Osman Yousefzada fuk@lfw a/w 06

London is renowned for its diversity and its melting pot of fashion talent. Rather than showcasing designers in adjoining marquees, the fashion industry here prefers to stage events all over the capital. Following in the footsteps of Fashion East and On/Off, this season witnessed the launch of Fashion Scout - a event which offers a platform for new designers keen to show at LFW. Baden Powell's scout hut was their location of choice, which is where we experienced Osman Yousefzada's AW06 show.

A Cambridge graduate and former city banker, Yousefzada pursued a life in finance before re-training at St Martins and finally giving-in to his creative calling. Last season his debut collection, 'Imperial,' met with great acclaim; the press actually compared him to Givenchy. So, we were intrigued to see if 'Pilgrim' (his second off-schedule show) would elicit another enthusiastic response. Using reference points of Jane Austen, Peruvian women and Japanese Geisha girls, the collection explores silhouette and structure in unique ways.

Sticking to a refined colour palette of black, dusky grey, rose pink and deep cobalt blue we were treated to a series of sophisticated dresses which looked effortless but on closer inspection revealed complex cutting and draping techniques. One garment; a cream wool shift dress complete with a panel of human hair was not to everybody's taste, but you can't win them all! Everything is beautifully executed; sassy pencil skirts are razor sharp whilst sculpted shoulder shapes have an architectural quality. When asked about his design ethos, Yousefzada stated, "I like timeless clothes which are like beautiful buildings."

He does use volume, but in a low-key way; frills emphasize the waist whilst funnel necked coats are gathered softly at the back. Slick, sophisticated and sassy, it won't be long before Osman is showing on-schedule.

Check out the Fashion Scout (we hope to see you again next season).

www.osmanyousefzada.com

Words: Bianca Donnelly. Photos: Judith Erwes.

Osman Yousefzada is interviewed in Day 3 of our podcast series.