A retro renaissance, AZZI & OSTA’s Collection 6 takes an edited approach to a long period of time in the past, reimagining nineties grunge and glamour for the modern woman – with serious sartorial lessons in tailoring, flow and feminism.
The exquisite collection finds inspiration in the late nineties – an era that shaped the dreams of the brand’s eponymous designers. It pays homage to the pairs’ early teenage years, to their first fashion sketches, their first mood boards, their first purchase of chiffon after weeks of saving.
“We often find ourselves going back there, to those years where our minds were full of dreams and expectations,” says George Azzi.
Assaad Osta adds: “The collection pays tribute to the moment in time when we chose this path. The time when we discovered our purpose and started to dream big. It was a time full of endless inspiration, crazy ideas and sleepless summer nights – when we were too busy envisaging the future to sleep.”
With their eyes firmly on the future, and international expansion accelerating, the dynamic duo decided to shoot the ready-to-wear collection in the hub of the entertainment industry, LA. To bring their vision to light, they collaborated with the talented Style Director, Dena Giannini and photographer Amanda Charchian.
And with the shoot a wrap, the collection reveals itself as an edited ode to the past – one that is nostalgic, yet irrefutably modern. Radical cutting techniques reimagine suiting for women with sharp-cut masculine trousers buttressed by tulle corsets and plunging tuxedo jackets revealing origami-fold suede detail.
Edgy silhouettes are tempered with coolly accomplished polish. Thigh-grazing party dresses are crafted from deconstructed dinner jackets and finished with exaggerated couture bows. A nod to the era, the playful silhouettes emerge in a riot of sequins, velvet, crepe and tulle. Marrying the sensual and the elegant cocktail dresses reveal deep slits and sliced-away bodices emerge from decisively sculpted tailoring.
While boldness permeates the collection, the color palette remains decidedly restrained. Inky black and off-white are joined by a sea of navy blue, pale pink and olive green, broken only by muted flashes of matte grey, Bordeaux and lime.
Credits: Stylist: Dena Giannini Photographer: Amanda Charchian Hair Stylist: Peter Lux Makeup Artist: Allan Avendaño Talents: Amelie Tremblay & Halimotu Shokunbi