Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring '05: Oligo Tissew
Los Angeles designer Christopher Enuke opened his Oligo Tissew runway show to the tune of “What’s the Buzz,” from the 1970 rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Divorced from the biblical reference, the soundtrack set an offbeat and slightly political tone to the show, held Oct. 29 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City. The unorthodox musical choice was fitting for a collection filled with unusual details and highly tactile fabrics.
Several seasons ago, the Nigerian-born, Great Britain–raised designer expanded beyond his signature knits into high-end denim with an emphasis on unusual finishes and washes.
For Spring ’05, Enuke punched up stark whites with shades of orange, green and yellow and dashes of red and pink. Draped knits topped crinkled, engineered denim. Other new denim treatments included a water print, a batik print and hand painting.
Lettuce-edge jersey separates featured cutouts, dangling ties, and screen-printed organic and entomological shapes. Tissue-weight crinkled knits were screenprinted with a coiling dragon motif. Sheer sweaters were tucked and pleated, and featherweight skirts had faint ruching that followed the curves of the body.
Enuke topped each outfit with dramatic jewelry by Tamar. —Alison A. Nieder
