The sun finally decided to shine on the last day of London fashion week creating a particularly fitting atmosphere for Osman Yousefzada’s exotic ‘savage pagoda’ show. Following on from last season, South Asian influences punctuated this collection coming in the form of luxurious embroidery, draping fabrics and stylised shapes accessorised with lacquered samurai straw hats and chiffon head wraps which complimented the designs immaculately.

Alongside this, Osman’s signature delicate tailoring was also prominent; cropped trousers (a recurring S/S 09 trend) formed the basis for much of the collection, paired effectively with neat midriff bearing jackets as well as billowing blouses and tunics in sheer fabrics which successfully balanced out the more structured designs. Panelling was used throughout to provide a seamless quality in skirts and dresses in keeping with the emphasis on clean lines.

Osman’s insightful use of colour provided the collection with a pleasing coherence. Classic tones in nude, sand and black were broken up with flashes of coral and cobalt blue to particularly striking effect and rendering the collection accessible for the cross over between seasons.

Key items included the incredibly wearable and elegant draped jersey skirt, the bare-shouldered trapeze top which, I noted caused a bit of a stir amongst the fashion buyers and of course let us not forget the apparent staple item of S/S 09; the cropped trouser. The show successfully inspired thoughts of more tropical climates and exotic destinations which made a refreshing change after this dreary summer.

[Images]