Oxford Fashion Studios Features Designers Full of Delight during Paris Fashion Week | AW19
This season, Oxford Fashion Studio once again returned to the Inter-Continental Paris – Le Grand to present Fall/Winter 2019 collections from 13 independent fashion designers from all over the globe. The show attracts media, stylists, influencers, and industry professionals seeking to discover the latest design talent with everything from up-cycled collections to couture bridal.
The designer’s wearable art includes combinations of designer created fabric art, heirloom, and new fabrics from all over the world. They believe textiles and fashion can promote a dialogue celebrating our similarities and differences as gateways rather than impediments in the quest for common ground to inspire dialogue and peace. The theme of the AW2019 collection – “éclat de la diversité” (brilliance of diversity) focused on the colors of the autumn season and was inspired by the hope for inclusion rather than exclusion of human beings – as in foliage of autumn colors – parallels the possibilities for us to understand and to feel spiritually connected, thereby inspiring that crucial balance of respect for one another and life.
BaublesNBloom’s collection features pieces that are all exclusively hand painted or embroidered. One piece from the collection had 9 yards of hand pinched embroidery; giving it a unique texture which is very difficult to work with, but every bit worth the effort. Many of the pieces in the collection were inspired by an ancient folk art of India- Madhubani/Mithila Art. This art form dates back centuries and was used by kings and commoners alike to grace important festivities and celebrations.
Opera Recycles is a collective group of designers founded by Megan Miller. Designers including Lyndsee Hairston, Malou Tabada Cordery, Sarah Danee, Itala Flores, Rocio Llusca and Edelweiss De Guzman committed to put outdated opera playbills, programs, signs & brochures to beautiful and creative use. In the four years since the initiative launched, more than 35,000 pieces of marketing material have been converted into couture fashion pieces inspired by the opera. Opera Carolina utilizes this initiative to demonstrate its commitment to environmental consciousness and creative thinking.
Inspired by the unique biodiversity of New Zealand, Lontessa’s collection expressed a sensual South Pacific escape. Hand dyed organic silks combined with finely detailed beadwork and embroidery to create elegant, intoxicating silhouettes. The capsule collection is targeted to an exclusive Asia-Pacific regional consumer, who are ecological shoppers, attracted to personalized service and exquisite materials, and who demand careful construction of formal wear and special occasion attire. The designer is influenced by New Zealand’s ethnic values, the iconography of the region’s history, femininity and sustainability. Keeping production small and local, creating and utilizing biologically-friendly fabrics, Tessa Lont fuses innovation with traditional crafts in her sensual, wearable, and expressive designs.
The collection was inspired by Occultism, Sci-Fi, Cleopatra, and divine sexuality embracing nature, mysticism, and the unconventional. Full of sequins, blacks, whites, and reds; the collection was unique and featured pieces with an interesting mix of patterns and fabrics.
Strategic cutouts and sheer overlays dominated to create a collection that was unique and mystifying.
The collection was inspired by simply watching ordinary women walking in the countryside or on the streets, wildlife especially the giraffe, the way it moves, landscapes and nature. Elegancy, modernity, rareness, comfort, noble material (such as cotton, linen, silk, wool) were all present in the collection from the Franco-Kenyan designer who started her professional life as a painter, who studied Fine Arts in Nairobi. The perfect pairing of plaids and more traditional prints formed to create a wearable yet chic collection.
The collection is inspired by Nigerian highlife music and the dressing styles of the Lgbo women from the eastern part of Nigeria, and featured pieces made with Adire (African tie-and dye), sequence, satin and chiffon. 70’s inspired vibes dominated with a fresh and modern approach. The brand specializes in the production of bespoke clothing, Ready-To-Wear focusing on 4 C’s (cut, colour, clarity and carat).
Syeda Amera’s Bridal Collection 2019 is inspired by sheer elegance and class of the glamorous women of today and drew on the location of the show at the Intercontinental Le Grand-Paris for further inspiration. Models clad in mint green, pastel peach, powder pink, and sky blue hues graced the runway in organza and raw silks with gorgeous intricate beading detail. This trailblazing designer, Syeda Amera Jawad, was the first Pakistani designer to be featured in British Vogue, Glamour UK and ELLE UK.
The collection was inspired by the quote “Circle of Life” where the designer feels in life everything comes to a full circle and completes each human being with amazing experiences. Inspiration was taken from this essential shape, which is part of every human’s lifespan, every individual has to go through life and complete the circle. Tulle, organza, velvet and stretch crepes were used in bold hues from plum to black and silver and gray to create a harmonious collection.
The collection featured menswear reinvigorated from a woman’s point of view. The Parsons trained designer began the label with men’s footwear and is launching men’s outerwear with this AW19 season collection. The collection was inspired by the designer’s personal experience of being raised in the desert and seeing seasons and snow for the first time as an adult. Ginkgo leaves and the patterns of leaves on the floor manifested into embroidery on select pieces.
The collection was inspired by a personal point of view that emphasis the combination between ethnic and modern tailored world; each piece stunned the audience. Pieces featured a combination of laces, along with embroidery and handicrafts, geometric cuts that flowed complimenting a bride’s body. The collection and work of this Israeli designer with Iranian roots is characterized by combination of traditional techniques, innovative silhouette and cutout embellished with handmade work.
This collection symbolized the continuation of life by deconstructing kimonos belonging to the designer’s late mother and reconstructing them as completely new garments. Pieces were deconstructed and thoroughly steamed silk kimonos and obi have been given new life with standout pieces including long jacket, an asymmetrical jumpsuit and pants re-conceptualized for modern life. The designer highlights the timeless beauty and versatility of artisanal work and sustainability. This completely hand-made collection suggests a new way of fashion to forward-thinking women who value being environmentally-friendly, yet elegant and stylish.
The collection was inspired by Malahayati, the first female naval admiral in the modern worlds who served in the navy of the Aceh Sultanate. The modest line featured a dress, blouse, pant, skirt and outerwear. The details were mainly focused on its high neck-line, drop shoulder, triple button cuff, drapery, straight pant, beads and pearls. The designer used traditional fabrics from her native country of Indonesia, Tenun Garut (area in West Java, Indonesia), raw silk and embroidery lace following the accent of Aceh (area in Sumatera).