COLLECTION| Tahir FEB'13

Tahir Sultan brought together his usual merging of Eastern and Western sensibilities with a collection that drew inspiration from 1940s style and the Thaar Desert. A mix of masculine tailoring and contemporary embellishments provided a modern take on 1940s hunting-wear. Harem pants and trench coats were re-imagined in houndstooth wool, whilst silk tea dresses were form fitting, giving a sensual feel. Prints and embroidery inspired from both Syria and India. The neutral palette, sprinkled with blues and golds evoked a timeless sensibility. The combination of understated glamour and empowering silhouettes created an air of relaxed sophistication.

Tahir talked to Fashion Scout about who he designs for. "I design for the modern day woman, for women who are daring and avant-garde, whose personalities shine when they walk into a room. I give women a platform to express themselves. I am vigilant in my cuts, my designs have to fit and flatter a woman and ultimately empower them."

Words by Darcie Thompson-Fields

Photos by Tram Nguyen

BACKSTAGE| Tahir FEB'13

Ahead of tonight’s closing show, Tahir Sultan, Fashion Scout caught up witht the TONI&GUY and The Body Shop teams backstage to hear about the concepts they have created to complement the designs in Tahir’s AW13 Collection.

Working with the brief of ‘traveling the continent of India in the 1940’s, and Tahir’s personal love of strong glamorous feminine women; The Body Shop’s Claire has opted for strong eyes using The Body Shop Kohl Liner to represent the Indian theme, and dark red lips to illustrate the presence of the 1940’s. Claire told us that the overall concept was ‘distinctly representative of strong feminine women’.

With regards to hair, TONI&GUY’s stylist Bill told us that the only way to describe the style created is a ‘female version of the iconic James Dean’ – think slick back and sides and an extravagant quiff on top. Nails by FTWS have been painted nude to complement the colour palette of the collection.

By Brooke McCord, @BrookeMcCord
Images by Siobhan Kerrigan @SiobhanKerrigan

CATWALK| Tahir S/S13

Images by Christopher Dadey

COLLECTION| Tahir S/S13

The Tahir Sultan S/S13 show started and ended with the same thing- cheers and applause. Dedicated to “the secret few who know that nothing more fashionable than just being yourself,” the designer's first London Fashion Week collection, titled 'The Silence' was one focused on drapery, and style. Wearing sunglasses, models walked dresses and dramatic, strong shouldered jackets to the steady beat of the music. Modern garments, and footwear were laden with metallic studs, and pieces featuring feather and frill details were seen throughout. Wearable, feminine and an experimentation with the definition of 'glamour', Tahir's creations were both cutting edge and sophisticated.

Having worked three years as an architect, it wasn't hard to see the reference in his pieces. Combine that with him being a Central Saint Martin's graduate and gaining experience under the likes of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano and you have yourself an expressive designer who really understands the architecture of the body. Jackets accentuated the waist whilst trousers and dresses made for innovative silhouettes. The hair and make-up only added to the collection, emphasising the glamorous, feminine feel. For this season, the very white, black and grey based creations were lifted with sudden flashes of colour and complemented by the statement jewellery designs of Pallavi.

With a collection that was designed “to help the modern women express who she is without confining herself to the constraints of fashion,” the pieces sure enough achieved that. Backstage, and around the catwalk, the Tahir PR team were wearing 'Who The Fuck Is Tahir Sultan?' t-shirts. After that show though, no one was in doubt of who he was.

Text by Josh Walker (@josh_walker_)

Images by Rebecca Andrews