Frustrated by the limitations of art school and impatient to strike out alone, Oliver Spencer abandoned studenthood in favour of a stall at Portobello Market. And working that market stall ingrained Oli's enduring love of garment and cloth — shop and shopkeeping.

Oliver Spencer the brand was founded in 2002. Having spent the previous decade creating and expanding formalwear brand Favourbrook, Oli wanted to create something new: a range of clothing with all the quality and craft of premium tailoring, but with a relaxed modern style. The philosophy? Quality needn't mean formality; casual needn't mean careless.

That philosophy found plenty of adherents. And from a single shop on London's Lambs Conduit Street, Oliver Spencer has gone on to open four more shops, and an international online business — as well as being stocked in many of the world's leading department stores, from Harvey Nichols to Liberty of London to Mr Porter.

Alongside his distinctive design style, Oli is uncompromising in the standards he sets for production and provenance. That means the company seeks out the finest fabrics and yarns from artisanal British and Italian mills, and makes every garment in only the best European factories and workshops. Around 40% of the collection is made in England.