The Fashion Daily: A surprise at Ozwald Boateng's 25th birthday

Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng closed London Fashion Week in spectacular style with a 100-model showcase at the Leicester Square Odeon to celebrate 25 years in menswear and his casualwear debut....and it was awesome.

Yes. Awesome. Boateng is not a name I would expect to be at the forefront of thurst quenching menswear design.

Sharp tailoring techniques, contemporary cuts and a bold use of colour, yes, but it was his grasp of directional and contemporary casualwear that took me by surprise.

Boateng showcased his first ever collection of casual wear for autumn 10, and this LFW presentation featured styles from that collection, and new spring 11 styles. It was a broad and varied range (some people have criticised him for that), but true to Boateng's ego...the show was on a grand scale.

One hundred male models including Sam Branson, son of Sir Richard Branson and Tyrone Wood, son of Rolling Stone Ronnie, walked out en masse in the accomplished and varied designs.

The collection featured original takes on modern day tailoring such as directional short and suit jacket sets, heritage, hunting-inspired velvet trouser suits teamed with full length DB macs and the inspired use of quilting against tailoring. Colours were bold, in keeping with Boateng’s handwriting, while standout silhouettes included high waisted tailored trousers which were paired with antique pocket chains.

Boateng stuck fast to his themes of hunting, 1950s New York gangster, Victorian back street surgeon, city slicker, retro mod and others, so even though there were 100 looks the show felt awe inspiring, rather than overwhelming.