Oliver Spencer
INTERVIEW // EVENTS > OPENINGS | Oliver Spencer
Sartorialee caught up with Oliver Spencer to talk shop amid the new clamor for Made in Britain
Opening on Calvert Avenue, considered by some to be one of the most beautiful streets in London’s fabled East End, Oliver Spencer has embarked on a new showcase store, a collaboration between the designer himself and furniture brand Another Country.
Both brands have their finger firmly on the pulse of art and design. The partnership is inspired by archetypal British style, a symphony of beautifully finished long, elegant oak tables and shelving. All the furniture and fittings have been crafted in England, using the most forward-thinking workshop techniques that fuse together impeccably to create a very contemporary woodcraft aesthetic.
The new store, the first association of its kind, pairs two like-minded British brands intent on building a long-term collaborative future.
Quickfire round with …OLIVER SPENCER
Sartorialee: If you were to identify the main British influences in your work, what would they be?
Oliver Spencer: Art, music and architecture.
S: What do you put the resurgence and appreciation of ‘Made in Britain’ down to?
OS: “The global growth in the British fashion industry has renewed interest in British manufacture. Demand for exclusive ‘Made in Britain’ product is high, both in the UK and overseas. Made in Britain has cachet again. It’s the handwriting for luxury fashion today; synonymous with skilled craftsmanship.”
S: You’re a self-taught tailor. Was it hard to get acceptance from formally trained tailors?
OS: With any craft, people go about it in different ways, my viewpoint was to go to the workshop first and to learn on the front-line of manufacturing. Acceptance is an ongoing and seasonal…
S: When you look past next season, to two or three seasons from now, what gets you most excited?
OS: Creating new product. Every season the customer seems to be more and more open to more and more ideas.
S: What one item of clothing are you never seen without?
OS: At the moment, my Casentino Overcoat.
LINKS:
Oliver Spencer | Shoreditch
10-12 Calvert Avenue, London E2 7JP t: 0207 739 3270
Twitter: @O_Spencer Instagram: @oliverspencerstore #OliverSpencer oliverspencer.co.uk