by Danny Chung (the modman) | Contributing Writer
Los Angeles is all about glitz and glamour. Red carpets, celebrity appearances and after-parties in Hollywood dominate the entertainment industry. Judging by Los Angeles Fashion Week events this past March, it seems that Los Angeles has “entertainment” engrained in almost every industry, including fashion. I had the opportunity to experience LAFW firsthand during spring break. Running around from event to event was extremely hectic but I enjoyed every minute of it.
Los Angeles Fashion Week (LAFW) officially took place March 16-March 25 at venues across Los Angeles – including, the California Market Center and Cooper Building in downtown LA, Fred Segal in Santa Monica, The Key Club on Sunset Blvd. among other various locations. I attended several fashion week events where I met and chatted with designers like Greg Alterman of Alternative Apparel, Richard Chai and Yotam Solomon, stylists, photographers and fashion PR giant Kelly Cutrone to learn more about their brand, creative inspiration, and business strategies. And this being Los Angeles, I spotted some of Hollywood’s young trendsetters and tastemakers such as Shenae Grimes, Olivia Munn, Monet Mazur, Peaches Geldof and Nikki Reed during the week.
In most other cities that host fashion shows, like New York City, Milan, Paris and London, designers have a runway show or presentation. A select few have after-parties to celebrate their season’s accomplishments and industry reviews. In Los Angeles, every runway and presentation was followed by a party. Yotam Solomon presented his Fall/Winter 2010 Collection at a Hollywood Hills private estate. Yotam frequently draws inspiration from his European and Middle Eastern roots and Southern California childhood and lifestyle. He makes use of geometry, architecture and cut-outs to form futuristic, avant-garde pieces, while using natural fabrics which compliment the silhouettes of the clothing. The models wore Solomon’s creations on a red carpet with the Hollywood Hills and greater Los Angeles as the backdrop where guests and photographers were mesmerized. Afterwards, guests went indoors for an intimate gathering to celebrate the new collection.
Alternative Apparel showcased its new collection at its downtown Los Angeles studio. The venue was transformed into a carnival-esque space, all produced by fashion production and PR powerhouse, People’s Revolution. Greg Alterman, designer for Alternative Apparel, focused on knits, layering, floral tights, overalls, long johns, waffle
thermals and even some tulle. The cuts and silhouettes were up-to-date but the overall feeling was a western nostalgia. The brand is known for its extremely comfortable and casual pieces, but this seasons show showed great promise for more styles. Kelly Cutrone and Brent Bolthouse DJ-ed the event until The Walkmen hit the stage during the after-party.
Another characteristic inherent to Los Angeles Fashion Week was that not all presentations were for highlighting individual designers. A few brands and showrooms, like What Goes Around Comes Around (WGACA), showcased their Fall/ Winter 2010 Collections as well. WGACA is a brand famous for carrying vintage goods at its unique boutique Soho and Hollywood stores. You can find one-of-a-kind clothing and jewelry at WGACA as well as pieces from the WGACA label. Seth Weisser (co-founder and President) and Gerard Maione (co-founder and Creative Director) celebrated the one year anniversary of the Hollywood boutique with a model installation and celebration party.
ConceptLA and BOXeight both held exceptional three-day exhibitions. ConceptLA had runway presentations by Chelsea Rebelle, B Scott, Fremont, Jen Awad, martinMARTIN and The Battalion. Mike Vensel shot photographs of models in his clothing upstairs while Farm Tactics created an organic shelter to showcase its pieces. The space represented what their brand is all about.
BOXeight Studios was a photography and creative haven during LAFW. Skin Graft, Gold Spun, Funktional, Kanvis, Future Heretics, Postage and a slew of other brands and designers shot their lookbook campaigns on-location. Designers and fashion brands create lookbooks, which are compilations of photographs of models in their clothing line. Lookbooks are typically compiled every season and sent to buyers, fans and potential investors to showcase their wares. Guests had the opportunity to observe the entire styling, shooting, editing and processing development. The three day event gave admirers the opportunity to witness what goes on behind-the-scenes. It was a unique approach and a creative alternative to a typical runway show.
The Green Initiative and Hope in the City were two great events with even greater causes. The Green Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show was sponsored by The Green Youth Movement (GYM). The show highlighted the very real issue of sustainability in fashion and showcased the work of designers who utilize eco-textiles, organic bamboos and fabrics, and environmentally-friendly dyes in their design processes. The Emily Factor show was fun and flirty while the Lizzie Parker pieces were uber-casual. Puridee presented simple dresses and gowns, which incorporated bridal elements. Hope in the City hosted their 3rd annual fashion show event that featured “a gallery of over 25 local and professional artists and a runway show of 22 established and up-and-coming designers. Each creation is centered on the theme “Wear Your Story.” All ticket proceeds went to Beyond US projects and serveLA.
Gen Art, BOXeight, FGI-LA, ConceptLA, Directives West, California Market Center, California Apparel News, Los Angeles Times IMAGE, LA Confidential Magazine, l.a. models, SMASHBOX and countless partners, sponsors and hosts made Los Angeles Fashion Week possible. The visions of these innovators created a truly unique experience. LAFW made me realize that Los Angeles has a unique personality, as does Los Angeles Fashion Week. LAFW is event-driven, but who says that’s a bad thing? Los Angeles knows how to have a good time, especially with fashion!
Danny Chung is a senior at UCLA and blogs, as the modman at themodman.net/www.modmen.wordpress. com/ and as the LA General Fashion Examiner at examiner.com, runway trends, fashion news, styling tips and event reviews. He has interned at entertainment and fashion public relations companies in NY and LA during his summers and has been to numerous New York and Los Angeles Fashion Week shows and events. Be sure to check out his blog and examiner page and follow his tweets at mm_modman!
