Ostwald Helgason: Tim Burton’s joker meets sleek sophistication at Fall 2014 collection
Though this was Ostwald Helgason’s debut runway appearance at New York Fashion Week, it felt as though they were old pros. Showing at Manhattan’s Milk Studios, the duo team blew away the audience with their ultra sleek but eye catching designs.
Speaking backstage after the show, Susanne Ostwald and Ingvar Helgason said they always start designing from a “dark place,” but we were rather taken with the air of frivolity that was woven through the collection. From the 3D bananas and apple motifs to liquid metallic and asymmetrical skirts (which are set to be a huge trend for A/W14) the show was decidedly cheery and more than a little bit mischievous.
According to Ostwald the inspiration for the show was “Tim Burton’s Batman, how the Joker breaks in the art gallery and repaints everything with his art vandals. So basically, it was like taking our own kind of torn personalities. We both come from pretty dark Scandinavian European countries where everything is a little bit gloomy and kind of serious and cerebral. We were obviously drawn into New York & Americana through all of the pop art, Lichtenstein-Warhol into the mix and created the combination of these two worlds.”
Though their name is a mouthful it will no doubt be a household one soon. A favorite of fashion bloggers (Leandra Medine and Natalie Joos were both in attendance at the show on Saturday) and collaborations (they are working with ALDO for the second consecutive season on a line of footwear and handbags), they also want to be accessible. The line is sold at Opening Ceremony, Fivestory, and Owen in New York City and Browns Focus in London. Prices are usually in the £120 to £500 range. “I think the girls that we know and like—not all of them can afford to buy high-end designer garments,” Helgason told Elle.com. “And we like to have, you know, people actually being able to wear it.”
Stand out pieces from the show included a funnel neck blouse with a striking tree print paired with a fluid black skirt and an oversized silk t-shirt dress emblazoned with an animated graphic of an exploding apple. Much like Kenzo’s Tiger and Givenchy’s Bambi print sweatshirts, we can imagine Ostwald Helgason’s quirky fruit prints becoming the unlikely AW14 must have come September’s Fashion Month.
Photo courtesy of: Pinsi Lei
