Los Angeles S/s 2004 article

Spacemiu

Active Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2003
Messages
9,304
Reaction score
4
LA times October 30, 2003

SPRING 2004 COLLECTIONS
L.A.
'We can do clothes that are avant-garde but also wearable,' says designer Bao Tranchi, as L.A.'s fashion week gets lively

By Booth Moore, Times Staff Writer


At last, Los Angeles' fashion week is coming of age. For too long, L.A. style has been characterized either by one-of-a-kind, reworked vintage pieces, the now-ubiquitous Juicy Couture sweat suit or low-slung jeans. But this season, designers are finally realizing that to have a vital fashion week, they have to go beyond the experimental and the obvious to create clothes that make a runway show worthwhile.

A little showmanship doesn't hurt either.

Designer Bao Tranchi's fiancé and business partner, Jack Atlantis, who performed in L.A.'s glam rock Club Makeup at the El Rey Theatre a few years back, set the tone for her high-spirited show at Smashbox Studios by singing David Bowie's "Scary Monsters."

What followed was a sultry procession of models carrying birdcages, lanterns and parasols, evoking the Vietnamese designer's birthplace :woot: . They wore kimono-like suede coats and corseted leather jackets with jagged hems inspired, Tranchi said, by everything from 15th century armor to her Asian heritage.

Her most interesting pieces, however, were dramatic, hand-distressed silk jersey gowns in midnight blue or burgundy, stretched over the body, with cobweb-like crochet detailing around the shoulders :heart: . "We don't need to dress in jeans, T-shirts and sweats," said Tranchi, 24, one of the most promising talents to come out of the first few days of runway shows here. "We can do clothes that are avant-garde but also wearable."

Corey Lynn Calter, a graduate of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology who has created costumes for the Los Angeles and San Francisco operas, captured the freewheeling fun of her childhood summers at the Jersey shore in the 1970s without too many retro references. A jaunty umbrella print, splashed on a cotton halter-top minidress, could chase even the darkest storm clouds away. And a long skirt in a lively jungle print brought to mind the poolside condo chic of "Three's Company's" Mrs. Roper — in a good way.

Miami's 18-year-old sensation Esteban Cortazar :sick: opened the shows at the Downtown Standard hotel, reprising his New York collection. Each gown was more striking than the last, including a kind of tie-dyed satin with Swarovski crystals wound round the waist to create a toga-like effect.

Petro Zillia's Nony Tochterman has the design process down to a science: She creates her prints on a computer. Her best was emblazoned with bold white flowers and repeating rainbows, which turned up on breezy silk chiffon shells, halter dresses and full skirts. Eternally inspired by Rose Bowl flea market finds, she also crafted an interesting pink patchwork coat out of the kind of embroidered flowers one might find on an old tablecloth there. But a tube top sprouting multicolored silk scarves looked like a magic trick gone awry.

A rare and vintage fabric enthusiast, :heart: Magda Berliner :heart: was at the forefront of L.A.'s one-of-a-kind clothing movement, although she's also moved into ready-to-wear recently. Her most wearable collection to date included a wrap top in a purple ink-stain print with chain-mail borders, paired with gray stripe gauchos, and a gray fleece sack coat with a silver leather collar worn over a fan-pleated, multicolor "circus" print dress. But some of the looks — namely a tea-colored floral dress with a bodice made from wrapped fuchsia elastic ribbons and a messy, unfinished hem — seemed out of step with the more polished mood in fashion right now.

Elsewhere, designers took soft dressing in new and different directions. Pegah Anvarian, a stylist who has worked with the B-52s, draped models in yards of delicious cashmere silk jersey, creating ponchos, sexy halter dresses and wrap skirts in mouthwatering shades of mint green and Creamsicle orange. The garments that Anvarian chose to rip holes in didn't work, including a bright yellow finale gown with a deep V front and a long train that resembled a piece of Swiss cheese.

Some might say that Yohanna Logan of Shawn was a season too late with her ode to Peggy Moffitt :heart: . But instead of interpreting mod literally, she gave minidresses an athletic twist, fashioning them out of gray sweatshirt fabric with bold black, red and white polka dots. Satin sweats in a tiny polka dot pattern were cute and street-ready, as was a motocross jacket in a satin heart print. Less successful were long halter dresses with graphic, Adidas-like stripes running around the neck and down the sides. For some reason, the dresses were stuffed to make the models appear seriously pregnant.

Cynthia Vincent's Twelfth Street collection was wearable, if not memorable. Low-slung cotton pants in army green or gray were paired with striped racer-back tanks or flirty chiffon blouses with clusters of silver sequins, and a melon-colored satin dress knotted at the shoulder was toughened up with frayed armholes.

One only has to look at the pale rose satin jacket with perfectly pinched shoulders to know that Richard Tyler protégé Michelle Mason :heart: has talent. But too often she relies on military details (epaulets, cargo pockets etc.). Her best pieces were in a muted khaki or blue seersucker, including a slim, cuffed pant and a jacket, nipped at the waist with peaked shoulders, again expertly cut. Mason could also have benefited from a good edit: By the time khaki dresses with interesting red leather insets and jewel-toned chiffon gowns came down the runway, everyone's eyes had glazed over.

For the ladies who lunch, David Rodriguez offered floral tweed or embroidered pinstripe suits, though some of the fabrics were so thin, you could see the shoulder pads through them. It felt a little like low-budget Carolina Herrera.

Jackie Rogers, the 71-year-old former fit model for Coco Chanel, seemed to be courting the Phyllis Diller set with feather flocked pants and jackets. But gowns with laser cut, lantern-shaped flowers cascading down from one shoulder were breathtaking.

