This rare trouser suit was designed by Ossie Clark in the late 1960s to early 1970s. This is the classic Ossie design that has made him one of the most enduring and admired fashion designers of the 20th century. It is fully labelled and from one of Ossie's early and costly mainline collections - they are much rarer than Radley retailed pieces.

The suit is fashioned from cream moss crepe, a crinkly, tactile fabric with a moss-like texture known for its flexibility when draped. It was a signature cloth of the label. The jacket is tailored to a V-neck, button-down style, where it closes with pink satin-covered buttons. A detachable wide pink satin belt finishes the waist. The neckline is detailed with pale pink satin with a pretty scallop hemline. The trousers have a very high waist cut and a wide silhouette that flares out towards the floor. They are fastened at the back with a hidden tonal zip and hook-and-eye clasp. Both the jacket and trousers are unlined. We have attached archival photos of identical Ossie trouser suits from the same period made from his signature moss crepe.

This two-piece ensemble is in very good vintage condition, bordering on excellent overall. We have sold many outstanding Ossie Clark examples over the years including this suit - twice. His pieces were often worn to death and altered but we see no evidence of that here and it has been well looked after. We have expertly cleaned the ensemble and the fabric is fresh looking with no visible mends. We have tried our best to remove some halo saining under the arms and whilst it has faded considerably from when we acquired the ensemble - some very faint marks remain. There are a few pin pricks on the right satin lapel which were very difficult to photograph and shown here. Labelled a size UK 14, this is better suited in modern sizing to no bigger than a UK 6 or US 2 with a tiny waist as Ossie Clark trousers are notoriously slim fitting. The fabric is labelled “moss crepe” which is 100% Polyester. It has the smallest amount of stretch.

Notes on Designer: Ossie Clark was a highly influential British fashion designer in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1965 he graduated from the Royal College of Art with a first class degree and immediately began selling his work in exclusive London boutiques including Alice Pollock’s Quorum. Here he created a collection with textile designer and soon to be wife Celia Birtwell, one of the most famous collaborations in fashion history. Quorum was bought by Radley in the late 1960s which led to the ‘Ossie Clark for Radley’ label. Today, his distinctive dresses are highly sought after and admired by celebrities such as Kate Moss and Emma Watson.

MEASUREMENTS TOP

BUST - 36 in. (91 cm)

WAIST - 24 in. (61 cm)

HIP - 44 in. (112 cm)

LENGTH - 24.5 in. (62 cm)

SHOULDERS - 16 in. (41 cm)

MEASUREMENTS TROUSERS

WAIST - 26 in. (66 cm)

HIP - 38 in. (97 cm)

LENGTH - 44 in. (112 cm)

RISE - 14 in. (36 cm)