Marcel Ostertag went for freedom for NYFW

For his fourth season at New York Fashion Week, German designer Marcel Ostertag was inspired by the idea of freedom. Like many designers this September, Ostertag saw all the turmoil going on in the world, and wanted to use fashion to celebrate liberty. He went for the idea of a disco theme and a never ending party, thinking about what you wear to spend time with your friends.

On par with the disco theme, sequins could be found in several looks in the collection, including a sequin statement jumpsuit that looked perfect for today's party girl who loves the vintage 70s feel.

At the start of the design process, Ostertag asked himself the question “what would you do if you lived the day of a fly and only had 24 hours’ time?” His answer? “Celebrate the togetherness and not the singular, like so many of us have been living for years," stated the designer. Hence the use of fly print patterns in his collection, which was a unique touch.

His disco inspired theme of togetherness was also based on his desire to want things to slow down."Fashion went really fast for me the last few seasons," Ostertag said. "The whole topic for me now is to have fun with fashion and spend time with a really important person."

Flowing dresses and transparent blouses helped Ostertag emphasize his idea of freedom and the idea that fashion can help people escape. "So much is going on in the world," Ostertag said. "We as fashion designers have a duty to produce fun for the people and help them still have a good time. My message for everyone is to make love not war."

The seventies was a big time for political liberation and hot button political issues, a fitting inspiration for a man who sees the power of how political fashion can be. "Fashion is quite political, it is my party," Ostertag said. "You can talk to so many people via clothes and your style, and you can spread so many messages through them. It's time we rethink the whole structure of the world from fashion, to politics, to business and everything else."

Representation played a very significant part in his pattern choices. A dayfly was supported by scarabs, which represented eternity and infinity while the many other featured insects represented life and the constant flow of change. A metamorphosis printed on silk demonstrated how multifaceted life is. Other species of fauna, which have always inspired Ostertag, were printed on sateen cotton and satin silk and was ornamented with delicate embroidery.

The designer's favorite piece, the trench coat, got particularly special attention this season. Trenches were cut-up, reappearing as a skirt or modified into a cocktail dress, all to complement the party theme of the collection. Knitwear, Ostertag’s bestseller, was given an update with new patterns and innovative knit types. As usual, everything was all ‘made in Germany.’

This season, Marcel Ostertag also debuted the "Marcel Ostertag x Tamaris" footwear collection, which is available in stores, but currently not in North America. With the significant support it has garnered in 28 other countries though, perhaps it won't be long before it comes to a city near you.

Photos: courtesy of Getty