Fall 2008 LA Fashion Week: Burgeoning Fashion Scene
Wednesday, March 19th, 2008
Although New York Fashion Week tends to get more press, Los Angeles’ burgeoning fashion scene should not be ignored. Last week’s Fall 2008 LA Fashion Week saw celebs, editors, and the local fashion cognoscenti congregate for a left coast style summit. These are a few of TrendCentrals favorite shows, designers and trends of the week:
Unusual Presentations:Perhaps one of the biggest trends of last week’s Fall 2008 LA Fashion Week festivities was the proliferation of designers who chose to forgo the commercial backdrop of Smashbox Studios (the longtime “official” location of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) and instead presented their collections at more inspired sites around town. Gen Art treated its loyal crowd of fashion enthusiasts to a taste of old Hollywood glamour by hosting their annual New Garde event at the Park Plaza Hotel, near downtown LA. Overlooking MacArthurPark, the historic building’s elegant staircases, vaulted ceilings, and restored grand rooms provided the perfect atmosphere for a trio of talented, up-and-coming designers to show their latest creations. Rather than utilizing a traditional runway, all three collections were shown via live fashion installation: models stood frozen in place—and strategically placed—like mannequins on display in a high fashion department store. Rising talent Jesse Kamm, best known for her limited edition, handcrafted pieces did not disappoint with a smart safari-themed collection of dresses and separates featuring fierce prints and wearable fabrics. The other two designers’ collections were decidedly more avant-garde: JMary favored one color (black) for her collection of sleek outerwear and sophisticated frocks, while beautifully tailored black and white pieces from Le Sang Des Betes evoked sharp contrasts.
Gen Art wasn’t the only show to attract the fashion flock to the Eastside. Jared Gold set up both a runway and a pop-up shop at LA’s historic Union Station, where guests were able to purchase select pieces and looks straight off the runway. And while the shows and events hosted by BOXeight weren’t as numerous as last season (when they easily rivaled Smashbox as “the” place to be), they still managed to attract sizable crowds with collections from Endovanera and The Battalion at their downtown headquarters.
Old Glamour: Prolific LA-based designer Sue Wong celebrated Prohibition Era style by hosting a ’20s and ’30s themed fashion fete at her recently renovated 1920s estate in Los Feliz. As always, Wong’s creations boasted intricate beadwork, vibrant colors and lush fabrics. While many of the gowns were reminiscent of flapper style, there were also some beautifully draped creations that would have been fit for a Grecian goddess. Ashley Paige presented a collection of “couture” bathing suits clearly inspired by the same era—and while swimwear collections are usually better suited for spring/summer, many of the pieces could easily double as ultra-femme underthings when temperatures drop.
Tailored Streetwear: While the whimsically inspired, ubercreative off-site shows certainly improved the typical LA Fashion Week festivities, Culver City wasn’t a total wash. A handful of notable designers, including Suh-Tahn, Elmer Ave, and Orthodox turned out some sophisticated streetwear looks for men and women, where old school masculinity and debonair style were overarching themes.
and for the Totally ’80s trashy look : Lauren Conrad, Nicky Hilton, and the Pussycat Dolls may have attracted the mainstream media, but it was another celebuspawned collection that brought high fashion accolades from industry tastemakers. Co-designed by Marissa Ribisi (Giovanni Ribisi’s sister and wife to Beck) and friend Sophia Banks, Whitley Kros introduced color and creativity to the runway with the debut of their blast-from-the-past-inspired collection. Trend Central loved the color block prints, vibrant DayGlo-hued separates, and swingy scarves and cardigans but we think otherwise!
