Edmund Ooi Spring 2016

For his debut collection in New York City during New York Fashion Week; Men’s, Edmund Ooi looked to images of the European Space Agency (ESA) shot by Edgar Martins. By researching the technical aspects of space suits, Ooi chose to use fabrications of technical silk, reflective materials, techno lurex, knits, laminated jersey and webbing.

“I’ve been living in a dream world for a long time which is the root of my love for science fiction. Every season I try to get away from science fiction, but it keeps coming back. So, this season I was inspired by space suits,” explains Edmund Ooi. “ This whole collection started from looking at photos of Edgar Martins’ photos of the European Space Agency. I just love the colors in those images.”

This “bondage in space” collection with its outré style projections was not without some wearable pieces. And Ooi’s narrow-suited jackets with carefully placed webbing, while not the choice of a wide male demographic, certainly would be appealing to that downtown fashionisto who is looking for shock-value clothing that will set him a part from other ravenous style hounds.

“I mix a lot of soft and hard fabrics and textures in this collection. I am incorporating wider mesh fabric that I marry with laminated jersey rendering has an interesting, striking texture. These two fabric combinations really support and help express my experimental side,” details Ooi.

Though Ooi’s fashion point of view may be too experimental and avant garde for some fashion industry professionals, his fashion next perspective brought a much needed futuristic slant to New York Fashion Week: Men’s spring 2016 collections that often bordered too much on the pedantic and men’s fashion as usual plateau. If you are going to outré and crazy, take the risk and hold nothing back and do it the way Ooi’s is doing it!! Of course, have something to say. And Edmund Ooi has a lot of worthwhile things to say!!

The standout looks in this collection were mostly Ooi’s jackets but his innovative take on pants with overlays of disparate fabrications was interesting as well. Standout pieces in particular were Ooi’s grey jacket with white shorts and black knit top, red tank with mesh long sleeves and beige trousers, and beige stripe coat with white underwear.

—William S. Gooch