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Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer in the Aspinal of London 2025 holiday campaign. Aspinal of London Aspinal of London’s new collaboration with Princess Diana’s Nieces, Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer isn’t just a celebration of British craftsmanship — it’s a cultural statement. And a thought-provoking one at that. At a time when luxury is in perpetual motion — obsessed with newness, speed, and digital relevance — the Spencer sisters remind us that real power doesn’t just come from racing forward. Sometimes, it comes from reclamation. And what I find especially interesting about the Aspinal x Spencer Sisters collab isn’t the campaign’s obvious polish — sure, the collaboration is unapologetically elegant — but it’s also unmistakably self-aware. It has attitude. In the campaign’s imagery, the Spencer sisters appear almost mythic — two modern goddesses framed in light, poised between tradition and power. It’s Wonder Woman meets Windsor — cinematic, composed, and quietly defiant. And in naming their designs after themselves, Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer aren’t just launching handbags; they’re redefining what legacy looks like when wonder women hold the pen. It’s the self-staging and performance of heritage that marks the rebirth of tradition as a tool of self-definition, not self-restraint. Heritage as Disruption VENICE, ITALY - AUGUST 29: Lady Eliza Spencer and Lady Amelia Spencer attend the "After The Hunt" red carpet during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2025 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images) Getty Images I’ve long believed that heritage, when treated with intent, can be radical. By placing identity back at the center, Aspinal reframes British heritage as modern cultural capital. Forget the polite heritage of dusty crests and drawing rooms; the Spencer sisters appear as cinematic icons — glossier, sharper, more defiant than old-school ever dared to be. MORE FOR YOU And Aspinal Of London’s move makes sense. In the world of luxury, can legacy still shape modern aspiration? Absolutely. Besides, inclusion, at its core, means accepting all parts of the cultural spectrum — the new, the old, the in-between. Research also shows that heritage is one of the most powerful value drivers in luxury branding — not a relic of the past, but a living emblem of authenticity, craftsmanship, and trust. So in a marketplace addicted to reinvention, I’d say Aspinal’s greatest provocation is its refusal to reinvent. The Performance of Aristocracy LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: Earl Spencer's daughter's (L-R) Lady Amelia, Lady Eliza and Lady Kitty sit together inside Westminster Abbey ahead of the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. The marriage of the second in line to the British throne is to be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and will be attended by 1900 guests, including foreign Royal family members and heads of state. Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have also flocked to London to witness the spectacle and pageantry of the Royal Wedding. (Photo by Dave Thompson - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer don’t just embody heritage; they perform it — and at a time where savvy audiences see through the myth of aristocracy, it’s that very transparency that gives this campaign its edge. The Spencer sisters aren’t pretending it’s their DNA turned inside out; they seem in part to be performing legacy with intention and showing us that heritage, like luxury itself, can be curated. And in that honesty, lies Aspinal of London’s modern relevance. Research into luxury communication supports my perspective — luxury today is increasingly performative, a blend of narrative, aesthetics, and symbolism rather than product alone. Aspinal’s campaign — from the poised silhouettes of the dynamic duo to the stately interiors of West Wycombe — is deliberate theatre. The royal siblings, who are the daughters of Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer (and the younger brother of Princess Diana,) remind us that British luxury at its best, has always been about performance — an over-the-top- art form merging history, image, and aspiration. Viscount Althorp (earl Spencer) and his wife Victoria with their 3 daughters : Kitty Eleanor, Eliza Victoria and Katya Amelia, attending a horse show at Althorp house, Northamptonshire. (Photo by Mathieu Polak/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images) Sygma via Getty Images And by naming the handbags after themselves — the Eliza Clutch and the Amelia Bag — the sisters turn heritage into an act of self-authorship. They’re not subjects of legacy; they’re its editors — curating how that legacy is seen, sold, and remembered. The Aspinal x Spencer Sisters collab is unapologetically promotional — the Spencer sisters have arrived and they know the rules of the social media age and The Kim Kardashian Principle — but also deeply symbolic: a reclamation of visibility within old-world elegance. Sisterhood as Structure MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 08: Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer attend the 4th "Talento" fashion awards by Hola at the Italian Consulate on October 08, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images) Getty Images The collaboration also carries a unique emotional currency — built on the theme of sisterhood. In a cultural moment where women supporting women is more vital than ever, the twins’ partnership feels both timely and timeless. It’s more than shared genetics; it’s shared agency. A reflection of how luxury now finds power in connection, collaboration, and collective identity. Studies on female friendship shows that women who support one another develop stronger emotional bonds — fostering authenticity, confidence, and belonging. One study even found that women surrounded by strong, supportive female circles have greater chances of survival than those who are socially isolated. I’d say there’s something deeply human in that — and perhaps that’s why the imagery of sisterhood resonates so profoundly in luxury right now. The Eliza Clutch, structured and architectural, channels timeless sophistication. The Amelia Bag, soft and fluid, speaks to playfulness and ease. Together, they form a dialogue between strength and grace — two archetypes of modern femininity reflected through design. The Quiet Power of Staying the Same Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer holding the Eliza Clutch and the Amelia Bag in the Aspinal of London 2025 holiday campaign. Aspinal of London Aspinal’s campaign with the Spencer sisters may shimmer with candlelight — perfectly timed for the holiday season — but its true brilliance lies in what it signals: a new era of cultural confidence. By merging inherited legacy with modern authorship, Aspinal x The Spencer Sisters has created something both familiar and quietly subversive — a reminder that history isn’t fixed; it’s a strategy waiting to be styled. And I believe it also reintroduces something luxury has long forgotten — wonder. Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer don’t just wear heritage; they perform it, possess it, and publish it anew. And in doing so, Aspinal doesn’t whisper legacy — it declares it. Loud. Proud. Unapologetic. Because if you ask me, in a world addicted to reinvention, the rarest act of all isn’t always moving forward — it’s standing still. So let me ask you this: could wonder — that quiet pause — be the most powerful statement of all? Named Esquire’s Influencer of the Year, Jeetendr Sehdev is a media personality and leading voice in fashion, entertainment, and influence, and author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right.) Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
