Founded by Ellis Flyte and Richard Ostell in 1991
Both Ellis Flyte and Richard Ostell had survived fashion's school of hard knocks - bankruptcy, backers and being flavour of the month - before joining forces in 1991. Ostell is a superb minimalist designer and Flyte has a flair for theatrical designs; together, they were regarded as the English equivalent to Zoran.
Ostell had worked with Romeo Gigli; Flyte in theatre, costume and television. The Flyte Ostell look - drawstring trousers, fluid tunics, silks and satins - was lauded by the pundits but relentlessly plagiarized. The business folded and they now work separately as consultant designers. As they commented at the time, `It seems to be what people want. The cut is right, the design is right, the time is right.'
