Los Angeles Fashion Week Fall 2004

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From fashionweekdaily.com

L.A. Report: Sue Wong, Sheri Bodell, Heike Jarick, Gen Art
Romance, rock and roll, and dis-invited style writers

Thursday, April 01, 2004

SUE WONG

THE LOOK: The theme of Sue Wong's fall show was "Ode a l'Odalisque" - an ode to muses of all kinds - and if that seems overtly romantic, well, so were the 61 looks. Amusingly, the models hair was piled high with jeweled towers of braiding, and sometimes it was hard to tell if Wong - whose beaded flapper dresses have made her a big hit at retail - was pulling a Galliano, Oscar de la Renta, or Bob Mackie. But remove the rococo styling, and there were plenty of wearable - and well-priced - evening clothes: crystal-fringed chiffon gowns, embroidered satin waistcoats over slim pants, chiffon fishtail hemmed gowns in rose beaded prints, and drop-waist gowns fashioned out of ombré-d fabrics and exotic layers of beads. Our favorites: the cocktail length "Zelda" dresses - her specialty - particularly a dusty lavender ‘20s number, and one bronze flapper dress named for Josephine Baker. Leave the sweat suits to Juicy, this woman loves romantic nostalgia. A girls gotta get dressed at some point, right?

SEEN: Janice Dickinson, pushing her way frantically into the shoot before the guards were letting anyone in - leaving fashionistas rolling their eyes. Tons of retailers and buyers.


NOT SEEN: L.A. Times Fashion Writer Booth Moore, who was told at the check-in desk that Sue Wong had officially "uninvited" her, due to her review last season.
MERLE GINSBERG

 

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SHERI BODELL

THE LOOK: Rock ‘n’ roll inspired a collection packed with studded jackets, embroidered leather formfitting dresses and jodhpurs that clung like second skins. A comparatively demure color palette saved the collection from getting too garish: blush, peach, rose, nude, and ivory softened the hard edges as did the lightweight jersey and silk pieces. Bodell’s rock chick is also a lady.


HEARD:
Sharon Stone
“Sheri Bodell is a dear friend of mine. I adore her clothing—she is hip without being too trendy, her cut is amazing, [and] she knows how to flatter. She made me this leather suit years ago and I still wear it…Do you like my bag? It’s by a lady in Charleston: Moo Roo. I use only her bags now. This is an orange stingray—isn’t it cool?”


Angie Harmon
“I am a big fan of Sheri—she is very fashion forward but classic at the same time. I always feel at ease in her pieces and I think her sense of color is superb.”
TANYA JENSEN

 

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HEIKE JARICK

THE LOOK: German-born Heike Jarick’s experience at Krizia, Trussardi, Anne Klein and Searle inspired her own label, launched in 1999. She has a solid reputation in L.A. and fall’s multipurpose luxe looks did not disappoint the eager crowd who clapped their way through much of the show. The collection featured cape jackets in mohair, knits with convertible sleeves, miniskirts with removable wraps, gathered-waist pants with strings, and reversible pleated hood jackets. Ever-present: herringbone twill skirts and cropped pants. Heike also offered some sexy eveningwear: a gold bustier leather dress and a gold gown in metallic jersey.


OVERHEARD:
“That was by far the best show of the week, it was brilliant.”
TANYA JENSEN

 

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GEN ART

THE LOOK: At a studio space in Culver City, Gen Art presented their ‘The New Garde’ where designers Coryn Madley, Society for Rational Dress, and Cosa Nostra showed live fashion collections and self-designed sets. The installations were an impressive and elaborate mix.
Coryn Madley, a St. Martins alum, showed intricate knitwear with a strong vintage-y vibe for her line, Madleyknow. The collection looked as if she’d scoured thrift stores and reworked her finds with lace, crochet pieces, and sparkly sequins.
Society for Rational Dress by Corinne Grassini offered sleek, minimalist style with silk baby doll tops and shorts in sherbet pastels paired with standout striped metallic boots.
Cosa Nostra by Jeff Sebelia and Michel Berandi was dark and avant-garde. Skull and bone detailing ran a bit goth, but the leather and denim pants were a hit.

SEEN: DJ Samantha Ronson played for Taryn Manning, Phoebe Price, Lourdes Colon, Lydia Cornell, and Meredith Phillips at Ten9Fifty Studios.
TANYA JENSEN

 

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Sue Wong

 

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Sue Wong

 

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Sue Wong

 

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Gen Art

 

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Heike Jarick

 

[Spacemiu]

My favoriet shwos this season from LA where Gen Arts&Martin Martin , I also liked Trina Turk.

I was disapoitned taht some of my favoriets didn't show


i was dispointed by Louis Verdads show as well, i think eh fell alittle to much into his spanish style.

