LONDON — Phillip Bodenham, the owner of Spring in London and Los Angeles, is shifting from brand builder to designer with a new, resort-inspired collection that’s set to hit shelves for the spring 2022 season.
Called Finney, the brand offers men’s and women’s clothing in natural fibers, such as silk and cashmere, in a collection that is meant to work on holiday, and in everyday life. The first collection focuses on silk boxers, trousers and shirts. Cashmere pieces will launch in September while silk dresses will debut in October.
“I’ve always wanted to do my own brand,” said Bodenham, adding that he created this collection for himself and his friends, who are looking to buy beautiful, versatile clothes at a reasonable price.
Before founding Spring, a brand development, PR and communications agency in 2009, Bodenham had worked for brands including Tom Ford and Versace.
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He said he was inspired in particular by Ford “whose commitment to quality, polish and glamour always stuck with me.”
The aim, Bodenham said, is to offer chic — and comfortable — clothing that could work just as easily on holiday as it could on the city streets, or at work.
He described the aesthetic as “cool London girl mixed with Hollywood starlet,” and comfort is a big factor. The silk trousers have an elasticated waist at the back, and feel like track suit bottoms, Bodenham said.
He picked the name Finney for its insouciance, and because he loves the novel “Huckleberry Finn.” The idea is to ply that devil-may-care chic into the collection, which he describes as “modern resort.”
Bodenham said he’s sourcing his silks from China and France and cashmere from Inner Mongolia, and is using factories that supply contemporary and big designer names. He said he will never use man-made fibers, plastic or plastic packaging for the collection.
Prices range from $225 for a pair of boxers to $1,445 for a silk dress, and Bodenham said he already has about eight retailers on board. The brand will launch officially in February and will also be available via the Finney website.
The first collection features a lineup of silk twill pieces, including short-sleeve, button-front shirts, flat-front trousers and boxers in emerald, chocolate, olive and red. The prints are inspired by hot weather holiday destinations, and include chrysanthemum, wisteria and leopard.
An avid collector of photography, Bodenham has been working with Tony Duran to photograph the collection.
The plan is to do a string of pop-ups in 2022, in cities including London, Los Angeles, Miami and New York City, with an eye to opening a physical store in West Hollywood in March 2023.
Bodenham plans to continue working with Spring (he’s recently moved to a new office in Los Angeles, after pausing that business in the midst of the pandemic) and divide his time between the two businesses. Spring’s clients include Chalayan, Maria Black and Band of Outsiders.
Also, in 2023, he’s planning to launch a Finney photo prize, which will be open to art school students around the world. The plan is to hold an annual prize-giving every September in Paris.