Oi Polloi and Universal Works team up on new corduroy collection

Fans of ShortList will know all about ‘em, but for the uninitiated: very few menswear stores have ever achieved the kind of cult status enjoyed by Manchester’s Oi Polloi. Headed by Steve Sanderson and Nigel Lawson, OP’s carefully curated clobber has become something of a lifestyle choice for men (and increasing amounts of women) who want clothing that’s wearable, durable, and of the highest quality. They find it. 

And with that clout, inevitably, comes collaborations. Having already joined up with British label Universal Works in the past to great effect, it felt only right to go back to the well once more this season: 

“After to the success of our last collaboration with Universal Works, we thought this time we’d use one of our favourite fabrics,” says co-founder Steve. “Cord is a staple Northern fabric – it originates around our way, so it made sense to use it. It’s good for winter, too.”

Universal Works are hardly jumping on Oi Polloi’s coattails, either. Headed by David Keyte – a man who spent ten years at Paul Smith, five at Marharishi, and has worked closely with both Margaret Howell and Albam – it’s become one of the country’s most trusted indie labels, with focus on construction and function over the ever-changing winds of fashion. “Good honest menswear” is what Oi Polloi call them: we’d be inclined to agree.

Their new cord-heavy drop features a lovely overshirt and cap available in three colours – olive, stone, and tan. Muted but never boring in premium needlecord. Lovely stuff.

The Universal Works x Oi Polloi collection is available from OiPolloi.com now