Oi Polloi website to relaunch under guidance of co-founder Nigel Lawson

Manchester menswear institution Oi Polloi, founded by Nigel Lawson and Steve Sanderson in 2002 with a store on Tib Street in the city’s then-gritty Northern Quarter, has been making something of a comeback in recent times.

It’s been well documented that Oi Polloi fell into the hands of JD Sports ownership in 2021, which subsequently offloaded it to Frasers Group in 2023, resulting in the closure of the store on Thomas Street in Manchester and the website.

However, it seems the founders managed to retain the rights to the name and, under the guidance of Lawson, seemingly on a solo mission to relaunch Oi Polloi, there was an own-brand capsule collection launch in March 2025 (with some pieces still selling at www.silver-raven.co.uk), and Lawson has been trading with Oi Polloi-branded products, complete with its magpie logo, at Campfield Market in Manchester on Saturdays since February.

With stories buzzing around the internet of Oi Polloi’s imminent return this week, the retailer posted this on Instagram yesterday (from oipolloi_of_cottonopolis):

“As you may have heard, Oi Polloi is about to return from its wander in the wilderness. We’re hard at work under the bonnet of a new website, and with all our energy focused on battling web gremlins, we won’t be plotting up at our regular @campfieldmarket spot this weekend.

“As to a new physical space, never say never, but for now we want to distil what made Oi Polloi what it was right back at the beginning, then inject that into a new website with the familiar address of oipolloi.com.

“Stay tuned, folks.”

According to reports, the new website will launch this September, though it’s as yet unclear which brands it will stock, aside from the Oi Polloi own label. The store was originally known for making and breaking brands in the UK market, while also reinventing heritage brands by giving them fresh relevance.

Before the original Oi Polloi store opened, Lawson ran a small stall in Manchester’s Afflecks Palace selling seconds and end-of-line stock from the nearby Salford-based sailing brand Henri-Lloyd. That helped establish his reputation for high-quality, practical outerwear long before the Northern Quarter menswear boom.

Other brands touched by the Oi Polloi magic over the years include Berghaus and Clarks Originals, with Liam Gallagher a regular customer for both, as well as Engineered Garments, Sassafras, Beams Plus, Norse Projects, collaborations with Lee 101 and Universal Works, and store-exclusive drops of Adidas Originals.

If the original spot-on curation and swagger, with a sense of humour, can be rediscovered for past and new customers, then the relaunch could be the start of something very special.