Here we are again, at the dawn of a new year, full of hope and optimism that England will win a major football tournament in our lifetimes; that the country takes a year off from being the political laughing stock it has so thoroughly become in recent times; and that this year will definitely be the year that we get that beach body we’ve been planning for the last decade.
At Oliver Spencer, we’ve had a good year and we can’t thank you all enough for that. It was actually our 20th year in business if you can believe that?! I know, I don’t look old enough (watch out for a Spencer Elixir of Youth in 2023…). We delivered some really strong and increasingly sustainable collections despite a world of post-covid supply chain problems, and it was amazing to see suppliers, producers, makers, everyone rallying round and getting things done in challenging circumstances.
This year we saw the launch of our collaboration with Niwaki on a gardening-inspired capsule which I’m really proud of. It was fun to think a little outside the box when it came to putting that together, incorporating Niwaki’s love of Japanese silhouettes with our own take on traditional workwear shapes. We also had a great trip to Naples at the very beginning of the year to shoot our Summer collection with my great friend William Gilchrist. Will has spent a lot of time in Naples in recent years so it was fun exploring the city with him for impromptu shoot locations. I do love a guerrilla shoot. We also had a fantastic time at the Hippodrome in Great Yarmouth, where we shot our Winter collection on the very talented Tom Gaskin.
To everyone at Oliver Spencer, you are troopers and continue to prove you are the very soul of the brand. You also put up with me on a daily basis, a Herculean effort that has not gone unnoticed! To our customers, you continue to be the inspiration for each and every collection. One of the benefits of having my design studio at the store on Lambs Conduit Street is that I see so many of you coming in and purchasing garments and wearing them in new and unique ways. It’s a constant source of inspiration and really informs a lot of the process.
I’m really excited for 2023 and can’t wait to show you what we’ve put together for our Spring and Summer collections. All I can say is they have a somewhat vintage riviera feel about them, with lots of earthy tones, bundles of linen and organic cotton, and some stunning relaxed suits and separates that I can’t wait for you to see.
I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year, and fingers crossed everything is plain sailing in 2023.
