London Fashion Week is the best platform for the new emerging talent to showcase their designed creations and in so doing get a unique chance to launch their career with a bang. It’s where creative geniuses of fashion are discovered and admired by both fashion enthusiasts and the world media.

It’s a paradise for fashion savvy people who are looking for beautiful dresses that are simple yet sophisticated in many ways, which is where British-born fashion designer of Afghan descent Osman Yousefzada fits in so well with his flawless design approach. He showed up eight years ago with the launch of his own eponymous label “Osman” and has been in the limelight ever since.

It’s no wonder today his flattering dresses dotted with unique architectural aesthetic and strong, structural elements often get into celebrity wardrobes. He is turning the page in the world of fashion as he sees fit and everyone around is eager to become part of it.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, he opens up about what triggered his interest in fashion and much more.

While growing up in an atelier, he often noticed how his mother used to run her own dressmaking business in Birmingham. “There was a constant stream of women who came to visit her, bringing in their own fabrics, buying some of my mom’s short lengths, clutching a pile of magazines and asking my mom to make them something similar. My favorite errand as a kid was running to the haberdashery for her,” he recollects.

What he really found interesting was how clothes could transform these women. When they tried on the finished piece, they became a better version of themselves, in his eyes. He learnt early on that clothes had the power to transform one’s standing in society and draw attention to them in a second.

The entire experience served as an invaluable lesson for him as he explains, “My mom worked blindly on fabrics and without too many patterns, just a block. She had the confidence to cut straight into fabrics without ever making a prototype. The finished garment was something I had seen progress from a flat piece of material and had helped to develop, working alongside her. I suppose I started off in a craft and artisanal way and that foundation still remains in my clothes today, with lots of hand-finishes.”

Though he was well familiar with the nitty-gritty of tailoring, it wasn’t enough. At this stage, he needed to find out a fashion academy where he could actually learn things that make up the world of fashion.

Yousefzada chose Central Saint Martins to pursue his dreams from where he eventually graduated in 2002 with a MA in Fashion Design. Being a part of this great institution helped him understand how one builds an image and develops a look accordingly. “Fundamentally, it’s the design, cut and workmanship of the clothes that make the real difference at the end of the day. This has been the crux of my design ever since,” he says.

The secret behind why his designed collections rock and are so sought-after by highly influential celebrities like Lady Gaga, Gwyneth Paltrow, Emily Blunt, Cate Blanchett, Emma Watson, Taylor Schilling, Allison Williams, Selena Gomez, Charlize Theron, Katie Perry and Alexa Chung lies in his prime focus on flattering the female form and enhancing it subtly. As he puts it, “Ultimately, I make sure you see the woman first, before you see the dress. I want to empower women and give them the confidence to know that they can take on anything in Osman from dawn to dusk, and it’s from there that different clientele are attracted to what I do.”

He achieves this finesse with his love for exoticism, opulence and the idea of far flung places, but which is balanced with design and purity of line. “It’s that constant tension that I love, like a Corbusier house which is jeweled inside,” he points out. “A bold pattern, for example, can be contained in a streamlined garment which acts as a frame. Embroidery can also have an architectural feel. I feel it’s important not to go down the road of anything too ‘froufrou’ — clean lines help keep that important balance.”

Therefore, his approach to design has also been to perfect the silhouette and then to allow an element of whimsy.

He feels very lucky to dress a range of celebrities across all ages and from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. It’s always great to see beautiful, iconic women in Osman. “Each one of these women portrays something unique about Osman. I must admit that Beyoncé is a true evening wear icon. She wore an Osman jumpsuit to the 2013 Grammys which was a big moment for me,” he says.

When asked what women look for in dresses they choose to wear, he replied, “I think it’s important that women learn what suits them, so I encourage my clients to try on as many cuts as possible in order to find the pieces which flatter and fit them the most. Not only this, I encourage them to dress with ease, letting the cut of the garments do the magic for them. Women look for pieces which allow them to stand with confidence, without the need to overdress. Comfort is really important — when choosing a dress, women should be able to sit down, dance, flirt and enjoy the evening without worrying about a hemline, or a zip, etc.”

He doesn’t let any stereotypes come his way while working on the designs. It blocks one’s vision. “I just do this by focusing on cut. I tend not to be swayed by generalizations in terms of the pieces which do or don’t work for women of different body shapes,” he says. “It’s a myth that pear shapes can’t wear pencil skirts, or that women with big bosoms don’t look good in high necks. It’s always, always about proportions and cut.”

Nurturing ideas is an infinite phenomenon. They can come from anywhere. So is with Osman. “I am constantly being inspired-either by someone on the street, an image, a fabric or a print. From there, I build a mood board and develop the key ideas of the collection. This is honed and fine-tuned again and again, until the key message is distilled,” he says.

Talking about his creativity being influenced by the vibes of London, he said, “London is home to an amazing diaspora — a melting pot of so many cultures, layered one on top of another. There’s great energy in the city; things move along at lightning speed and things really happen, which, I think, is key to blossoming creativity. People here don’t easily conform; they really think out of the box and do something different. It’s a place where non-conformity is appreciated and celebrated. I can’t help but feel inspired here.”

The Middle Eastern heritage does play a part in his work and he likes to interpret it this way, “Different cultures and different ways of dressing are endlessly inspiring whether it be using fabric in a different way through draping, layering pieces or using color and texture differently. I am continually influenced by all heritages.”

Since Osman has a strong following in the Middle East market, he feels honored to dress so many elegant and beautiful women here.

Checking up on what he thinks of their choice of fashion, he preferred to say indirectly, “Style is very personal, so there is no real crime. Something which looks amazing on one person will not look so good on others. But generally, I think over configured hair can look aging. I much prefer women to look a little more effortless.”

The SS15 collection is sumptuous and bohemian, but still minimal and contemporary. He was inspired by the eclectic and exotic and was drawn to a dreamscape, a pearled world of whimsical, sophisticated youth. Each collection falls into the next — it’s all about building a wardrobe.

Art is another vital aspect of his life that he feels deeply passionate about. He loves it because it nourishes him with ideas. “I’m really drawn to this world and enjoy spending time at exhibitions and galleries and engaging in dialogue with artists, curators etc,” he says. “I don’t try to mix fashion and art too strongly, although I do dress the woman who inhabits the art world, amongst others.”

As part of his business expansion, he hopes to see the line continue to grow and develop internationally. “Our own retail stores certainly form part of that because the future seems very bright. It’s just how I feel,” he expresses.

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