[/caption]
“I had quite a conservative upbringing, so I just went wild, before deciding I’d like to work in the fashion industry after all.” Osman Yousefzada is of Afghan origin, but was born in Birmingham, graduated in anthropology from Cambridge, and actually dropped out of a Fashion Design course at London’s Central Saint Martins art college. He joined Joseph in 2005 - Then Tom Singh (founder of New Look) offered him £5,000 to launch a collection.
Yousefzada now has a highly successful label, Osman, with clothes adorning global ‘concept’ shops - which have a strong presence in the Middle East - and the backs of celebrities, from movie stars to top politicians’ wives. Therefore it is rather endearing to hear that his mother, an Afghan immigrant dressmaker, had a formative influence on him. “I grew up around fashion. I would often match the brocades and threads at the haberdashers to the different materials, or buy the beading for the wedding dresses she used to make.”
So is Yousefzada an ideal candidate for the label ‘multi-cultural’? As his Biography somewhat formally declares: “The conflict between tradition and modernity creates an interesting paradox with Yousefzada’s design solutions.” “Is there a conflict?” I ask him. “I don’t want to be seen as an ‘ethnic’ designer,” he responds. “But the roots are there. I was born in Britain, so I am like an outsider looking in. My design ethos is to create beautiful clothes that sell, which are international and appeal to everyone; but my ‘ethnicity’ is about tying and draping being given a voice in tailoring. The end product is not ethnic, it’s pure architecture. Pierre Cardin looked to ethnic shapes and appropriated them to a cleaner, more Western aesthetic. In my case, it’s a marriage between tailoring and drapery, with Twenties and Fifties influences.”
With his Spring/Summer 2012 collection Yousefzada again repeated his successful signature – walking a fine architectural line between his Afghan and British heritage. His look is often covered-up, which reads as modest, with long dresses/tunics over trousers – recalling shalwar kameez, a theme he re-introduced in his previous collection. Although characteristically pared-back, these clothes exude a soft sensuality, a souk-like sensory richness, most evident in fabric choices for Winter ’11 with voluptuous screen-printed velvets, plush boucle and brocade; and for Summer ’12 – the sumptuous textures of draped silk, French-knot embroidery and devore. Some of his textiles are specially made for him, like an acid-yellow woven nylon jacquard. “These are technical fabrics which can be manipulated into living sculpture”, he told me. Yet there’s a freer, looser ‘sizzle’ about next season’s collection. The draped silhouettes have become even more fluid with soft pleats, slit skirts, strapless dresses wafting around, fabric cut away to reveal just a sliver of flesh above the bust-line.
What have emerged are intelligent clothes, which have endlessly bee
n described as ‘timeless.’ “This description is accurate,” he said. “But when worn, they reveal hidden messages because they make you feel grown-up - you have a presence in them. They are dramatic because of their purity of line, nothing frivolous, nothing frilly.” These fitted, flattering clothes are an ongoing core collection, not necessarily shown on the catwalk, but which is a prime performer. Yousefzada says “It’s always selling – a fundamental part of the Osman DNA,” Style.com wrote: “The boy can cut a good dress. This is just what London needs: a young designer who isn’t trying to reinvent a wheel.”
Where Yousefzada excels is in his use of color – he has always employed a measured palette, with a base of ivory, white, black and antique gold. But these days he punctuates these with vivid bolts of hot pink, eye-watering yellow, panoply of oranges, and a band of lime green leather. One of the key arresting colours in the winter collection is electric blue, showing up as embroidered dervishes on the front of a tailored black leather dress with a zip-off skirt. Next summer, it will be optic whites, jewel red and Prussian blue. He comments: “White leaves you nothing to hide behind. It has to be flawless, with every seam or dart in the right place. But”, he adds, “I think now everybody is ready to wear more colour”.
Osman Yousefzada has another brand - K by Osman, an exclusive capsule collection designed for Kuoni Travel consisting of luxury travel items. Some are designed by him others sourced by him. “Kuoni wanted some amazing items that would complement travellers’ odysseys. So I have edited a travel collection, with a few of the best pieces from all over the globe. It’s a good tie-up for me as much of my design aesthetic is influenced by world travel”.
Yousefzada’s signature is characterised by his search for perfection, combining innovative cutting with masterful drapery, which he is determined not to compromise. He has been described by German Vogue as an ‘ethno-architect.’ “I have discovered and will maintain my own strong signature, by which you recognise my clothes. Now I have it, I can build on it, and try new ideas. My multi-culturalism is post-Bhangra, post-Ghetto. It’s a new fusion, and it’s cosmopolitan.”
