Ossie Clarke was a legendary fashion designer of the sixties. He was dubbed the "The King of King's Road" by the press at the time, and for me epitomizes what 1960's glamour rock& roll and london is in my own head.Celia is most recently known to a new generation of fashion followers from good old topshop! She is a textile designer and was formally wife too Ossie Clarke, she is the woman who taught him about fabrics. Together in 1966 they began creating some of the most glamourous and fantastic dresses ever to grace our eyes.
Worn frequently by celebraties and the wealthy at the time such as Jane Birkin above....even now some of the dresses can still be seen on the backs of the new celeb army as "vintage" pieces, Emma watson was recently seen wearing one at a premiere last month.For me these dresses hold everything that I think glamour and 1960's is to me,these dresses hold a snapshot in the time im fascinated with and Ossie Clarke had an abilty to effortlessly create pieces which are so obviously of 60's& 70's decent but at the same time are completey timeless!
He dressed the rich & famous who inhabited the beau monde of the late 1960s and early 1970s of London. Clark made many stage costumes for Mick Jagger, the Beatles, Marianne Faithfull and Liza Minnelli, to name a few!
However like nearly every other fashion fairy it came to an untimely end.Ossie developed a heavy drug problem and he freely adopted the hedonistic lifestyle of the 1960s and 1970s, his drug use was said to of made a huge impact on his emotional state and finances. Clark and Birtwell divorced in the 1970s. This started a slow downward spiral for Ossie.
He found a few successes in various shows after this however he then saddly met his maker bankrupt in 1996 when he was stabbed to death at 54 by his 28 year old lover in his council flat in kensignton and chelasa, london.
What a very sorry end too this amazing talent!!
He is said to have inspired Marc Jacobs, Stella mc carthy, Anni sui amoungst others, its is clear to see how he did with the free flowing beautifully created designs - it is obvious how inspirational he was at the time and probably will be for many more decades to come!
For a little piece of the world of at least one half of the legendary ossie clarke legacy then have a snoop in topshop for Celias newest creations and if your very lucky enough to seek out and buy one of the rare ossie clarke creations.
This is a salute to an unbelievable talent.
