

When Oli isn't putting the collection together in the studio with our Design team, he can be found upstairs on our shop floor or visiting our manufacturers: the other shop floor! His tactile approach helps Oli visualise his work, listen to what his customers want and understand how to achieve this properly, efficiently and responsibly. This allows us to sympathetic to our environment whilst controlling our supply chain responsibly as it’s all within touching distance (well, nearly)!

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Abbott White

Clerkenwell Tab Shirt Abbott White

For Spring Summer '19 we have delved into the world of linen; a staple of Summer collections, and not just because of it naturally being a great fabric to wear in the heat, but it's environmental and social impact is far lower than that of cotton (see our sustainability page to read more), making it a real cornerstone for each Spring Summer season.

Our Evering quality for SS19 is an Irish linen, typically used for furnishing it possesses more robust characteristics that give the cloth more structure and weight. Keeping our production within Europe is something we pride ourselves on, and finding factories to work with close to home means our garments don't have to travel as far which keeps our carbon footprint low. We aim to nurture and build long-standing relationships with our factories and their workers so we can constantly look at improving with them and developing better product together.

Spencer Sugnlasses Spencer Honey

Spencer Sugnlasses Spencer Honey

Lamb's Conduit Street is a constant source for our inspiration, and very much woven in to our personality as a brand. Many of our favourite styles have taken their names from the locale. The Theobald Jacket, one of our unstructured blazers is named after Theobalds Road at the South end of the street (and home to perhaps one of our favourite Butchers, McKanna Meats)! The Coram Jacket, our casual Nehru-collar jacket is named after Coram's Fields at the North end of the street, a charity foundation and 7-acre green space committed to providing a safe place for children to play.

Looking forward, our plan is to continue working towards becoming more proficient in our offering of environmentally low-impact products and continue to make informed, positive changes in the business that allow us to reduce our carbon footprint. Minimizing waste with our packaging and conscientious fabric sourcing are important components of this, but keeping things local, working directly with our suppliers and manufacturers and having control over our supply chain is just as important.

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Conrad Sunglasses Conrad Smoke

Here's Bleue Burnham, our Head of Sustainability and Assistant Store Manager at Lambs Conduit Street - alongside his work at Oliver Spencer, Bleue is also the founder of his own eponymous line of contemporary men's jewellery, Bleue Burnham: inspired by British modernity, using recycled precious metals and made in London. 

Introduce yourself, and describe to us what you do at Oliver Spencer...

My name is Bleue Wickham-Burnham, I'm 26 years old and in one life I own my own jewllery line called Bleue Burnham and in my other life I am the Head of Sustainability and Assistant Store Manager of our Lambs Conduit Street Stores at Oliver Spencer.

Bleue Burnham Cefalu Signet Ring Silver

Bleue Burnham Horizon Ring Silver

Bleue Burnham Permanent Ring Silver

Grandad Shirt Hattison White

Bleue Burnham Cefalu Signet Ring Silver

Bleue Burnham Horizon Ring Silver

Bleue Burnham Permanent Ring Silver

Grandad Shirt Hattison White

What inspired you to work on the shop floor, and how do you think it has helped shape your understanding of the industry?

I have always been in to clothing and style in general, so working on the shop floor for a brand I was a big fan of felt like a natural first step. From the shop floor you learn a lot about product; how people engage with clothing when shopping and the retail calendar. The shop floor of our Lambs Conduit Street store is very unique as our head offices are just below both stores. So having the combination of the shop floor and head office on my doorstep has been my biggest source of industry education; interacting with wholesale, marketing, ecommerce, design and production on a regular basis enabled me to understand how these business functions work: what were working towards, the challenges we face and how this formulates the brand and the industry as a whole. 

How did you end up becoming Head of Sustainability at Oliver Spencer and what are some of the changes you have seen?

I studied environmental sustainability at university and after working for Oli in the shop for a few months I put together a proposal of how I thought we should move forward - he agreed and that was the start! The company has the perfect posistioning for positive progress becasuse everyone here cares about the impact we have! Over the last couple of years we have transitioned just over a third of our collection to use low footprint fabrics such as organic cotton and European linens, we now power all of our stores and our head office from renewable energy, we have reduced our packaging footprint by 36,000kg per year, we have planted 300 trees with the Woodland Trust and we have tried to engage our customers and anyone who is interested on what we are doing and why it's important. There isn't a golden posistion for us, it's a process of continual development. 

Bleue Burnham Cefalu Signet Ring Silver

Oli's Tee Conway Black

Bleue Burnham Permanent Ring Silver

Bleue Burnham Cefalu Signet Ring Silver

Oli's Tee Conway Black

Bleue Burnham Permanent Ring Silver

Tell us about your jewellery line, 'Bleue Burnham' and how you got it off the ground...

I first started making in 2014 when my partner at the time, was a trained woman's jewellery designer who produces her own line of jewellery, 'Luc:e' - she tought me the basics of wax modelling and from there I started making pieces for myself - then my friends, then their friends, and slowly but surely it shaped into a business and I launched my first collection in April 2018.

What influences your approach to design? 

I'm really interested in what it means for men to wear jewellery. I want to make jewellery that feels, and looks contemporary but still has historical references and a cultural narrative. I'm interested in the cultures and subcultures that have shaped where we are today and how this affects what jewellery men want to wear. For my 001 collection I have explored counterculture through new and opposing thought; this collection breaks tradition in a relaxed and playful way and will be available in stores (including Oliver Spencer) from August 2019. 

Also, my final design rule - no skulls allowed!

Tell us a little bit about your relationship with jewellery, and the part it plays in the modern man's wardrobe...

My relationship with jewellery is a long standing one. I have been facinated with jewellery and how it fits into style from a very young age. As I have no professional jewellery training and a menswear background, menswear has naturally been a key influence in how I approach designing jewellery and running the brand. The aim is for any guy who is into their style to be able to relate to the jewellery and feel like it compliments their clothing. 

How do you define your personal style?

I like comfort, colour and texture. Like most men I wear a lot of navy, but try to add colour in where I can. As for textures - seersuckers in the summer, cord in the winter. To be honest my style consists mainly of vintage clothing, Patagonia, Oliver Spencer and silver and gold jewellery!

