Oliver Spencer knows his target audience well, and this season he bought Brazilian carnival fever to the runway. The show opened noisily with tribal drums rousing a pre-lunch audience. Despite the South American soundtrack Spencer’s man this season was very much a London town Summer gent.
Spencer was inspired by the colour-blocked facades built by Mexican architect Luis Barragan. Spencer specials, such as suiting and workman style overcoats were accordingly updated through a spicier palette than previous collections. Audience members witnessed a plethora of tailoring; blazers, three piece suits, jackets and lounge pants in pale blue, moss green, yellow ochre and chestnut. Sportswear is on every rail this season and Spencer has drunk the kool-Aid too- waterproof macs, collarless striped shirts, and oversized sweaters gave him an athletic edge. Bursts of red plaid in the shape of shorts, and a Blu Tack blue summer suit was a highlight.
Accessories were key too, and brogues were two-tone, sunglasses red and bowling bags were finished in suede browns and mustards. This was very much a man about town doing sunny sky weather - ‘Daddy cool’ was what sprung to mind. It was all ankles at Spencer too with slim trousers getting the old pin-roll treatment. All the better to see the brogues we say. Now to see if they’ll come in women’s sizes.
Photography by Alicja Zielasko.
Words by Nellie Eden.