Oscar Udeshi

Oscar Udeshi (Born in Hong Kong) is a luxury menswear designer of Austrian and Zanzibar heritage.

Early life

Udeshi originally wanted to study architecture at a university, but his father preferred a law degree. He compromised on economics at the London School of Economics. After completing his degree, Udeshi embarked on a career as a banker at a prestigious financial institution in the City and in Frankfurt. However, after a car crash, Udeshi decided to re-evaluate his path and decided to complete a masters degree in philosophy.^[1]

While working in the city, he was looking for the clothes that would make up his ideal wardrobe. Unable to find them, he had all his clothes made to his designs and specification. Still unhappy with the results, Udeshi left the finance industry, choosing to study Design and Fashion at Central Saint Martin’s and Parsons School of Design, where he trained under one of the last remaining bespoke shirtmakers of Jermyn Street.

Udeshi

Oscar Udeshi created his brand "Udeshi" in 1999 and was invited as a rising star to Pitti Uomo in Florence and CPD in Düsseldorf, and as guest designer of SEHM in Paris. He was one of the youngest menswear designers to show his creations on the catwalks of Paris showing at the British Ambassadors Residence in Paris, the same venue in which other fashion icons such as Vivienne Westwood and Sir Paul Smith first started showing. He was the only menswear designer to have his creations shown at the “on the cuff” exhibition, on the history of cufflinks at Goldsmith’s Hall in London.

Udeshi’s career has seen him design items for the Austrian Army, create a raincoat for a ceremony honouring the 100th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between France and England, design the Chester Barrie White label collection 2004 and collaborate with Lavenham Quilted Jackets.

To date, there are two Udeshi stores; the first was opened on Davies St in Mayfair, London in 2006 and was followed in 2008 by a second store at Via Monte di Pieta in Milan, Italy. There are plans to open a further twenty stores worldwide and also to expand into e-commerce through the brand's website.

Udeshi garments range from sharp grey suits to colourful paisley jackets made of vintage cloth originally created for scarves and his accessories include purple suede loafers and stingray wallets, but each item has a distinct commonality; namely that nothing is created purely out of aesthetic considerations; there has to be some further value to a design feature.

Both Udeshi’s stores cater for bespoke and ready to wear apparel and collections are supported with seasonal lines of accessories and footwear.

Udeshi is an active member of the British menswear industry and was elected youngest chairman of the British Menswear Guild in 2008.^[2] He became a board member of the UK Textile and Fashion Association in 2009. He also writes regular columns for the two industry magazines Drapers and Menswear Buyer.

References