Meet DJ Spider, a.k.a. Oliver Nathan, and wife Wells Butler

She is a successful clothing designer. He is one of the hottest DJs in the business. Along with an adorable ball of energy named Jude, they personify Valley cool.

Written by Heather David, Photographed by Shane O’Donnell

When Wells Butler and Oliver Nathan met on New Years Eve, Oliver had no problem with a conversation starter. “I said hey, my name is Wells too! Wells is my middle name,” Oliver explains.

“I was like seriously? You expect me to believe that?” Wells chuckles. (It was true.) At the stroke of midnight, the duo shared their first kiss, and within a year they were married.

Eight years later, the couple is immersed in a busy life with 4-year-old Jude, living up a narrow hillside street in Sherman Oaks. Oliver, who goes by “DJ Spider”, is a professional DJ and Wells co-owns the children’s line, Ice Cream Castles.

“I was premed in college because my parents are both doctors. They had their hearts set on me having the same path so the agreement was I would get my prerequisites just in case being an artist didn’t work out,” says Wells, who grew up in Iowa.

After graduating she attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and then, at just 22, launched the contemporary women’s brand, Primp. The line, a favorite of celebrities, was successful until Wells closed it down to concentrate on having a family. When Jude was born the designer discovered a hole in the children’s marketplace. “Jude wouldn’t wear something unless it felt like pajamas so I was struggling to find something cozy and cute,” Wells shares.

Her solution, a super-soft, fashion-forward clothing line, quickly took off. It can now be purchased in 50 stores across the country, online (icecreamcastles.com) and locally at Meant 2 Be in Tarzana.

Oliver grew up in LA with parents who were working actors. After college his career wasn’t taking off.

“I had just had a conversation with my mom—she was trying to convince me not to give up—and I got a call from (producer) Mark Ronson, who picked my mix for a tour. That really propelled me to the next thing.”

“My musical taste is very eclectic. At the core I am a hip-hop DJ, but at my gigs I play all genres of music and mix it together in a creative way,” Oliver explains. Oliver has regular work in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and brands like Nike and NBCUniversal
hire him for their events. He recently went on the road as the opening act for Blink 182.

The true highs for the couple though do not surround their careers. “Becoming parents has taught us so much about what really matters in life. Jude has centered us and made us more present. Every moment is made richer when we share it with him,” muses Wells.