L.A.’s girlie girls get a punch of Paris attitude
Louis Verdad brought a little bit of Paris to L.A. on Sunday night, when he kicked off the fall runway shows at Smashbox Studios.
Yes, front-row fixture Paris Hilton was in the house, barely looking up from her Sidekick to explain why: “I think it’s the best show of L.A. Fashion Week,” she said. “And he’s going to give me the whole line.”
But let’s forget about the freeloading heiress for a moment and focus on that other Paris. With this collection, Verdad carried over the aggressive mood that wound down the European season a few weeks ago, and placed himself at the head of the L.A. designer pack. For once, a collection shown here felt as if it was in sync with the greater world of fashion.
Since he began showing more than four years ago, Verdad has developed a reputation for hyper-feminine, 1940s-inspired suits with a dash of silver screen style. But this season, he left his comfort zone and found his edge, turning to the 1980s -- this fall’s favorite decade -- and playing with the masculine/feminine theme. He narrowed the silhouette, put focus on the waist and sexed up suits with slick patent leather, all perfectly in tune with fashion’s new power woman.
The show began with a tableau in black and white a la Helmut Newton. The first look was a great pair of black leggings with a tuxedo stripe, topped by a white poplin shirt with a skinny tie, and a menswear-inspired jacket that fanned out into sheer pleats in the back. Verdad picked up on the trend of wide, waist-cinching patent leather belts started by Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent a few seasons back, and they were here in spades, circling a white zipper-front shirtdress with sheer insets at the shoulders, and a double-breasted glen plaid trench dress.
The collection was full of surprising color and fabric combinations. Verdad came up with one of the season’s more interesting sweater dresses -- an intriguing contrast in ivory knit and black chiffon, with a cable-knit yoke and front panel, offset by a sheer sweep of a skirt and full chiffon sleeves. A flirty, ivory cashmere cardigan with ruffles around the shoulders and wrists looked smart over wide tweed trousers, and a brown-and-gold boucle jacket with a glossy black patent back was perched atop black cigarette pants and gleaming patent platform pumps.
Verdad’s evening wear has often looked costumey but this season he struck just the right real-world note. Who wouldn’t want to wear a slim, black cocktail dress with an explosion of shredded ruffles in the front, or a floor-sweeping gown in a striking black-and-gold rose jacquard dotted with black silk flower appliques?
The day’s other big show was from Kevan Hall, who took inspiration from “Mahogany,” Barry Gordy’s deliciously cheesy 1975 film, which has Diana Ross going from the ghetto to fashion school to the runway and beyond. Working in a palette of earthy browns and creams punctuated with jewel tones, Hall captured the 1970s look that’s all over the streets now, with fun little fur vests and jackets, blouses with billowing sleeves and wide tweed trousers. A tunic top made of Swakara (Persian lamb) was worn over skinny gold brocade pants, an amethyst raccoon stroller jacket topped a tiny satin skirt, and a white mink duffle coat was inset with black crocodile strips.
One wished he would have pushed the theme a bit further before moving into evening wear. But Hall -- the go-to guy for the “Desperate Housewives,” who has outfitted Felicity Huffman and others for red carpet events -- no doubt wanted to show off what he can do.
The best dress was cocktail length and off the shoulder, with a brown satin bodice and a lolling skirt covered in vermicelli-like embroidery. Gowns came in disco brights, one in turquoise silk jersey, ruched at the sides, and another in traffic-stopping red point d’esprit with a dreamy sheer overlay that made the whole thing float. Hall makes a great blouse, too, in emerald taffeta with bishop sleeves lovingly puckered and sewn, worn over a slender brown velvet skirt.
But the show could have used an edit. Several looks seemed to come out of nowhere, like a rose bustier with squiggle-like embroidery and the peach and gold jacquard bubble dress. Pretty, sure, but Diva Diana, no.
Of course not every designer shows at Smashbox, and not every designer has eyes trained on the red carpet. Corinne Grassini’s label, Society for Rational Dress, is named after the Victorian-era dress reform movement that urged women to ditch their boned corsets in favor of more realistic, comfortable silhouettes. An L.A. native, Grassini had her runway debut in April 2004 at the Gen Art show, and in just a few seasons has created a look that is basic but sublimely cool.
She showed her collection Saturday in her new offices in downtown’s Toy Warehouse Lofts building. Originally constructed in 1907, the airy space with red brick walls was the perfect backdrop for Grassini’s easy pieces with industrial touches, including slouchy suede totes with washer chains for handles, and a taupe wool bolero with a placket that is 10% metal “so it can be scrunched and hold its shape,” the designer explained.
A hooded dress in a tutti-frutti speckled wool looked cozy enough to sleep in, as did a gray, boiled-wool shawl coat with long ends that tie in front. A taupe, button-front silk blouse was pulled tight with a drawstring over the top of cream wool leggings, tucked into leather boots with antique brass rivets. And in a season full of capes, Grassini’s wool jersey version with a squared-off black leather yoke was a standout.
Jewelry designer-turned-clothing designer Chan Luu invited guests to her home, Hill House in the Pacific Palisades, to see her fall collection. The house is built on a steep cliff, and the angular structure focuses attention on a panoramic view of the Santa Monica Canyon. Walk through a tiny door into the glass living room and you feel as if you’re a bird high up in a tree. Unfortunately, the subtle 1920s-inspired collection almost disappeared against the backdrop. Highlights included a brown silk coat of shredded ruffles, a black crushed cotton pleated dress with a crochet collar, a mauve cropped cashmere wrap sweater with braided edges and a gray silk bubble dress layered over a longer silk bubble skirt.
But with the sliding glass doors open exposing two sides of the room entirely to the outdoors, it was difficult to think about anything but that tease of a Pacific breeze.