 

[Spacemiu]

Trina Turk

 

[Spacemiu]

Martin Martin

 

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From fashionweekdaily.com

L.A. Report: Custo, Pegah, Jenni Kayne
Baywatch bodies only need apply

LOS ANGELES: Wednesday, March 31, 2004

CUSTO BARCELONA

THE LOOK: Leave it to a Spanish designer to get New York supermodels on the L.A. runway: supes Alek Wek, Tiuu, and Ujwalla stunned the crowd by bringing high fashion cred to an L.A. catwalk. But a lot of those catcalls were for the clothes: an eighties redux of layered pieces over black leggings with Custo’s colorful print edge. The notes claimed Studio 54 and Bond girls as influences, but really it was more Fiorucci, particularly in the styling: red high heels and Marisa Berenson poufy bedroom hair. The hoodies, vests, white printed coats, colorblock dresses and blouson tops were perfect L.A. streetwear and highly wearable. And the girls’ faces painted on the layered T’s were witty and signature Custo. The best, freshest and most standout looks were a gray and cream lace print coat, worn over gold pants, and the yummy fuzzy bolero knits layered over turtlenecks. There was even a peach fur shrug bolero layered over a mini over leggings. All that piece-y layering could seem repetitive and redundant– but it’s exactly how girls in L.A. like to dress – and undress. Kudos to Custo. Now – can we get some decent tapes in this town?



SCENE: Amy Smart, Anna Getty, Jack Osbourne, Sara Rue, Kimberley Elise, party planner Brent Bolthouse, Bryan Rabin, NY Times’ George Koutisopolous, Guinevere van Seenus, Jessica Paster, and a gaggle of L.A. club kids



HEARD:
“L.A. fashion week is fun,” said Jack Osbourne, never one to miss any kind of party. “My mom buys all my clothes, so I never have any idea what to buy. Now if I want to buy a girl something, I might get a clue.”


“Can you imagine what they paid those models to come here from NY?” asked the NY Times Magazine’s George Koutsipolous, who was also styling Frankie B’s show. “That’s what happens when you have a budget.”

 

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JENNI KAYNE

THE LOOK: She’s only 21, but Jenni Kayne – the FAO Schwartz heiress-turned-designer – pulled in fashion week’s hottest crowd to date, and her clothes stood up to her star power. With a reference to Diana Rigg’s character in the Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” Kayne showed ruched black satin dresses (a little YSL gypsy collection redux), groovy black cropped pants (an L.A. staple), and cute short-sleeved capelets (the trend that will not die – but is hardly ever worn). When she started tying yellow fur wraps over brown cocktail dresses, things really started to get interesting. She’s good with eye-catching detail: her tunic blouses have unusual balloons of satin at the cuff—great to look at, but hard to eat dinner in. Her best pieces were done in sequins – a silver sequin skirt in knee length and a mini, tied over pants, topped by a camisole. A tunic in all silver sequins looked great over a short black cocktail skirt, and when a gray hoodie got thrown in the mix, it was even more fun. Of course, there were halter tops and flounce skirts in a variety of fabrics and combos: “L.A. is all about halter and flounces,” observed one New Yorker. All the better to go with cleavage and stilettos, my dear. Kayne’s gowns included a gold sequin burn-out fabric and the finale, a white cashmere robe coat trimmed in fur. It was luxe meets cute, and isn’t that what L.A. is all about?


SEEN: Dustin Hoffman and his whole family, Owen Wilson, Farrah Fawcett and Alana Stewart, Jared Leto, Lara Flynn Boyle, Alexis Bledel, Anthony Kiedis, David Cardona, and Kimberley Stewart on the runway.


HEARD:
“I know Jenni, she’s a friend of mine,” said Lara Flynn Boyle. “And she’s a very good friend – because I’m missing a Laker game for her show. But I wanted to support Jenni and L.A. fashion week.


“My son Jake went to high school with Jenni,” said Dustin Hoffman. “I left the John Kerry benefit to come here with my kids and support her. I even missed Kerry’s speech.”
MERLE GINSBERG

 

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PEGAH ANVARIAN

THE LOOK: Who needs Kabbalah? Pegah worships at the temple of the body. Pegah’s knitwear – thin thin cashmere fashioned into mini halter dresses, halter tunics over leggings, ponchos and strapless alpaca dresses – are soft, clingy, and drapey in mostly blacks, amethysts, magentas and crème. It’s a damn good thing she’s an L.A. designer, because it’s hard to believe bodies in any other part of the country looking good in these clothes. But if you’re a gym and pilates rat, have a trainer four times a week, have zero cellulite, and love the ‘80s – Pegah’s knits are easy pieces to add to a closet. Occasionally there was even something to wear to work – a black cashmere belted coat over soft pants was surprisingly demure. But who works in LA anyway?



SEEN: Teen Vogue’s Amy Hill Brown, superstar hairdresser Chris McMillan (with braces!), Jacqui Getty, Rachel Leigh Cook, Kimberley Elise, Kelly Rutherford, Jessica Paster


HEARD: “I heard L.A. fashion week was an oxymoron,” said Rachel Leigh Cook, “but I thought these clothes were pretty cute.”

