Ossie Clark London closes

After weeks of speculation, Ossie Clark London has fallen victim to the recession and closed its doors.

In 2007, Marc Worth, founder of WGSN – the fashion industry's online trend bible – relaunched the label after buying the name, and appointed the then little known designer, Avsh Alom Gur as head of design. They stayed true to the '60s romantic femininity of the cult designer, concentrating on long, flowing silhouettes, bright colours and prints. Recently, Nargess Gharani, one half of the design duo Gharani Strok, replaced Gur as head of design, and with her similar feminine sensibilities, she seemed to be the perfect match. Unfortunately, we won't see the direction that she would have taken Ossie Clark London. '[Ossie Clark] had so much potential, and it was unfulfilled,' Worth said of the designer at the time of re-launch, and now history seems to be repeating itself.

It is a very difficult period for fashion companies, new and established. Earlier this week it was revealed that the German luxury label Escada was on the brink of insolvency. Chairman Bruno Saelzer announced that while he hoped it wouldn't come to that, the group was ‘in a very difficult situation', with enough liquidity to last until August, but not beyond. The company, whose fans include Katie Holmes, are said to be in talks with shareholders to avoid the worst.