Oli's Tee Conway White

Bleue Burnham Sunshine Signet Ring Silver

Bleue Burnham Ravello Ring Silver

Oli's Tee Conway White

Bleue Burnham Sunshine Signet Ring Silver

Bleue Burnham Ravello Ring Silver

What does the future hold for Bleue Burnham - any developments in the pipeline?

Yes! I am very excited about 2019! From a jewellery perspective expect to see a much more diverse collection, which will include bracelets, bangles, pendants, more gold and gemstones. From a brand perspective expect to see more work around environmental progression - not only working on our personal footprint but approaching the environmental crisis as an issue as a whole and trying our best to contribute positively towards that. 

In one sentence answer the following:

Best resturant near Lambs Conduit Street?

Ciao Bella for food, Noble Rot for wine.

Interesting facts about Oliver Spencer?

He doesn't like wearing jewellery...yet.

Favourite piece on the shop floor?

Grandad Shirt Hattinson White! A beautiful fabric which is made in organic cotton.

When you're not working, we could find you...

Spending time with friends, enjoying music and swimming!

What are you listening to at the moment?

Celeste - Lately EP - such an amazing piece of music, and I can't wait to hear more from her!

If you are interested in more of my musical inclinations you can find me on Spotify bleueburnham - where I have a selection of playlists for all your musical needs.

You can find me on Instagram @bleueburnham or at www.bleueburnham.com 

We’ve selected some Spring staples from our SS19 collection that will ensure you’re layered up to face the music.

Bleue Burnham Cefalu Signet Ring Silver - IUD003

Bleue Burnham Cefalu Signet Ring Silver - IUD003

The Waltham Jacket in Fine Wax Cotton is a great outer-layer: suitable for a sudden downpour and when layered underneath a top coat it offers a ray of sunshine! Our Beaumont Coat in Bickerton Stone is a water-repellent, lightweight Italian Nylon; the perfect pack-away partner for inclement weather. 

Eltham Shirt Eden Tobacco

Eltham Shirt Eden Tobacco

A warm jacket never goes amiss in springtime; especially when it is as versatile as our Solms Jacket. This utilitarian jacket comes as a two in one. It has a button fastening with a notched lapel and addition button-loop detail that means it can be worn either as a casual outerwear piece with the collar popped up, or when folded down it turns into an informal tailored blazer.

The Helvellyn Jacket is your all-round, everyday layer. Italian Ripstop Nylon and a peaked hood protects you from the wind and rain while a double popper and zip fastening keeps things cosy. A 'Napolean' pocket at the chest provides a neat stowaway for your phone or wallet.

For Wildflower, Oliver Spencer is very pleased to have collaborated with artist Wolfgang Buttress on an immersive experience that combines sound and projection to transport the audience to his wildflower meadow. Models walked out along the cyclorama, shrowded by a black gauze that hung a couple of meters into the space. A powerful projection was cast onto the gauze, which illuminated the models and created a shadow until they reached the centre of the runway and started their walk.

Wolfgang Buttress’ installation in the Oliver Spencer Soho store was the start of an explorative journey that highlights the importance of being environmentally sustainable within a wasteful industry. Over the past year, Oliver Spencer has begun to take his first steps in focussing on the environmental and social efficiency of his business; all of his locations are powered by renewable energy, he is increasing his use of environmentally efficient fabrics and has reduced his packaging by 30%. This is a process of continuous improvement and as such it will always be a part of what we do. 

So how do we solve this? Carbon offsetting.

Carbon offsetting is the process of capturing carbon through actions indirect to your own activities to balance or store more carbon than you produce. A method that has proved its brilliance throughout human existence in ensuring we have the appropriate levels of oxygen and not too much carbon in the atmosphere (not to mention the biodiversity, ecosystems and land they support), is the presence of our humble leafy friends: trees.

Trees and plants are the lungs of this planet. Throughout their lifecycle they photosynthesize, capturing and storing carbon and in turn releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. The oxygen trees release is a major source of the oxygen we humans consume. Moreover, the carbon they store is crucially diverted from entering our atmosphere and further exacerbating climate change.

Recent updates to the Paris Agreement of tackling climate change have stated that immediate action is needed to prevent temperature rises above the 1.5 degrees that would cause catastrophic effects globally: drought, flooding, food uncertainty and heatwaves. All of which will result in harm to the human species physically, socially, politically and economically. So it’s imperative that individuals, businesses and governments change the way we behave to ensure a prosperous world exists for our children.

Our first venture into the world of carbon offsetting is the planting of 300 trees in partnership with the Woodland Trust. The Woodland Trust have long supported forestation and is largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom.

To illustrate our commitment to reforestation Jon Beaumont (artist) has drawn 300 trees in the windows of our London stores. Each tree drawn represents a tree we have planted. We hope by doing this not only do we reduce our carbon footprint but we build awareness and inspire change amongst individuals and other businesses.

Best Wishes,

Oliver Spencer team.

PS. One of the easiest ways to reduce your own footprint is to switch to a renewable energy supplier. It’s easy (they do all the work) and costs nothing more than you would usually pay. We recommend Good Energy and Green Energy.

Gifting

Present opening is a part of the day that brings excitement, joy and a sense of appreciation to your fellow Christmas day entourage. A great moment indeed. The only slight catch is that choosing presents can be a stressful task at the best of times; who, what, why and when? Sometimes this cocktail of uncertainty can leave us reaching for an option which is perhaps a bit of a stab in the dark. Maybe they will like it, maybe they won’t. Despite an awkward thank you, sometimes presents aren’t quite right and therefore make their way to a dark corner of the house, only to be re-discovered when embarking on your spring clean. And if they do like their present, is it something that will last? How many things from last Christmas are you still using today?

Unfortunately the planet that supports our very existence finds our disposable habits a bit of pain in the neck. Well actually, it’s more like a puncture to the lung but we will go with pain in the neck for the time being.

