Ong-Oaj Pairam spring/summer 2017 collection catwalk show for LFW

Ong-Oaj Pairam does not create clothes – he creates dreams. For spring 2017, the designer said that he wanted to transport us to a place where “fashion is fun again”, and that place turned out to be somewhere in between the Wild West, and a wild party somewhere in the Deep South.

The first reference point were singers such as Dolly Parton and Shania Twain, their status as women who are both empowered and empowering mirrored in clothes that were as feminine as they were commanding. Delicate silk and organza pieces sat comfortably beside suede and ponyskin as cowboy neckerchief prints finished that rodeo influence with a kick.Dolly Parton pink and vintage floral prints continued on the Western theme, as did the fringed and beaded cocktail dresses that seemed to have sprung straight from the wardrobe of an old-fashioned show girl. However, the real star of the show was the eveningwear. Borrowing a colour palette from David Hockney’s painting Grand Canyon”, the pieces cascaded in a flurry of ruffles around the body, or else flowed cape-like behind in beautiful hues of sunset red, midnight blue and rich green. It was in these gowns that we really saw the full potential of Ong-Oaj Pairam’s craftsmanship and creative intelligence. The final look, a tulle explosion of ruffles masquerading as a dress, was a real showstopper. As I left the venue, the lady beside me remarked: “Unbelievable…the best show yet.” She made a very good point.

Grace Cain
Photos: Ong-Oaj Pairam

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