 

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From vogue.co.uk

FASHION, LA STYLE

LOS ANGELES fashion week kicked off on Monday, with an aggressively-beautiful collection from Parisian couturier Lloyd Klein. The designer, who was involved in a car accident in February that ruined his face and left him in a coma, made a spectacular comeback, with his line receiving rave reviews. Before a star-studded audience, including Angela Bassett and Nicky Hilton, Keira Chaplin and her fellow models paraded down the runway in sexed-up tribal fashions consisting of deep purple velvet pantsuits, fitted faux fur and satin jackets and sexy YSL-esque skirts with feathers dripping from them. Distressed leather safari jackets also featured, as did wild leopard prints, paired most originally with frothy tulle ballet tutus. Accents came in the shape of gold tribal necklaces, white knee-high boots and big, big hair. Grrr. (1 April 2004, AM)

 

[Atelier]

Ashley Paige and susanelizabeth were sorely missed. Loved the look of Frankie B. I liked Editte Keshihyan and some looks from Coco Kliks. Maria Bianca Nero came out with okay stuff too.

As far as a fashion week, L.A. really doesn't rank with the Big Four, the Brazilian or Iberian shows, I think.

 

[purplelucrezia]

Nothing here really stood out for me...

 

[Atelier]

Originally posted by Atelier@Apr 7th, 2004 - 10:31 am
Ashley Paige...[was] sorely missed.

But she'll be back!

WWD A New Paige for Swimwear Designer

By Marcy Medina

LOS ANGELES — Since introducing 15 hand-knit viscose bathing suits at the Miami Swim Show in 2001, Los Angeles-based swimwear designer Ashley Paige has found widespread interest from retailers, and difficulty keeping up with the increasing consumer demand for her pricey, one-of-a-kind product.

At the same time, she is challenged by how to expand her $200,000 boutique business into a more profitable one. So she’s doing what many other designers have done before her: making the transition from high end to more affordable styles, as well as sportswear pieces, both of which are less labor-intensive, can be mass produced and have higher profit margins.

Paige showed some of these items, including a nude jersey bias-cut dress with an A-line skirt and empire waist, a wide-leg jumpsuit, high-waisted tennis shorts, rompers and mesh sweaters, during her spring/summer show at L.A. fashion week last November. Since then, they have become some of her current bestsellers, and she plans to introduce a line of transitional sweaters at the Miami Swim Show in July.

Paige has moved production of all of these pieces to Brazil, where half of her 33-piece collection is now produced. The other half, her viscose swimsuits, is still made in her Hollywood studio and showroom space.

“I want to build off of this because it’s doing so well. I’m adding more dresses and tops with T-shirt-inspired silhouettes in knit viscose,” said Paige.

The sweater-knit tops feature sporty details like contrasting textured knits at the cuffs and neck, and wholesale prices will range from $50 for a knit T-shirt to $130 for a dress.

But Paige has also broadened her focus in the swim arena. This spring, she launched macramé and pointelle knit suits and space-dyed jacquard suits, both machine-made in Brazil. The patterns are more graphic, the colors more muted and the knits denser than her signature line, which are mostly bright pastel solids with some contrasting trim. These suits wholesale for $90 to $110, less than the $150 for the signature line.

Currently, Paige’s swimwear is sold in 80 specialty stores worldwide, including Xin and Kitson in L.A., Tracey Ross in West Hollywood and Crush in Malibu, and other fashion-forward boutiques in London, Canada and Spain.

Neely Shearer, co-owner of Melrose Avenue boutique Xin, has carried Paige’s line for two-and-a-half years.

“We ordered and already sold out of 35 pieces for spring, so I tripled my order for summer and I’m sure we’ll sell out of that,” Shearer said.

The Robertson Boulevard boutique Kitson, carrying Paige for the first time this spring, “went crazy” ordering her summer line this week, said owner Fraser Ross.

“The swim business is a short cycle, from February to August, so I want to capitalize on that time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kitson buyer Christina Minasian said she plans to merchandise Paige’s sportswear pieces — silk shorts and off-the-shoulder knit tops — with the store’s clothing, rather than its swimwear.

“Her pieces sell to people who aren’t just looking for a swimsuit,” she said.

Paige decided last summer to look for production overseas, going first to Hong Kong, then Brazil. She found a small mom-and-pop factory in that country that could produce 500 units per month, paltry by big business standards, but still a significant increase from her previous 50 to 100 units per month.

“People lose a lot of business when they can’t find the right partnerships,” she said. “In Brazil, I can pump out quality cut-and-sew separates, so I’m trying to grow more there because I see it as an opening to profit.”

Operations are growing on the home front, as well. Paige is reconfiguring her suite to house six employees, as well as four new sewing machines. It means making the airy showroom space a bit smaller, but it’s a necessary trade-off.

She’s also planning for the next 12 months, which include new designs (dolman-sleeved boat neck tops and long-sleeved swimsuits), another runway show in November, and a new line of Lycra spandex swimsuits that will wholesale for $45 to $60 in department stores.

“If I could make that transition to more mass-market business, then I could take it to the next level,” she said. “But I have to be careful not to bite off more than I can chew.”