This pain in the neck does not need to be repeatedly poked with disposable products:  it is better suited to being slowly massaged with long lasting, meaningful, consciously made products and experiences. In simple terms: buy less and choose quality. A decent bottle of wine goes a long way, as does a voucher to a restaurant or a donation to charity. Some say money as a present is unthoughtful, but is it more unthoughtful than waste at the expense of future generations? Why not get your lucky recipients to send you a good old fashioned Christmas list? Then you will know that you will be buying something that will be used. If you’re buying clothes try and buy something that is built to last and made in an environmentally and socially progressive manner (low footprint fabrics and socially minded production, also remember to keep the receipt so sizes and the style can be exchanged if the colour you chose isn’t to the lucky recipient’s preference).

If you really want to give more to the planet than you take this Christmas and gift like a true environmentalist then inspirational reading, plants and seeds are your golden ticket. For reading we suggest: Let my People go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard, Happy Hero by Solitare Townsend and The World We Made by Jonathan Porrit.

Wrapping Paper

Wrapping paper: the beholder of surprises only Christmas day (or a midnight inspection) will bring. But, what else is wrapping paper hiding? In most cases wrapping paper is single use and often dyed, laminated with additives which are not recyclable. This means most of the wrapping paper we use simply makes its way to landfill… which is... a little on the wasteful side.

So what can we do? Try and use fully recyclable packaging such as recycled paper with 100% paper content. Perhaps some old magazines you have left over? Wallpaper, GQ?

Food

Ahead of present giving as the focal point of the day; collective eating is a chance to connect the morning and afternoon, catch up, share stories, have a laugh and watch the more free spirited members of the table get sufficiently drunk. Great fun indeed. And after all it’s not that often that you get a chance to do this. However, through our propensity to import it’s estimated that what’s on our plate could have travelled 49,000 miles to get to you, raking up a serious footprint, so it’s worth taking time to think on how we could improve this situation. There is a simple answer to this. Buy local. And when we say local we don’t mean from your local market. We mean buying seasonal produce grown or reared as locally as possible. Farmers markets are a good place to start and if you live in a city it’s a bit harder to access local produce why not try Riverford organic? Oh yeah, and always remember to buy loose vegetables when you can and take a re-usable bag with you!

Christmas Tree

Finally we come to the centre of attention: the Christmas tree. Well, at least the centre of the room until Boxing Day where it transforms into the elephant.

Plastic fantastic trees may seem like a more environmentally sound option as they have the potential to last a few Christmases, but actually using a non-renewable, non-recyclable tree isn’t the best idea. Plastics not so fantastic after all. Christmas trees store carbon when growing so they’re are an important factor in the solution of continued existence on this planet. The best answer to this problem is to buy a potted plant. When you are finished plant the tree. This way you are truly giving more than you are taking.

Words by Bleue Wickham-Burnham (Head of Sustainability)

To style it up we took it to our favourite London establishment ‘The Duke’: a monument to taste with its dusky pink walls, dark wood and art deco objet.

Photography - Joseph Seresin 

Model - Jude 

Featuring Olive the dog

Our mission has always been to create clothing that is designed with purpose: using high-quality manufacturing and well-sourced, luxury fabrication. Oli spends most of his time between the factory floor and the shop floor, something that has enabled him to understand our customer’s needs and at the same time, build trusted relationships with our manufacturers and suppliers.

Oli’s approach to design always starts with textiles, his innate understanding of fabric structure, composition and colour help him build collections from a different point of view. Oli is able to feel the collection before he sees it, allowing for a more holistic and organic approach when it comes to fabric sourcing: from its provenance to the hand-feel and drape, to the environmental credentials of a fabric. 

The importance of using the right textiles is key to everything we do, to create enough fabric for just one garment requires a significant use of energy, water, chemicals and human-power. Ensuring that our clothing is timeless, environmentally friendly and built for our customer is crucial.

Over recent years our awareness on the importance of our responsibility to the environment has become clearer: we believe we can improve and we are committed to becoming a more environmentally sustainable and socially progressive brand - from sourcing textiles, to ensuring we’re working with the right energy suppliers and monitoring the waste consumption the business generates.

On November 8^th we invited Nick Carvell, Contributing Fashion Editor at GQ Magazine to our Berwick Street store to talk with Oliver and Bleue, our Head of Sustainability to discuss the environmental challenges within the fashion industry and how Oliver Spencer are approaching them. 

The event was supported by our good friend Kirk Truman the Founder and Editor of The Journal, a free quarterly culture and lifestyle publication, The event was recorded as a part of their new podcast series ‘Journal’. To listen to the podcast, you can stream below or download via the podcast app by following the link:

Journal Podcast - Episode 3 

Our current collections feature some tactful fabrics and engineering that soothe the effects of garment production on the environment. Key elements include our Organic Cotton shirt range and the use of undyed wool in the Cleveland Oatmeal Pea Coat and Parka as well as the Keeley Oatmeal Overcoat and Blouson. Learn more about our path to becoming a more environmentally sustainable brand and how we aim to develop over time to improve our footprint.

Woven similarly to velvet, corduroy is distinguished by its tufted cords, or otherwise known ‘wales’ - the size of the wale affects the width of the cords, and refers to the number of ridges per inch: the lower the wale, the thicker the cords.

In modern times, Corduroy’s popularity went through somewhat of a renaissance period; it was seen worn by style icons of the late seventies and early eighties such as Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music, Depeche Mode and a part of the New Romantic pop culture movement that combined working class values with unentitled opulence, eccentricity and creativity; a new way of thinking. The sartorial result of this was a combination of rich colour, deconstructed formality and juxtaposing textiles .

Another woven feature of the New Romantic movement was Velvet; a piled textile with a history endowed primarily with the ‘bourgeois’ and aristocracy. Much like its ridged counterpart – corduroy – its origins date back to the 13th century. The looped pile is integral to the structure of the fabric and also responsible for lending velvet its renowned depth of colour and light refraction.

For A/W 18 we’ve borrowed some of the eclectic ideology of the New Romantics, and deployed the use of Corduroy and Velvet in some modern silhouettes that give the collection a lustrous and nostalgic, yet contemporary feeling. The Drawstring Trouser in Cord Rust or the Bailey Bomber in Velvet Ochre are a great example of a future classic but if you’re wanting for something more utilitarian and practical, see the Brookes Jacket in Cord Navy or the Fishtail Trouser in Velvet Chocolate.

