Project Catwalk's Jasper Garvida Launches Oli Fusion Line

 

Generally, Project Catwalk in the UK is like the little sister of the U.S. Project Runway - the designers are largely students dying to break into the fashion industry with their first line, whereas the series stateside showcases contestants who already run their own label or work for established and prominent designers. The difference in the quality of designs produced on the two shows is substantial, and for that reason I have to admit I enjoy Project Runway far more as everything about it is bigger and better, right down to the celebrity judges (Catwalk has featured Caprice and Victoria Silvstedt - more Maxim than Moschino).

But there was one exciting exception - on PC Series 3 - when a sweet and shy, Philipines-born, Canadian-raised and London trained, hugely talented 26 year-old named Jasper Garvida displayed his impressive couturier skills (he was chief designer for couture label Michiko Koshino) and wowed the judges (and secretly his peers, I'd hasten to guess). He won easily thanks to his exquisitely hand-detailed and absolutely stunning final collection (Zandra Rhodes admitted to being blown away) and has gone on to create a beautifully wearable high-end collection for A/W 2008 (see above).

Thanks to the enduring popularity of high street/designer collaborations, Jasper has teamed with online fashion retailer Oli.co.uk (love them!).  See Oli Fusion by Jasper Garvida - I especially love the dresses (and the price!):