When is a sersucker not a seersucker? When it's called 'Sampson'. This season, we've created a beautiful new fabric that is for all intents and purposes a seersucker - it's only the construction of the fabric which is different. Traditional seersucker fabric is renowned for its distinctive puckered texture and lightweight feel, and has long been synonymous with summer style. Originating from the Persian words "shir o shekar," meaning "milk and sugar," seersucker's name aptly describes its smooth and rough stripes, resembling the smoothness of milk and the roughness of sugar. Its puckered weave creates a natural separation between the fabric and the skin, promoting airflow and ventilation, making it exceptionally comfortable in hot climates.
In menswear, seersucker gained popularity in the early 20th century, particularly in the southern United States, where its lightweight and breathable qualities made it a staple in summer wardrobes. Its adoption by Ivy League students, Jazz impresarios, and Southern gentlemen solidified its status as a quintessential warm-weather fabric. Seersucker suits, often adorned with blue and white stripes, became a symbol of relaxed elegance, perfect for summer weddings, garden parties, and casual meet-ups with friends. Additionally, seersucker's lightweight cotton construction makes it highly absorbent, wicking away moisture and ensuring a dry and fresh feel even on the hottest days.
We love exploring and experimenting with new and unusual fabrics here at Oliver Spencer so we were naturally pretty chuffed when we discovered the Sampson cloth. It's woven from an organic cotton blend with a slight stretch, and features a delicate stitch detail which creates the seersucker-esque dimples, offering a really tactile finish to the fabric.
Available in both brown and navy tones, we felt like it would be a brilliant fabric to build a seasonal wardrobe around. Two solid base colours in brown and navy, against which you can offset brighter tones and neutrals, give your spring and summer wardrobe just the versatility you need. We've used the Sampson fabric to create our perennial Solms suit which looks super relaxed with either the Judo trousers or the William trousers, as well as crafting our short Milford shacket, and a short-sleeve safari shirt. When you get this fabric in your hands and feel the texture, you'll understand why we love it so much.
Shop The Sampson Edit