Whilst leading the charge with Roxy Music, the inquisitive and musically literate Glam-rock / New Romantic fusion, Ferry was known to pair rich-patterned double breasted jackets, leather trousers along with sharper and more traditional garb: always bending the rules. Ferry’s sense of personal style has become as famous as his illustrious career, a fashion icon as much a pioneer of sound.

For A/W ’18 Oliver Spencer uses textiles to provide a backbone to the collection, with deconstructed British Corduroy and Velvet punctuating an array of rich tones including dirty ochres, burnt rusts and tonal-checks; the rough with the smooth, or perhaps blue-collar bourgeois. A combination that reflects much of what was seen in London through out this period of time; a cultural melting pot of creativity, free-thinking and love – and perhaps two fingers.

Dark tones of the collection are highlighted with glimpses of yellow and cream to give a nautical look to the garments and add to the 'Search and Rescue' theme. The collection has been exclusively released at Oliver Spencer and Matches Fashion and can be shopped online here or in our shop at 58 Lambs Conduit Street. 

With over three thousand shows on over the course of the month, it is hard to know what to watch and find the performances you will enjoy. However our good friend and comedian Cassie Atkinson, has provided us with her top comedy picks of the Fringe this year from the free fringe and some of the ticketed events (her own show is a must see!).

Cassie Atkinson – ‘Swan Songs’: Cassie’s show is a musical comedy that makes best use of her wicked dark humour; described as “a combination between Flight of the Concords and Julia Davies”.

Owen Roberts - ‘I Let a Six-Year-Old Write My Show’: "After a severe case of writer's block, Owen has thrown caution to the wind and decided to let a child write his show for him. Kids are funny, right? What could possibly go wrong?"

Phil Jupitus is Porky the Poet in ‘Living in a World Where They Throw the Ducks at the Bread’: "Porky’s back at the Free Fringe and in rare form after two UK tours supporting The Lovely Eggs as well as his alter ego Phill Jupitus, whom he’s not really that fond of. Let’s just say that since Nevermind the Buzzcocks was cancelled, the scales have shifted in poetry’s favour. There will be new works, evergreen favourites and some occasional guests."

Rosie Jones - ‘Fifteen Minutes’: "Rosie Jones is a comedian with a penchant for being mischievous. Her cerebral palsy doesn't slow her down in the slightest. Catch her before she wobbles her way to stardom!"

Shows for children: If you have decided to take your kids with or are stuck for things to do with a young niece or nephew, then the Fringe has a plethora of shows for all ages. Like the rest of the Fringe, they range from the intriguing to the absurd and everything in between. Follow the link here to see some of the great shows that are coming up.

Aside from the Fringe, if you are visiting Edinburgh then you will not be disappointed when it comes to things to do. If you’re a lover of art then The Talbot Rice Gallery, which adjoins the University of Edinburgh, showcases international contemporary art and often works with the University to allow students access to the archives and to collaborate on projects together. Our pick is the Lucy Skaer exhibition; ‘The Green Man’, which uses materials and objects from the archive collections at the UoE and looks to find the often hidden aspects of the collection and makes intuitive leaps between them and her own work.

With all of Edinburgh’s culture to take in over the Festival month, it’s hard to not get hungry and want to take shelter from the creative madness on the streets. The Outsider is our recommendation for culinary delights. Their contemporary menu for lunch and dinner is complemented by their laid back and well thought out interiors, which makes for a brilliant dining experience. Definitely worth checking out.

If you’re wanting retail therapy then our stockists Frontiers are located on Stafford Street. As well as Oliver Spencer they have some great brands that are difficult to find elsewhere in Scotland. Be sure to pop in if you are in the area.

Image one - © Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

Image two - © Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

Image three - Lucy Skaer, La Chasse 2015-18 (detail). Part of ‘The Green Man’. Courtesy Talbot Rice Gallery Photo: Ruth Clark

Beside the Isle of Wight's natural attraction with it's sweeping coast lines and breath taking views, it is also the home to the annual Cowes Sailing Regatta; a week-long celebration of yachting, racing and boat culture. With up to 40 daily races it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world. The small seaport town of Cowes usually is home to around 10,000 people but during the week of the regatta, it attracts crowds of up to 20,000, which makes it an exciting and bustling place to visit.

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat then look no further than The Little Gloster in Gurnard, which sits on the other side of the headland from Cowes. With panoramic views of the Solent and a menu that uses the seasonal seafood and local produce available to them; this Scandinavian inspired restaurant is a great place to escape the busyness of the Cowes week festivities. It is also one of Oli's favourite places to eat when he is on the island. 

If a full weekend of boat related activities isn’t for you, then the small British island is home to some stunning natural landscapes and beaches. On the westernmost point of the island’s coast you can find the Needles; a series of jagged white rocks that protrude from the ocean to form an amazing costal spectacle. Further along from the Needles is Alum Bay, which is best known for its multi-coloured sand cliffs. The unusual coloured rock face is formed from oxidised iron compounds that result in strains of coloured rock forming creating a beautiful landscape.

Packing for a weekend away needs to be concise and practical, it's still possible to look stylish and feel comfortable in what you are wearing. In this case a pair of comfortable shorts for the daytime (our drawstring shorts should do the trick) and good pair of trousers for the evening is all you will need. We recommend a pair of our Drawstring Trousers as they are both relaxed, smart and can be dressed in different ways depending on the occasion. 

With fluctuating weather patterns and the chance of breeze, a lightwieght jacket on a trip away needs to be practical and easy to fold down into a bag. Our Buck Jacket in Linton Navy is a great solution and is cut from a mid-weight linen that will provide a layer of protection against an impromptu shower or chilly evening. Finally, a sturdy bag is necessary when traveling and is the perfect accessory to complete any holiday look. Our full-grain Doctors Bags are made from a hard wearing, pebbled British leather that has an additional strap for throwing over your shoulder or short handle when moving from the car to the hotel. 

