Country Lane, City Gaze: Aspinal of London Taps the Spencer Sisters
Aspinal of London turns English leather into a quiet form of rebellion. The brand’s first move was desk sets in museum gift shops, sold to visitors who can separate keepsake from novelty. Two decades later it calls Lady Eliza Spencer and Lady Amelia Spencer into view, nieces of Diana who glide from Cannes gowns to café denim without missing a beat. A gilt-edge palace backdrop would have been obvious, so the team took them to a meadow in West Sussex. Buttercup Midi Mayfairs and Oxblood London Totes rest in the grass, wildflowers leaning into the shot. The whole scene feels like a postcard from a road trip that starts at sunrise and ends in a tucked-away gallery.
The sisters know how to change lanes. Their childhood stretched under South African light, then London pulled them home in 2021. Bulgari signed them before they memorized the new postcode. Michael Kors followed. Soon after, they stepped onto the Cannes carpet in Alberta Ferretti silk, royal lineage in their pockets yet more interested in finding the best espresso on the Croisette
Countryside Light, City Attitude; Image Source: Aspinal Of London
Founder Iain Burton calls the partnership “Hepburn with dirty boots.” Translation: old-school elegance comfortable with a muddy lane. Production stays personal. Full-grain hides head to small-batch tanneries, brass hardware leaves a Walsall foundry that still stamps metal the long way, and Somerset artisans edge-paint by hand. The bags sound like Monopoly streets: Midi Mayfair, London Tote, Micro Lottie, and every clasp shuts with the finality of good gossip.
A behind-the-scenes reel shows Amelia slipping on a trunk clutch she admits borrowing from Eliza far too often. Eliza reaches for the butter-yellow Mayfair because someone has to carry snacks and a spare charger. They talk leather like some sisters trade eyeliner tips: soft, unbothered, scented like an old study. The bags settle into the grass while a stylist wrestles a silk scarf that insists on catching the breeze.
English Leather Goes Off-Road; Image Source: Aspinal Of London
Aspinal plans to keep the twins in rotation for the Great British Season. Picture them courtside at Wimbledon with Hudson Baguettes and bowls of strawberries, then on Ascot’s lawn pairing racing-green Mini Lotties with silk headpieces. Later drops hint at rooftop cocktails at sunset and pub gardens that slide into midnight. The real twist is how a company that started with museum desk sets can turn calfskin into a passport for something wilder than heritage.
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