Taking a seat at Oliver Spencer’s AW19 collection was like taking a seat in a lecture on your very first day of university. It felt like a school like no other, with first year students carrying duffle and messenger bags, and academics gracing the lecture theatre in cable knit cardigans, jumpers and double-breasted wool coats.
Spencer’s collection is perhaps best described as one which was wondrously low-key; the theme of Alpinism was lightly seasoned throughout the collection with a slightly Nordic pattern on a two-zip knit jacket, rope laced shoes and heavy cable knit jumpers acting as more of an allusion to an Alpine journey rather than the more in-your-face over-sized ski jackets and masks that could be seen elsewhere during fashion week. Perhaps the theme of a mountain journey becomes more prominent when used to inform Spencer’s commitment to producing eco-friendly and sustainable garments; whilst the collection ever so quietly whispers about a weekend spent in the Alpines, it screams about being sustainable in order to save and preserve the mountains. The most obvious commitment to sustainability could be found in the show notes in which it is stated that ‘this year we will all do a little more, we cannot change our footprint without thinking about our steps. 2019 is the year of slow fashion’. Despite this new focus on slow fashion, Spencer continued his relationship with Vero and its ‘in-app’ buy now feature, which allowed guests to purchase the Melted Edges T-shirt throughout the duration of the show. It seemed slightly hypocritical, too, to place such a large focus on using sustainable materials such as eco wools and fabrics home-grown in Lancashire, whilst providing each guest with a printed copy of the show notes, a 30-page newspaper on the SS19 ‘journey’, and an empty notebook for guests to use however they desire. There is something to be said for the excitement felt when seeing all these little extras waiting for you on the seat, but how sustainable can a brand really be if they are contributing to mass paper wastage?
The collection itself, however, was fantastic. Whilst it comprised of nothing majorly new or outlandish for Oliver Spencer, there is no denying that the collection was well put together and beautifully tailored. The collection heavily focused around muted tones – wools of ochre, green, navy and beige cut into a great and flattering trouser shape were paired with bomber jackets to create what Spencer calls a ‘new form of casual suit’. Velvet and cord both played large parts in this collection, alongside heavy knit jumpers and well-tailored double-breasted coats. One thing Spencer does exceptionally well is posit his collections right in the centre between formal and casual wear. This area of menswear is one which is hard to navigate, yet he manages to combine sharp tailored lines with soft silhouettes in such a successful manner that it was difficult to feel anything other than ‘these guys are seriously cool’ whilst watching the show.
Oliver Spencer will be, without a doubt, at the forefront of the move towards contemporary smart/casual wear that will become apparent this autumn, and I can’t wait.
This was originally written for From The Streets zine. The picture is from the Oliver Spencer website.
Comments