After reading my “Drawing the Line” post about short bandage dresses yesterday, the gorgeous Anne Hjortshoj tweeted me, “They [bandage dresses] were great in 1992, i.e. the last time I wore one. Mine was Rifat Ozbek.”
Ozbek was a well-known designer in the late 1980s through the 1990s — that period of fashion that I love so much. I periodically stalk his vintage clothes online. (Ozbek now concentrates on interior design, including beautiful cushions.) As soon as Anne mentioned Ozbek, I got excited and did a quick search to see if any of his classic work was for sale. If this rainbow dress had been available, I would have bought it for sure, but, alas, it belongs to Anna Griffin, the editor-in-chief of Coco Eco Magazine.
Anna Griffin, as seen on Ecosalon.
This is how to wear short and tight: with long sleeves, a high neck and a little room to breathe (I love that it doesn’t look painted on). Really, this dress is more about the fun colors than the wearer’s body parts. In a 2011 interview with EcoSalon, which posted the photo above, Griffin said:
“I have worn it only twice as it is an extremely memorable piece and you have to be in the right shape and frame of mind to wear it. Each time I have slipped into it I have felt like a million dollars, and being an iconic fashion statement, it draws attention and sparks conversation in any crowd.”
Yes, yes, yes! That’s what great fashion should do. To see more pictures of the dress and find out how Griffin came to acquire it, click here to go to EcoSalon. To read more about Ozbek’s heyday, there’s a good 1996 article here. If you want to buy me an Ozbek, there’s a fabulous jacket on 1stdibs from Ozbek’s 1998 “White Voodoo” collection.
Feel free to get this for me. Click to shop.
I’d take that over a bandage dress any day! Or I’d happily take this little black dress.
Click to shop.
Oh!Em!Gee! It’s got gloves. Total conversation piece.
Cute dress! Great stripe layout.
OMG, I LOOOOVED Ozbek.
And is that Princess Vespa??
Yes, it is!
Fab little dress, pity you didn’t get your paws on it first Wendy – it’s definitely you!
Rifat is one of my favorites. He and Robert Forrest, his long time sales partner, are designing a club in London presently.
I remember that dress … it was bolero season with Lesage embroidery … spectacular. Little Manolo pointy flats, Taza and purely nicely classically fabulous.
When are you going to write a memoir?!
I do love you.
Asked to resubmit in a different format, hoping.
Oh wow, that truly is a stunning dress, who wouldn’t want it in their wardrobe-I adore it!! xx
All really amazing dresses. That first one is a jaw-dropper, but the last one? Add a pair of thigh-high boots and it would make a perfect super villain look. Incredibly cool.
I want it! *sob*
All spectacular pieces!
These dresses are beautiful and definitely an exception. I swear, most of the bandage dresses just look like you’re going to Vegas!
I have a Leger dress that I thrifted a few years ago, it’s very bandagey around the body but has flowy knit sleeves. I’ve yet to wear it, mostly because now that I don’t live in Vegas where stuff like that is okay, I have absolutely nowhere to wear it to! Now I’m gonna feel like the Kelly Clarkson picture you posted in the other post!
Nah, the interesting sleeve should counteract the bandage-y part! I love a good sleeve!
Wow, that black dress is too amazing for words….I mean, the feathers and the gloves? Fabulous.
Love the glove dress. And Daphne Zuniga conjures the legacy of Melrose Place so well. BTW: Mr. C and I walked by Herve Leger’s shop in Soho yesterday. I kept going, but he did stop to have a look in the vitrine. Boyz. Sigh.