Image 1: Boats Racing at Cowes 

Image 2: The Little Gloster Resturant and Bar 

Image 3: the Needles rock formation 

Flax is a robust crop as it relies solely on the seasonal sunshine and rain for  it to grow. Flax farmers are experts at reading the weather patterns and judging the best time to sow the seeds. The crop takes around 100 days until it reaches around a meter in lenghth, it is at this point that it is ready to be harvested. 

We visited farmer Bert Wolfcarius at his farm in Zulte, Belgium and saw how the flax he cultivates is processed into the raw fibre ready to be spun into various quality yarns. A lot of the flax fibre can be found in the root, so farmers have learnt to get the most out of their crop using special machinery; the plant is pulled up from the soil with its roots in-tact and then dopped down behind specialist combine harvester. The harvested flax is then left out in the fields to begin a process called ‘Retting’; the plant is exposed for about 6 weeks to the sun, rain and mud to loosen the fibres inside the stem. It is at this stage that it gains its signature natural colour.

Back at the farm the bales of flax arrive ready to be put through the second process, ‘scutching’. The plant goes through machines that beat and break the hard outer stem of the plant to reveal the fibres inside. The bales are rolled out onto a conveyer belt where the seed pods are removed to be re-used for the next farming season. Large rollers break down the woody stems (shrives) and help to remove the casing before they go through the final scutching machine that separates the shorter fibres (scutching tows) from the longer ones. Any excess is collected and used for insulation or animal bedding; nothing is wasted. By the end of the process the flax comes out in hair-like bunches that are checked manually for length and quality, which are then prepared to be sent on to the mill.

Bert’s farm has a great relationship with local mill, Libeco who are the 3^rd largest linen producer in Europe. They are a great advocate for environmental sustainability; the entirety of their mill is ran on energy produced from their solar panels and wind turbines. Here, the flax is spun into yarn that will be woven into cloths and textiles used in a multitude of home furnishings, fashion garments and canvases. Libeco are strong believers in linen and its’ ecological benefits, they support the local farmers like Bert in adopting a natural and sustainable practice.  

Linen has always been a big part of our summer collections here at Oliver Spencer. As our objectives shift towards a more sustainable way of producing and designing the use of linen, organic cottons and ecological wools, will play an even larger role in helping us achieve this goal. Linen’s ecological properties are not the only reason we work with it in a considerable amount of our garments; its texture and versatility make it very easy to work with and we feel the natural handle and interesting texture enhances the design of pieces in our collection. Known for being a breathable, lightweight fabric, linen is also extremely durable when woven tightly. It is for these reasons, along with its earth-friendly production process, that we will be making linen garments for many season to come.

DRINK

Noble Rot Resturant and Wine bar (Lambs Conduit Street, Bloomsbury) – Since moving onto the street, Noble Rot has rooted itself as the go to place for fine wine and dining. Their 23-page wine menu is broken down by region and offers wines by the bottle as well as a smaller selection for wines by the glass. The food menu is pretty excellent as well with a selection of bar snacks and a full à la carte menu of French English fusion dishes. We would recommend to any Son who wants to treat their dad to something special but still have the option of not spending a fortune.

EAT

Blacklock (Soho and The City) – This restaurant is a meat-lovers heaven. With an ethos of sourcing the best cuts of meat and serving them at reasonable prices; Blacklock has become renowned for its passion for chops. If you're after the perfect Father’s Day roast this Sunday then look no further, there is a choice of Cornish lamb, pork loin and a 55 day aged beef rump. If you’re feeling particularly hungry they also offer an ‘All In’ where you will be served a mixture of the three meats with all the trimmings. To drink, they offer a selection of beers, ‘cocktails for a fiver’ as well as both red and white wine on tap.

However, we would recommend booking ahead as their fine array of meat delights are no secret and you will struggle to get in by turning up on the day.

ART

The Serpentine Pavillion 2018 (Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park) – The new pavilion opened its doors to the public on Friday revealing a piece created by Mexican architect, Frida Escobedo. Her interpretation for the annual pavilion explores space and the way reflection through water and mirror can alter ones perspective of an environment. Escobedo takes inspiration from her native country where there is a “constant juxtaposition of layers” (serpentinegalleries.org) and has translated this by using a common roof tile to form the structure for the space.

The pavilion is free, which is ideal if you are thinking of a last minute solution, however expect it to be busy as it is the opening weekend. 

FILM

The Shortest Nights Film Festival (The Yard Theatre, Hackney Wick) – Short Sighted Cinema's annual film festival is on this Sunday, which takes inspiration in its name from the Summer Solstice. The day will feature a programme of new works by emerging British Filmmakers giving them a platform to showcase their work to new audiences. You can buy a day pass and come and go as you please, or if spending that much time with dad is too much then individual tickets can be purchased in advance or on the door. With Hackney Wick and Victoria Park close by, father’s day celebrations can easily spill into the park afterwards to enjoy the solstice sunshine. (Picture taken from film: Desolation Follows Dir: Burnham Arlidge)

 Stil unsure of a gift? why not shop our Fathers Day Edit

So Glenn, how did you start out?

"I left school at 15 and started in April 1968 at a company called 'James' which was a formal wear shop but they had another shop called 'James for younger men'. I was a junior, 15 years old, and I worked up to opening 6 shops with the owner over the course of 17 years and then went and did it myself."

Do you have any morning rituals for getting dressed?

"Not really; (laughing) well, its normally a question of which Oliver Spencer shirt I’m going to put on! No I’m quite boring in that sense and I’m very hands on down here, I can still be doing a window or emptying the boxes etc."

Do you always wear the merchandise you carry?

"Always yes, I always wear the product in store. The amount of times I’m asked where the item i am wearing is from  - It is great to be able to say that we stock it in the store.

When did you first encounter Oliver Spencer?

"We’d known about OS for a long time, right from the beginning. But we were a different shop at that point. At the point we changed the store we introduced OS … and it was the shirts we started with and the shirts we can’t fail with. We have a great shirt business overall and Oliver Spencer has been there from the very start."

Do you have a favourite OS piece?

