‘Warm and welcome. At home, yet intrigued.’ This is how the London-based designer Oliver Spencer describes the comforting atmosphere of his new store, opening in the heart of central London this month. Located in Marylebone on Chiltern Street, this new destination will mark the fifth store within the capital for the British fashion brand, following two addresses on Bloomsbury’s Lamb’s Conduit Street, and outposts in Soho and Shoreditch. Each is designed to have a neighbourhood feel.
Inside Oliver Spencer's new London store
Working with a smaller footprint compared to previous locations, Oliver Spencer worked with architect Will Baker to collaborate on the interior design of the space. ‘It has a much smaller footprint than our other stores and it’s set in a community-centred neighbourhood, so it was important for us to design a comfortable environment that complimented our surroundings and encouraged visitors to spend time in the space,’ explains Spencer. ‘Comfort, and layers of interest were paramount. Throughout, there’s a juxtaposition of natural raw materials – the plaster and brickwork – alongside textiles and solid British oak.’
Intimate and colourful, sage green is the foundational colour, lending an artisanal mood, which is ‘arts and crafts-inspired’. It’s complemented with soft furnishings from Marylebone-based furniture company, Another Country. ‘It felt a natural evolution of our partnership with Marylebone neighbours Another Country – who we have worked with since 2015 – to be as conscious as we possibly could with the interiors. I’m really happy with the blend of new and reimagined,’ says the designer.
When asked for his favourite feature, Spencer chooses ‘the terracotta porcelain tile floor and the till, which is made out of reclaimed school desks.’ The utilisation of discarded furniture and materials is a key foundation of Spencer's sustainably-minded brand. He recently started ’Repurpose’, an innovative new repurposing scheme, which sees clothes resold, reused, or recycled in a multitude of ways for a lesson in fashion circularity (an incentive which made him a Wallpaper* Designer Awards 2024 winner).
‘Across our collections, we aim to produce quality clothing that is built to last and designed to transcend trends,’ he says. ‘From the raw materials we choose to the practices we implement, our journey is defined by conscious choices that celebrate sustainability.’
Oliver Spencer Marylebone, 39 Chiltern St, London, W1U 7PP
oliverspencer.co.uk