California Dreamin’
What’s summer without a little road trip? Fine British tailoring meets West Coast style and ease in Oliver Spencer’s latest Palm Springs-inspired summer capsule offering
words by Will HALBERT
There’s no love letter to the summer months quite as eloquent nor as heartfelt as the resort city of Palm Springs. Once a playground for the Hollywood elite of the early 20th century, this southern Californian oasis is now home to some of the most stark and striking vistas and architectural achievements that the West Coast has to offer.
Known for its mid-century, ‘desert modernist’ architecture – from the critically-acclaimed houses of John Lautner and Richard Neutra to the tramways and municipal landmarks of Albert Frey – it’s little wonder that Palm Springs should provide the inspiration for Oliver Spencer’s latest capsule collection.
Palm Springs is, after all, a living celebration of unerring style and artistic grace. Which goes a long way to explaining why Oliver Spencer, together with acclaimed stylist, William Gilchrist and visual artist, Wanda Orme took a trip to the desert town to capture some key highlights from the Oliver Spencer Spring/Summer ‘19 collection.
The Palm Springs capsule collection offers a laid-back, hazy, Southern California style with an exacting Britsh twist. The classic american trucker jacket, for instance (a stone cold classic that’s dead set to make a comeback once Tarantino’s ninth cinematic escapade hits screens this month), finds a stripped-back and summer-friendly varitent in Oliver Spencer’s Havana Jacket. Relaxed in its fit and bold in its geometric, textured Portuguese cotton, the Havana Jacket presents an unlined (not to mention uncompromising cool), British spin on an all-American mainstay.
Likewise the Oliver Spencer fishtail trousers – a firm and justifiably-recurring favorite in the brand’s seasonal lineups – makes a welcome return. This time in an Italian linen/cotton ‘Beckford’ cloth blend that delivers the same tailored charm you’ve come to expect from the cut, but with a light and breezy touch of summer sartorialism for the warmer months.
A hazel iteration of the brand’s signature suede Brothel Creepers – a bona fide British, Teddy Boy staple – finds itself effortlessly transposed from the cobbles of Lamb’s Conduit Street to the sun-kissed deserts of the Riverside County.
Further flourishes such as the Japansese-made, hand-polished Conrad Sunglasses offer up a further classic in the making. Clear Italian acetate and a contrasting, gunmetal nose plate provide an understated finish to an already showstopping ensemble.
For all the homegrown charm of Oliver Spencer’s London roots, the Palm Springs capsule offers a considered and carefully-curated capsule that allows the brand to flex its more worldly, transportative qualities. EJ
Discover the collection at oliverspencer.co.uk