"My wool Portobello Jacket is about 3 or 4 years old, I love this garment and more importantly I feel comfortable in it. It’s the same with the shirts and I can wear it for 4 or 5 years, I love the feel of it when it’s almost aged, you know?"

What do you do in your spare time?

"I love gardening  -  I’m a fan of Arne Maynard (garden designer) he’s a customer of ours. We like not particularly ‘flowery flowery’ gardens but more green with quite a lot of topiary, that sort of thing. So it’s quite structural; but you can probably get that feeling from our whole business, our office here has a similar aesthetic."

What do you think of the New AW18 collection?

"Generally, very pleased with it and like that fact I’m seeing cord again. Moleskin is another fabric we’ve picked up on generally and have bought into. Mainly I look for the interesting fabrics, I start with the shirts with Oli’s clothes,  I always start there. From there it’s what works with the collection where I can build a selection from. There are times when I can buy lots of fabric options and it’s great!"

Do you enjoy the buying process still?

"Yes, the experience of it is more important than just buying clothes. Each season that we buy we are trying to portray the whole idea of what the company is and what it stands for in the clothes made by designers we love. Now you get it all the time with companies trying to be ethical but I like Oli’s personal touch; He does not think he’s above anyone and he’ll still come to the showroom to say hello. That’s his nature, his personality. He’ll say hi and ask how you are and want to know what’s worked last season"

 Question to Hannah (Glenn's daughter and buyer at Maze) - Is maintaining a level of fun possible in the current climate?

"Absolutely, I think it’s necessary. I think you have to put some personality into your store, otherwise what reason do you give to your customers to come to you. You have to have an element of that. I’m lucky in that I’ve inherited my parents’ taste so there’s not been a conflict of interest when we buy [for the store] we’re very sure of our vision for the stores; it is crucial when buying coherently across the brands we stock. Sometimes you do have to be brave enough to try some of the more interesting pieces, otherwise things become too flat. It becomes formulaic otherwise and nobody wants that"

 Photography: Reece Straw

Artist Wolfgang Buttress worked with acoustic engineers Hoare Lea and Outboard to create an integrated 3D spacial soundscape that can be heard and experienced within the sculpture. The soundscape that you hear include some new vibrational sounds and communications of the honey bee recorded and discovered by scientist Dr. Martin Bencsik’s team which include: The begging signal, Quacking, tooting, whooping, waggle dance.

Wolfgang and Dr. Bencsik established that the European Honey Bee hums in the key of C. Working with the bee communications Wolfgang has  curated an ever evolving soundscape which can be experienced within and around the sculpture.

The sculpture which is planted with wildflowers, flax and grasses which are essential for the health and wellbeing of the bee and pollinators. The bees are acutely tuned to their environment, they can be seen as a sentinel of the earth. As mass farming has spread across the countryside, the bees have been forced to move closer to cities where more bio-diversity can be found. The importance of planting wildflowers and looking after our green spaces is crucial to the keeping an environment in which the bee can thrive.

Wolfgang and Oliver also collaborated with skin care specialists, Haeckels, to create a unique scent. For Reverie, they have created a scent based on a wildflower meadow in the British countryside. Using Flax (linen), wild cliff  grasses, parsley, honey extract, rosemary and other all natural ingredients sourced by their team in Margate.

 ‘It is a wild mix of fleeting scents, some of which are forgotten and uncelebrated.’ - Dom Bridges (Haeckels)

In essence, this scent is representational of clothing in its rawest form; when the materials we use to make clothing is at the beginning of life.

For years ‘fast fashion’ has dominated the high street and has convinced the consumer to change their spending habits to buy more but spend less. As appealing as this can be, it forces bad decisions to be made when producing such cheap garments in high quantities - leading to large amounts of waste. The consumer won’t change if cheap clothing is so readily available, therefore it is down to the industry to change their habits to set a higher standard for everyone else.

It is hard to make these changes quickly but small things can be done to make a big difference. At Oliver Spencer, we are striving to do what we can to make a change. We have switched over to green energy suppliers at  all our locations, have reduced our use of single use plastics and have begun to remove excess tissue and paper from our wrapped garments. Our range of organic and linen garments are a good way to begin to change your habits and help support a growing industry of ethically and responsibly sourced garments.

Reverie is open to the public for four weeks from Thursday the 17th of May.

 Photography credit: Kevin Luckhurst

Oliver and photographer, Thom Corbishley recently visited Wolfgang in his Nottingham studio to see how the project was progressing and talk to him about the importance of the bee and the challenges that they are facing.

Bees and pollinators play an essential role in food production as they pollinate 30% of the food that we eat. This has been one of the most catastrophic years on record for bee survival in the UK and abroad. More bees died last winter than previous years for reasons known and unknown. Climate change, lack of bio diversity and pesticides all help contribute to the challenges that bees face. 

I am working with Oliver Spencer on this temporary sculptural installation as they are moving towards a more sustainable way of creating fashion which is laudable.

Over the last few seasons Oliver Spencer has begun to work towards becoming a more sustainable brand through our approach to business and the textiles we use; increasing the use of organic cottons, ecological wools and linen. Linen is a particular environmental champion as it only needs rainwater to grow, it requires very little chemical input, its durable, grown within the EU and has a beautiful handle & texture. With our factories and textile mills all within Europe, our garments have less to travel before reaching the stores, which helps reduce our carbon footprint as a brand.

However it is not just the choice of fabrics that will help the industry to reach the goal of becoming more environmentally sustainable. The approach to business needs to shift to become more environmentally focused. Outside of the design room we have transitioned all Oliver Spencer locations to renewable energy, offer a repair service to our customers, we removed all unnecessary packaging (folding paper and collar card) and we are aiming to be free of single use plastic by the end of 2019. We hope to continually improve as we progress and be clear with our customers about the changes we make and why they are important. You can read more on the Sustainability section of our website.

There are positive things that we can do as individuals, as a community and as businesses which can make a beneficial impact. We can plant more flowers, mow the lawn less often and don't use pesticides.

Reverie can be seen in the Soho Store, Berwick Street (London) for four weeks from Thursday the 17th of May.