"She even gave an old Jurassic dinosaur like me a chance," said 1970s-era model Janice Dickinson, who is nearing 50.

I thought this article was coming from avery traditional point of view, but still im exited for LA fashion designers
 
I only caught 2 shows [ as four/j scott],,,,,but here are a few photos from the collections :arrow:

Alvin Valley

http://www.***************/image/1028200316195016.jpghttp://www.***************/image/1028200316195148.jpg

Bao Tranchi

http://www.***************/image/1028200316190944.jpghttp://www.***************/image/1028200316191162.jpg
 
shawn
http://www.***************/image/1028200316191336.jpg

jackie rodgers

http://www.***************/image/1028200316191468.jpg

jenni kayne
http://www.***************/image/1030200318212653.jpg

magda berliner

http://www.***************/image/1030200318212827.jpg
 
michell mason

http://www.***************/image/1030200318213037.jpg
12th st. cynthia vincent
http://www.***************/image/1030200318213159.jpg
tree
http://www.***************/image/1030200318213289.jpg

over all a bit boring-IMO
 
bjork was at as four


http://www.***************/image/1028200316194751.jpg
 
The only outfits I remotely,just a smidge liked was Magda Berliner,Michelle Mason and Tree. Overall,however,I'm in agreement with Lolita* :huh:

Space* I thought you were a fashion designer too? Where were you at? :wink:
 
I think the "problem" with LA fashion/ designers is of course they are 'late' and trendy, but when you give people what they want the feeling is predictable/friendly.....but when you give something unexpected and something they never knew they wanted its much more " buzzworthy" . Understood these are small designers just in the beginning stages of their career, but if you arent going to take a risks, you will be invisibale. and these LA designers are invisable.

i mean. just look at this thread....nobody is responding.....these pictues arent even worth talking about..... :cry: :doh:
 
Originally posted by LolitaLuxe@Nov 3rd, 2003 - 7:39 pm
I think the "problem" with LA fashion/ designers is of course they are 'late' and trendy, but when you give people what they want the feeling is predictable/friendly.....but when you give something unexpected and something they never knew they wanted its much more " buzzworthy" . Understood these are small designers just in the beginning stages of their career, but if you arent going to take a risks, you will be invisibale. and these LA designers are invisable.

i mean. just look at this thread....nobody is responding.....these pictues arent even worth talking about..... :cry: :doh:
And usually,its in the beginning stages when a designer tends to experiment more and takes such risks.

I think,truly,its all a matter of hype. You can only generate so much before it just goes downhill. The first couple fashion weeks I saw wasn't bad but thereafter it got a bit hit and miss.
 
shawn has changed a bit i noticed.......she had these colorful tanks/ halter tops with sea horses , all over melrose for riculous prices. i didnt like her line at all....but now she has jumped on the 80's bandwagon ??? the dresses with hoods are cute and i would wear it, but im still not interested in her as a designer.these local designers are crap to me. joey and t as well. their small line of skirts are boring and trendy. i see more interesting stuff in nyc city in small made to order boutiques. These LA shows tend to cater to LA -thats it.


i wont even begin to explain ehat i think of that 'orange peel' jenni kayne number :huh:
 
Originally posted by Scott@Nov 3rd, 2003 - 5:17 pm

Space* I thought you were a fashion designer too? Where were you at? :wink:
:lol: some day :P

I deffinetly agree with Lo* that most of the LA fashion seen is catering to just LA an dthat its a little trendy.



However there are some really taleted LA avat garde designers like Martin Martin,Grey Ant , and Jared Gold.
 
Originally posted by LolitaLuxe@Nov 2nd, 2003 - 9:31 pm
bjork was at as four


http://www.***************/image/1028200316194751.jpg
Bjork looks niceeeee :heart:

LolitaLuxe, I agree with your other comments about L.A. Fashion Week. I finally saw the show on Full Frontal and nothing really caught my attention. I kept saying "this is so L.A." I will say since I'm a fan of draping, I liked some of Pegah's pieces.
 
Originally posted by Spacemiu@Nov 3rd, 2003 - 9:16 pm


I deffinetly agree with Lo* that most of the LA fashion seen is catering to just LA an dthat its a little trendy.

Indeed. I've gone to several fashion shows here in Hell-A (Spring and Summer) and most collections cater to the "in" crowd of Hollywood, ie: celebrities.

They are mostly "tease and please" collections. It's interesting, but not new, fresh or groundbreaking.

And another thing is, LA fashion shows are not planned that well.

I went to one fashion show where the first few models literally had to shove a bunch people out of their way just so they could march down the cat walk....security just stood there drooling at their boobs exposed through the sheer tops.

What's so professional and proper about that?! Grrr...makes me mad.

I hope LA takes fashion superseriously. Someday I'm sure it will be mentioned in the same breath as "Milan," "New York" or "Paris" but it might take some time.

And then there are tFSers like Lo' and 'Miu who I'm sure will accelerate the process. :heart: :flower: :blush:
 
Originally posted by contessacolette@Nov 16th, 2003 - 1:54 am


I hope LA takes fashion superseriously. Someday I'm sure it will be mentioned in the same breath as "Milan," "New York" or "Paris" but it might take some time.

And then there are tFSers like Lo' and 'Miu who I'm sure will accelerate the process. :heart: :flower: :blush:
i think so to, tehre are some many intresting indie people here who sell to oen or twos tores an dare so talented. :flower:

thanks so much contessa :heart: youl get lots of free dresses when is tart my company! :woot:
 

Users who are viewing this thread

New Posts

Forum Statistics

Threads
210,541
Messages
15,118,252
Members
84,193
Latest member
Yams Yamborghini
Back
Top
monitoring_string = "058526dd2635cb6818386bfd373b82a4"