Ossou, a new RTW brand with luxe denim DNA, launches in New York City
Regarding American sportswear, nothing can deny the everlasting style of T-shirts and jeans. It is a closet staple look that prevails across all interpretations of style, not least of which is the chic set. Enter Ossou, a new ready-to-wear label founded by Fforme co-founder Nina Khosla and Talia Shuvalov, whose CV includes names such as Alexander McQueen and Alexander Wang, where she led creative direction across ready-to-wear, denim, accessories and jewelry. The duo are co-creative directors of the new brand, which borrows its name from the Latin word for bones. Fforme CEO Joey Laurenti also leads the new label.
Two years in the making, the concept was unveiled in New York City, where FashionNetwork.com spoke to the designers and the brand's CEO about reinventing the ubiquitous material into a high-end polished collection and expanding the design vocabulary for the humble material.
For Khosla, daughter of Sun Microsystems co-founder and tech billionaire Vinod Khosla, the exercise at hand was to answer a query: 'How do we elevate denim, and how do we answer the question of what luxury denim looks like that's still authentic and feels truly like denim?' Khosla posited, adding, 'Denim is very much the design of archetypes, right? So, we want details we design to live on and to keep living in the denim as we evolve and grow.'
Shuvalov pointed out exhibit A: custom-designed hardware such as the silver- and gold-tone button with a thumbprint design, created by industrial designer David Caon, used on pants and jackets. A chic custom zipper pull and bi-color zipper are also part of the brand's DNA. This tracks as Shuvalov also leads a jewelry line, Erede.
'The pants, jackets and everything we do come from a ready-to-wear place. They're tailored patterns with tailored construction details, just cut with denim as the material. The wash is minimal so that we can focus on the material. We're not trying to over-process because that's a big part of the denim sector,' Shuvalov explained.
'We looked from a luxury perspective but with materiality at the forefront, we focused on something durable with longevity to live with the wear throughout time. Denim is such a quintessentially American fabrication. What's beautiful about denim is that when worn and vintage, it holds intrinsic value, wears in and creates its own mark over time that lasts a lifetime. We wanted to give denim minimal treatment and wash,' Shuvalov added.
The line features silk indigo denim that drapes similarly to fabrics traditionally used for suiting; woven color wash as opposed to garment dyeing; tan denim with an essence of linen khaki on a pair of louche, drop-pocket barrel-leg pants; black denim so deep it is almost mistaken for wool. Oversize trench coats and medium car coats are cinched with exquisite quality leather belts with elongated straps. Auxiliary pieces include thick cotton T-shirts, crisp woven shirting and more traditional denim blue five-pocket styles and jean jackets.
Given the upscale designs and draping versus typical denim silhouettes, the collection offers a new proposition between jeans and tailored clothing. However, the timing for a new venture in a shaky economic environment due to political and social upheaval can be daunting.
Joey Laurenti, CEO, formerly of Sies Marjan and Opening Ceremony and founder of Good and Services, a now-shuttered wholesale showroom entity that merged with Tomorrow Ltd., identifies Ossou's target as 'the luxury consumer who is looking for foundational wardrobe pieces who is seeking items to pair back to designer pieces.' On the selling floor, Ossou aims to position next to Khaite, Loewe and Toteme. Retail prices range from $295 to $1,295.
'Everyone loves jeans and our price point speaks to a pretty broad audience. The brand straddles the line between true luxury and emerging designer — a sweet spot in my professional experience,' said the CEO.
The brand launched as DTC through its website but aims to build its wholesale business equally when it introduces itself to the market later in June. Retail partners are expected to be secured in the coming months.
Laurenti is matter-of-fact about the current dodgy nature of fashion and retail. 'Of course, we are in the middle of a difficult climate but there are always peaks and valleys and it's never a perfect time to launch a brand. Price value was always paramount when we developed the business plan for Ossou.
