Ozwald Boateng: ‘From Russia With Love’
By Mari Davis

PARIS, Jan, 27, 2004/ FW/ --- There was a certain anticipatory excitement in the air at the lobby of the Hôtel Intercontinental in central Paris last Sunday as people lined up for the Ozwald Boateng show.

Though he had been showing his collections at the City of Lights for several seasons already, the London-based designer was recently appointed as Artistic Director of Givenchy Homme.

And with the recent announcement by Julien Macdonald that he is leaving Givenchy, there was almost hopefulness in the anticipation too. Ozwald Boateng obliged his fans and clients by showing an exciting collection based on his signature style of precise cuts and self-created color palettes.

The show opened with an audio-visual presentation set in Russia, looking towards the future. When the lights dimmed and the music started, the first model who came out (and the only female model in the show also), Ozwald Boateng’s wife came out wearing a long leather trench coat with detailed embroidery.

On a very clipped pace, male models came out wearing leather, cashmere and fur coats, the designer offering a versatile collection of outerwear for fall.

Boateng interpreted Russia’s proletariat garb of 1970s USSR, and translated them into luxurious bespoke men’s clothing of London’s Saville Row.

Models wearing Boateng’s signature herringbone for both shirts and ties, also sported fur hats usually identified with Russia.

Casual pieces such as knitwear, denim, and casual trousers with adjusted contrast taps complimented the more formal suits, showing that the designer wants to make sure that the Ozwald Boateng gentleman has everything he needs in his wardrobe.

The clothes are impressive enough for the audience, but Ozwald Boateng raised the bar on himself once again by sending fine accessories on the runway.

Gloves were lined with silk or alpaca fur, with fine wire hand stitch OB logo. The shoes were classic English, with hand stitched leather soles. And my personal favorite, the travel luggage that included suiting bags and toiletry bags made from Kudo suede and cloth fabric.

Boateng will surely fill up orders by retailers come fall, once this collection is out from the production line.

Ozwald Boateng

Ozwald Boateng

Ozwald Boateng

Ozwald Boateng

Ozwald Boateng