“Every collection has a story. We love to reference things like religious cults, 80′s pop bands, tennis clubs and motocross culture. The worlds we live in – and don’t live in, but are fascinated by – give us our inspirations.”

The pair describes the label as a combination of their two very distinct backgrounds and aesthetics, and an indefinable clash of feminine vs masculine. Steve’s street and punk influences and Helene’s obsession with vintage lingerie, combined with quirky pop culture inspirations, produces a thoughtful, well-honed emphasis on design, fit, fabrication and clever, original prints.

We’re completely smitten with the perfectly slouchy dresses, delicate lace details, hazy printed cropped tee and buttery soft leather shell jacket that just arrived in store and online.

Shop Lonely Hearts here, and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. And, thanks to Helene and Steve, you’ll never be lonely again.

Oliver Spencer is a man and a fashion brand. Oli, the man, is a designer, a self-taught tailor, a switched-on, hands-on creative. The brand is an expression of modern man; his tastes, his touch, his style.

Can you tell us a little bit about the background of UNIF, and how you got started?

Eric: Oh man. Well I’ve been making my own clothes since I was pretty young. I later started collecting records and playing them backwards. Not a good idea. I launched UNIF in the mid 2000′s but it was really weird for the market back then, considering all the rhinestone’s that were being tossed on Ed Hardy-esque track suits. Shortly afterward, I met my partner Christine (Christeric blog) who brought a good balance to the line. Now we listen to records backwards together.

Where do you find new inspiration, and what influences aid in the design process?

Eric: Mayhem. We’re all over the place. I think we travel 5-6 months out of the year. It’s pretty crazy and tiring. In truth though, we get inspired by all kinds of crap, music, vintage, photos, etc. etc. etc.

How would you describe the brand (& yourself) in 5 words or less?

Eric: I HATE EVERYONE BUT YOU

You do quite a bit of traveling- what are some of your favorite places to go, and favorite things to do there?

Eric: As I mentioned, yeah, we do. We love to go anywhere and everywhere. We’ve been talking about taking this road trip from Los Angeles to New Orelans and up and around and sideways and back. Map out as many antique and thrift shops as possible and just buy crap. That’s what we do. We just buy all kinds of crap.

Where do you go from here- what’s the next step for UNIF?

Eric: Growth. The brand is growing, the team is growing, the fan base is growing. We try to keep it simple. Just do whatever it is we’ve been doing and see what happens. High hopes and low expectations. As long as we can keep doing it and it makes sense, we’ll be happy.

We’re really grateful for all the support. We’ve waited a long long time for people to “GET” the brand and now it seems like they do and like it. We would be nothing without our dedicated UNIF fans and I hope to listen to records backwards with each and every one some day.

Thanks to Eric and Christine for the interview!

The Selby has just produced a new video profiling the prolific New York sculptor Tom Sachs. Sachs is a sculptor, probably best known for his elaborate recreations of various Modern icons, all of them masterpieces of engineering and design of one kind or another. In an early show he made Knoll office furniture out of phone books and duct tape; later, he recreated Le Corbusier’s 1952 Unité d’Habitation using only foamcore and a glue gun. He’s a really cool guy.

To Porsche enthusiast out there, the name Singer is nothing new. As Nicholas Maggio, of ATG put it, “Basically, Singer is to 911s as ICON is to Land Cruisers and Broncos.” Singer Vehicle Design is run by creative director Rob Dickinson and was founded in 2009 to explore the creative possibilities seemingly abundant within the vibrant world of the classic automobile. They are dedicated to the passionate study, preservation and optimization of the worlds most respected high speed vehicles. This pictures you’re about to see might hurt.

More info on Singer Vehicle Design can be found here. That orange one at the bottom really hurts our soul. In a good way.

And honestly, we wouldn’t have known about Singer if it wasn’t for A Time to Get. Thanks!

Unfortunately we’re not talking about the adamantium filled superhuman. Instead we’re talking about the makers of some of the most durable and longest lasting boots on the market. If you’re in or around Richmond this Thursday, please come to a very special evening with Wolverine Shoe Co. at our store. We’ll be providing music, food and giveaways from 6-8pm. It’s your chance to get up close and person with the shoe and the company that we’re proud to represent.

An American icon:

Established in Rockford, Michigan, Wolverine made the original boots that helped build the railroads, erect skyscrapers, and expand highways across this great country. A historic mile marker for the brand took place in 1914, when Wolverine introduced a footwear line called the 1000 Mile Boot®, setting the standard for durable footwear.

Wolverine is more than just a brand.

Wolverine’s heritage of comfort and durability are integrated in a full-line of authentic workwear and rugged outdoor apparel. Built to withstand the challenges of real life, Wolverine apparel is designed for active men that need the freedom to move. Innovative construction and styling details provide long lasting comfort in Wolverine apparel.

Click here to join our Facebook invite page for this event.