Our Summer tailoring for Spring Summer 18 is no different. This year we have combined some beautiful cotton and linen fabrics with some of our classic tailored looks as well as some new, more casual styles that will be sure to be fitting for any summer event.

Named after the road, which Oliver travels down to work every day, the Theobald Jacket is our smartest offering this season. The simple details of this jacket are what make it so well loved and perfect for a summer wedding or party. It features a simple two button fastening with minimalist pockets and a tabbed button loop on the lapel for those cooler summer evenings. Shown above in Linton pink this 100% linen suit will really turn heads for all the right reasons.

After being introduced a few seasons ago, the Coram Jacket has become a staple piece of our collections and our customer’s wardrobes. Similarly to the Toms Jacket, it sits well on its own or with a matching Fishtail or Drawstring Trouser, cut here in our soft Portman seersucker fabric. This suit is the epitome of un-structured; with no wadding or padding, it drapes naturally on the wearer and can easily be worn with just a T-shirt underneath. The seersucker fabric lends itself well to travel, as well as day to day use as its slight stretch will help reduce creasing and loose cut keep you cool throughout the day.

Appropriate 365 days of the year, this simple take on a classic style blazer compliments the cotton/wool blend of the Clarendon Navy fabric. With a soft handle and slight stretch, you will struggle to find a better mid-weight suit that gives a smart look using casual detailing and unmatchable comfort.

The Toms Jacket is our most casual summer offering. With a contemporary cut-away lapel-less collar it sits flat across the chest allowing the wearer to dress it down with either a T-shirt or Grandad Shirt. It is a boxier cut than your traditional tailored jacket as it sits quite square through the body, which allows freedom of movement - essential for a hot summers day. Paired here with a pair of our Bray Cream organic cotton Judo Pants; it can be worn easily with a casual trouser or jeans as well as our matching loose-fitting Drawstring Trousers.

When I first came to Lambs Conduit, I was so surprised at how a beautiful street still existed in the center of London - I knew at that point I had to open store there... and six months later, we did.

In celebration of 10 years at 62 Lambs Conduit Street, Oliver wanted to reflect on how the store, the unique urban setting and eclectic community have shaped and influenced the evolution of the brand. A walk through the design archive over the last 10 years inspired Oliver to recreate an old classic; created specifically for the store when it first launched.

The Fisher Jacket is cut from British Millerain fine waxed Cotton in a deep Yellow and made in London. The design envelopes London style and metropolitan life; a true sensibility of the brand. A blouson style bomber jacket with a neatly curved, cut away collar. A brass double ended zip sits on a contrasting ecru herringbone tape to keep things looking fresh. The jacket is lined in an ecru cotton herringbone and finished with a discreet embroidery to mark our 10^th birthday and available in limited numbers.

 Along with the Fisher Jacket are some canvas Tote Bags and three limited-edition Conduit Tees in Navy, Ecru and Pink marl; all of which hallmarked with a commemorative ‘X’ to celebrate the anniversary.

For Central London its remarkably down to earth. People round here take life at a seemingly more normal pace. It is comfortable without being boring, creative without being pretentious, business minded without being corporate. It feels like a place where remarkable ideas can be allowed to grow. Also the light, somehow when the sun comes out it has the some of the most amazing light in this city.

 

I first visited Lambs Conduit Street just over 10 years ago as a 20 year old boy! I was there for a job interview with Oliver and Marina in the, then empty shop unit at no. 62 – it was a building site! We chatted about store layout, how the design studio and office would be moving in there and the importance of community – I knew it was somewhere I wanted to be for a long time. We drifted down the road to a pub called The Lamb and wrapped up the interview there… It felt like the beginning of something special.

My first memory of LCS is having an interview with Tom in La Gourmadina. I hadn’t moved to London yet so I didn’t know the area. The sun was shining, the usual LCS culture was in full swing: coffee catch-ups, lunches, drinks with friends and shopping. The interview was more like catching up with a friend, it was a good day.

It’s like an oasis in the middle of central London. It’s a great place to both work and socialize, and there is a fantastic community feeling around, everyone says hello – it feels like home! You feel proud to work on such a beautiful street.

About 10 years ago, a group of us spent a Friday evening playing crazy golf on the street, drinking wine from what was at the time Vats Wine Bar. People from all up and down the street got involved, it pretty much summed up the great relaxed family feeling of Lambs Conduit Street.

 Drawing inspiration from a day in the life of London, Oliver Spencer builds on his love affair with the culture, people and unique energy that the city has to offer. From the urbane to the urban, he celebrates the unique experience of London life whether wandering Thames-side or after dark neon-lit adventures. Naturally curious he explores the landscape traversing the traditional and the new, with respect, creativity and love.

 The winter colour palette features charcoal and grey, inspired by the city’s urban sprawl contrasting with blues and light grey of the Thames.

 Corduroy features heavily in Oliver’s signature Judo Pant and drawstring styles in cream. The velvet seen in the summer collection continues in chocolate and mustard suits and separates.

 Burgundy represents the rich vibrant hues of the city nightlife as nocturnal London comes alive and confirms that love is the drug.

 Oliver Spencer continues his dedicated relationship with social network Vero and its ‘in-app’ buy-now functionality for AW18. Oliver’s Bailey Bomber Jacket will be available to purchase exclusively through Oliver’s Vero feed.

Here are the looks from the AW18 Show:

The show was also special for us as we had the pleasure of welcoming some of our customers to the audience. Historically catwalk shows have been the reserve of press, buyers, and celebrities – but the real VIPs are our customers. We wanted to thank those who have supported us over the years for their loyalty, so invited them to join us for this special occasion. Their responses were amazing to receive, here are just a few from the day:

“The event was a pleasure to attend, fabulous clothes, funky rhythms and friendly faces.” - Robert J Railton, artist

“Oliver Spencer, for me, is the most exciting menswear collections. The use of tweeds, wool, colour & design is truly wearable.” - Andrew McKirdy

"Great idea to give access to some non-industry punters like myself to the catwalk. Apart from the enjoying the buzz of the occasion it was so helpful to actually see how a collection fits together – my usual experience is to see the separate pieces on the rail." - Neil Tookey

"A great piece of work from all involved" - John

"Truly enjoyed it, we also loved the buy it now app too great way to interact, also loved the quickness of the pictures being sent out from the show." - Luke Clements

The catwalk was made even more special with music by Miles Copeland and performed by Remi Kabaka, Satin Singh, Karlos Seck, and Bill Bland.