Ninety percent of the collection retails below $1,000 while the quality and sensibility could command much higher retail prices. We will have the opportunity to build a brand and scale it quickly as things pick up — as they always do.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Trump admin announces plan to loosen power plant regulations
The move "would deliver savings to American families on electricity bills, and it will ensure that they have the electricity that they need today," Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Lee Zeldin told a press conference, adding that his office would balance protecting the economy and the climate. Regulations set to be repealed include limitations on carbon dioxide emissions by power plants and a rule curbing release of hazardous air pollutants such as mercury. The measures were meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the United States, the world's top polluter, and to protect people living near power plants and exposed to elevated levels of air pollutants that can damage the nervous system and harm breathing. The Trump administration argues the regulations are costly and rein in energy output at a time when the development of artificial intelligence is driving booming demand for electricity. A powerful polluter "No power plant will be allowed to emit more than they do today," Zeldin said Wednesday. The US power sector is already one of the world's top polluters, according to a recent report by the Institute for Policy Integrity, a nonpartisan think tank at New York University. Were it considered a country, it would have ranked as the world's sixth-biggest emitter in 2022 and contributed five percent of total worldwide emissions from 1990-2022, the institute said in a May briefing on the topic. "The best available evidence shows that each year of greenhouse gas emissions from US coal-fired and gas-fired power plants will contribute to climate damages responsible for thousands of US deaths and hundreds of billions in economics harms," the institute said in its report. Regulations facing the axe include requirements for coal-fired power plants to capture CO2 emissions instead of releasing them into the atmosphere, using expensive capture and storage techniques that are still not widely in use. A change in course Since Trump -- a proponent of fossil fuels and climate change skeptic -- returned to power in late January, federal authorities have reversed course on climate policy. In March, the EPA said it would undo dozens of environmental measures enacted during Biden's term in office, including those cutting vehicle emissions and drastically reducing the amount of carbon dioxide that coal-fired power plants can emit. The proposed federal rules announced Wednesday will be subject to a period of public comment before being finalized. If they become law, they would most likely be challenged in court.
Fashion Network
6 hours ago
- Fashion Network
New Balance returns to Chiado as part of an expansion plan
The American brand New Balance returns to Chiado with the opening of a new store spread over two floors at 20-26 Garrett Street, in the heart of Lisbon's historic center. The new space, with 132 square meters, opened last Friday, June 6, following a more premium concept with a focus on what has defined New Balance in recent years, that is, a differentiated image that highlights a careful selection of performance and lifestyle sports articles, two core areas in which the brand positions itself. According to the New Balance press release, the models available are more technical, extending to iconic silhouettes like those of the brand's latest sneakers - the 550, 2002R or 990, a selection that marks the brand's recent journey and its rise in the fashion world. This is New Balance's second official store in the Lisbon metropolitan area and is part of an expansion plan that the brand has been developing over the last few years, according to the press release about the new space, which is open every day (Monday to Sunday) from 10am to 8pm. news_translation_auto Click here to read the original article.
Fashion Network
6 hours ago
- Fashion Network
Polimoda director Massimiliano Giornetti says the new generation of designers shows greater resilience
Since February 2021, Massimiliano Giornetti has led Polimoda, the Florence-based fashion school where he once earned his degree in collaboration with the London College of Fashion. He returned to the school in 2019 as head of fashion design. Alongside his academic career, Giornetti built a distinguished track record in luxury fashion. He directed Salvatore Ferragamo 's creative vision for 16 years, first in menswear, then in womenswear and accessories. He also served as design director at the Chinese luxury house Shanghai Tang. Giornetti spoke with about how young designers and their aspirations have evolved in recent years. How has creativity evolved in recent years? Massimiliano Giornetti: Creativity today is increasingly free and independent. The new generation of designers is moving away from the standardization that once dominated the industry. They are more drawn to niche concepts and independent thinking. FNW: What explains this new approach? MG: Young designers clearly reject overconsumption and the accelerated pace that has driven the fashion and luxury markets in recent years. Fashion now leans toward extreme luxury, and very few consumers can afford products from major brands. Our students align more closely with emerging consumer behaviors that favor slower consumption and a more mindful approach to spending. You can even see it in how they dress. They choose vintage and independent designs over logos. They increasingly question the constant turnover of creative directors at luxury houses, watching brands celebrate designers one season and dismiss them the next. FNW: What do emerging designers want today? MG: Emerging designers define success by their ability to express their point of view to their community, not by wealth. They show little interest in pursuing creative director roles compared to previous generations. Instead, they focus on building their own brands with unique content and a personal voice. They create independent projects that connect with smaller, more engaged communities that value their creative vision. FNW: But in today's market, it is very difficult to stand out… MG: The market is challenging, but young designers have a real opportunity. The desire to express oneself through clothing runs deep in human nature. Young consumers use fashion to convey both aesthetic and ethical values. They also buy less from major houses, as those brands operate in the ultra-luxury segment with increasingly prohibitive prices. This shift creates space for new generations of designers. They have a chance to stand out. MG: Today's young designers bring incredible eclecticism and agility. They move seamlessly between two-dimensional and three-dimensional design. They approach their creative process in a highly hands-on way. This generation shows much greater resilience than mine and collaborates far more effectively than in the past.
