THE CALIFORNIA COLLECTIONS : It’s Safety First

Spring wafted across L.A. fashion runways again. After showing a glimpse of their 1992 wares last month, the California designers held the official presentations of their spring and summer collections last week. The CaliforniaMart and the New Mart Building hosted shows that confirmed the early warning signs: There are no prevailing trends.

“The retailers are buying safe, so the designers are designing safe,” explains Denise Cohen-Scher, fashion director of the CaliforniaMart. “I sense a hesitancy to try new directions.”

With the vanguard muddling about in left field, the strongest collections were by designers who have always followed their own drummer.

Biya Ramars’ suits for Rated R were a standout. Especially feminine and sensible for summer office wear in Southern California was a gray suit with a short-sleeved jacket.

The short-sleeved jacket cropped up in other collections too, as did jackets with feminine necklines that precluded the need for a blouse. The office wear entries were some of the strongest runway looks.

Another local designer showing great promise is Lianne Barnes. Her best efforts were a short red knit evening dress that flared from jeweled shoulder straps and a navy top and skirt with gold intarsia trim.

There were some attempts at below-the-knee skirts, but even bold designers hedged their bets and incorporated only a few in their collections. Two of the most graceful efforts were a knife-pleated skirt attached to a zippered top by Yasyuko Bloom for the Antony Moorcroft line, and Kathy Cooper’s full skirt that was slit up the side for her K.C. Cooper line.

The long dresses that were a recurring theme in last month’s shows have undergone needed refinement. LaVonne Bates in her L. Bates collection showed a sensitivity to shape that many other designers of this genre lacked. Her ankle-grazing pink dress had a corset-like lace-up panel on the back that added definition to the waist, and a scooped-out neckline gave a sexy boost.

The most popular colors and constructions were soft, which made the stark black-and-white collections of Perry White, Emme Elle and Paparazzi by Lisa Black look crisp and refreshing.

The current state of design can be viewed as a lack of direction or an abundance of variety.

“We are looking at it optimistically,” said June Rau, fashion director for Nordstrom. “For the consumer it means more choices that can enhance a personal style.”