London-based designer Oliver Spencer started with a stall in Portobello Market, which sparked his love of cloth and craftsmanship. Now, five stores (Soho, Shoreditch, two in Bloomsbury on Lamb’s Conduit Street, and the latest addition in Marylebone ) and two decades later, he is known for his contemporary take on classic British menswear silhouettes.
Taking place this week – and for the second year running – Oliver Spencer is using his Shoreditch address on Calvert Avenue as a platform to encourage and celebrate creativity and innovative design during London Design Festival 2025, a reflection of his own craft-focused approach (and desire to make his stores into hubs for the local community).
London Design Festival 2025: The Loop by Studio Rhythmics at Oliver Spencer
In association with the Shoreditch Design Triangle (an LDF design district), Oliver Spencer is hosting an installation titled ‘The Loop’ by London-based design studio Studio Rythmics. Spencer came across the design duo through a friend, now a lecturer at Goldsmiths University: ‘He introduced me to his colleagues Chien and Su, who are two of the team that make up Studio Rhythmics,’ Spencer tells Wallpaper*.
An interior environment and the designs it accommodates are deeply personal. This is true of all of Oliver Spencer’s outposts, which are made to have a neighbourhood feel. Using the Shoreditch space as a creative platform during LDF not only benefits the customer experience and highlights a designer’s work, but also Spencer’s own creative process. ‘In previous years we’ve hosted Mac Collins’ “Iklwa” chair, which was a huge success,’ he says. ‘That design really stayed with me, and the colour, shape and inspiration behind the chair definitely influenced parts of future clothing collections we made.’
‘I think it’s really important, wherever possible, to bring creativity into our shops,’ he continues. ‘With “The Loop”, you get this brilliant immersive experience. Also, this [is] the work's debut public exhibition, so customers will get to see something totally new that’s a one-of-a-kind piece. “The Loop” is quite a meditative installation, so if nothing else, I hope customers will have a very peaceful experience.’
“The Loop” by Studio Rhythmics is on display until 21 September 2025, at Oliver Spencer’s Shoreditch store on Calvert Avenue, London E2 7JP, oliverspencer.co.uk
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