LFW: Osman Yousefzada

Osman Yousefzada

 

 

 

A car park may not be the first location that springs to mind when one imagines a catwalk show but when that certain car park is floor 7 at Selfridges and your sponsor is Saab; it makes perfect sense. Besides, Selfridges recently introduced Osman’s Spring/Summer 07 collection to their International Designer Floor alongside the likes of Lanvin and Viktor&Rolf, not bad considering he is only into his forth catwalk collection. (You can check out his Spring/Summer trapeze dress currently on display in Selfridge’s windows, image below.)

 

 

 

 

Moving into Autumn/Winter 07 and Osman plays on the theme of proportion; the collection flips from fitted body-conscious jerseys to voluminous hoop-framed dresses. Contrast remains a key theme throughout as opposing textures and weights are combined with tradition and modernity. Particularly striking and incredibly wearable is Osman’s tailoring which he always manages to soften with sensuous draped sections in all the right places.

 

 

 

Entitled Icon, the show aptly opened with Lily Cole complete with gold halo frame around her face. References ranged from religious pageantry to gladiator-esque pleating to the 1980s, along with a hint of Paul Poiret, a popular inspiration already seen on the New York catwalks this season. Colour for the most part remained muted in black, slate and pistachio punctuated with blasts of cooper, electric blue and red. Wearable and yet uniquely beautiful Osman Yousefzada has once again managed to balance classic style with a distinctive modern twist.

 

 

 

By JoJo Iles