LFW Sept 08 – Ossie Clark
15-09-2008
It seems that with this second season Av Shalom Gur has found the right balance of mixing classic ‘Ossie' with a modern ‘Gur' twist.From ‘golden delicious' apple green hues, white, pale caramel and ‘tangerine' orange, this collection was a feast for the eyes.
The collection features wrap dresses, crepe jumpsuits and simple a-line frocks, that are cut on the bias, personify perfection, easy to wear, beautiful clothing.
Necklines were either v-neck or ruffled, with some pieces returning to the traditional Ossie ‘key-hole'. It's these simple details that Gur does so well and allows the whole garment to become a classic and timeless piece.
The prints were sticking to the true ‘Birtwell' style that the Ossie Clark brand was famous for, with abstract designs based both on simple line drawings and nature.
Traditional 70's fabrics, silks, crepes and organza were the key basis to the collection, with additional jersey pieces that added an almost ‘sports like' element to the collection.
After a starter of pale, ‘tutti frutti' colours, the collection went into full swing, in the second half, with heavy Japanese influence. This included a mixture of kimono style cuts, batwing sleeves and obi style detailing, as well as oriental style floral prints, with much stronger colour usage (think purple, deep blue and mustard hues) and reminded me more of Gur's own brand.
Not content with showing us sophisticated dresses and jumpsuits, the collection covered work wear too, with a selection of beautifully cut tailored shorts and sheer shirting, as well as my personal favourite, tailored flared cut trousers in both navy (the new black don't you know!) and bright orange (totally divine).
Another key element was the embellishment, seen this morning at Caroline Charles, in the form of sequins and oversized jewellery; Gur went for a far more hippy, ethnic vibe, using beading, mirrors and embroidery, to highlight set areas.
I won't lie; I would have loved the collection to last a little longer but what I did see excited me. London is the best platform for showing R-T-W, and this collection did just that. So whether you're a wrap dress or maxi dress kind of girl, or fancy a pair of beautifully cut trousers, Ossie Clark is the brand for you. Re-inventing a brand is never easy but it seems that Gur is finally learning to mix his own style with the legend that is Ossie Clark and the fashion world is better off for it!
Words Rivkie Baum