After the show, our friends at Liberty hosted a party: with music from DJs Trevor Nelson and Nihal and drinks by Remy Martin, Frontier Lager, and Menabrea.

Watch the video below for behind the scenes footage and all the looks from the runway.

A massive thank you to all of the team on the day, especially Charly at Studio 13 and Seye for making it all happen.

Musicians & Models:
Seye Adelekan
Olugbenga Adelekan
Beanie Bhebhe
Jimi Jimmi
Shingai Shoniwa
Remi Kabaka
Johan Ohlstrom
Andro Cowperthwaite
Miles Copeland
Dan Felton
Richard Biedul

Styling:
William Gilchrist

Photography:
Dan Annett

Art Direction & Design:
Laura Tabet

Grooming:
Nuriya Naz Sonmez

Hair:
Davide Barbieri

Make Up:
Clare Read

Below is a video from show.

And you know what? This conveniently gives Oli and the team yet another excuse for frequent hops across the Channel. And when in Paris, what else is on your mind if not food? So we asked friend of the brand Shay Ola (chef and owner of Death by Burrito, as seen in our SS16 campaign above) to share some of his favourite food spots around the city. Over to Shay…

This Melbourne style cafe run by husband and wife team Nico and Sarah is the ultimate brunch spot and the pancakes are to die for. Get the Shay Special (pancakes with all the sides)

Chef Pierre Sang serving some amazing modern French cuisine with a Korean twist. The staff are great and Pierre is an awesome host (I have the hangovers to prove it) and the sister wine bar just around the corner on Rue Oberkampf does an amazing set lunch menu.

Flesh is a modern French bistro that specialises in grill and BBQ'd meats. The food is great and the prices very reasonable.

An absolute must on the list, the food is exquisite, a great wine selection and awesome cocktail. The deviled eggs are to die for and hands down it's one of the coolest places in Paris.

Do not let it's modest exterior or back street location fool you, I ate here for the first time 4 or so years ago and had my mind blown.

In January of this year, Mr Spencer, 43, found himself in hot water, again – this time of his own making. He had brought in The Turbans, a travelling band of Bohemian folk musicians, to live soundtrack the show. However, the dress rehearsal was a disaster. “It was mental – they suddenly broke out into a big argument,” says Mr Spencer. “Honestly, I was this close to cancelling them.” He shakes his head. “The Turbans were more stressful and emotionally draining than anything else.”

MR PORTER spent a crucial 24 hours with Mr Spencer as he and his team put the finishing flourishes to a collection he describes as “much more tactile, much more luxurious, much cleaner and a bit more grown up”. Meet him, his team and his travelling band in our film above, and shop the looks straight from the show in our edit below.

A wardrobe inspired by Mexican architect Luis Barragán (1902 – 1988).

Here are a few thoughts on the collection...

“Oliver Spencer is another British designer successfully skirting the line between street style and tailoring . . . a solid collection of smart, wearable separates distinguished by graphic prints.”
– The Times

“Savvy separates, casualwear made for the summer months and eye-watering accessories . . .
Yes please.”
– GQ.com

The Video and Look Book was shot in a former airship hangar; an amazing vast space in Bedfordshire. The hanger is one of the largest indoor spaces in Europe measuring at 55 meters high to the top of the roof pitch and the total floor area is approximately 5 acres. And we have to admit that when on set we felt a little bit over-whelmed by the vast scale of the location.

RAF Cardington was built by the Shorts Brothers and ‘Shed 2’ was erected in 1930. Used originally as the RAF Ballon Training Unit, the hangar was subsequently used by the Building Research Establishment who built the structures currently seen in the hangar.

The hangar is now used for a wide variety of projects and most recently by Warner Bros to film the Batman series of films and recently this week the longest aircraft in the world has been unveiled at an airfield in Cardington, from where the great airships of the 1920s flew.

The first ever performance wear collaboration from Spencer, the partnership came about by an introduction through a mutual friend of Oliver’s and Vulpine founder, Nick Hussey. Nick had long been an admirer of Oliver Spencer’s ethos and design and with Oliver being a cyclist himself who wanted something to wear on the road and in the office; their friendship grew to become a collaborative venture.

Oliver led the overall design with his knowledge of fit, British style and manufacturing whilst Vulpine advised on performance specific cuts along with subtle, practical features, making the ideal jacket for the modern cyclist.

The navy jacket features water resistant cotton fabric in a classic crisp cut with added breathability and technicality to withstand the elements. Detailing such as reflective neck lining, reverse cuffs and rear vent allow the wearer to be easily visible on the road. Similarly, the arms and back of the jacket have been cut slightly longer than traditional outerwear to suit the riding position, whilst still maintaining the style and fit synonymous with Oliver Spencer.

Inspired by Le Corbusier, (leader of the Purist art movement 1918 – 1925), Spencer was motivated by urban renewal and Cobusier’s mechanical, modular designs and modern materials; geometric spaces
flooded with colour.

Fabrications have been re-worked with new weaving techniques; a modern architectural take on a classic herringbone. Rhythm and repetition inspire pattern and prints. Performance fabrics reference
Corbusier’s ‘machines for living;’ Lightweight Nylon has heavy influence. Geometric shapes and colour are introduced in a nod towards Tartan.

Charcoal, navy and forest green anchor the colour palette which blends with caramel and rust tones.

The clean and sharp architectural lines of Unité d'Habitation influence traditional tailoring to create a modern fit for the season.

Key pieces include the Shawl Collar Donegal Jacket, Lightweight Nylon Mac, Judo Pants and the Caramel Epsom Coat that embody Spencer’s approach to evolutionary design.

Specials’ Drummer John "Brad" Bradbury plays a live set to accompany the show.