Californians Cast Their Nets
Richard Tyler was the final designer to show his spring collection here last week, but that certainly was not by choice. Although about 300 people attended the Saturday afternoon show at his Gramercy Park townhouse, that was half the number expected two days earlier when Hurricane Floyd forced the rescheduling.
It’s too bad so many skipped the show to go home, shop or enjoy a beautiful clear day. The Los Angeles designer’s finale to Fashion Week here was truly grand. He offered visions of mermaids in a lovely collection that was refreshingly free of the denim, ruffles, fringe and Western themes seen repeatedly at shows earlier in the week.
“I threw out a fisherman’s net and caught sea goddesses. Fashion is about fantasy,” Tyler said backstage after the show at his five-story home and workplace.
He captured the sea in colors of driftwood, aqua, sea grass, pearl, abalone and oyster shells, in clothes that seemed to float on models adorned to look like mermaids, with floor-length, streaked hair extensions intertwined with lavender and silver tinsel.
The most romantic looks were his luminous evening wear made of airy tulle, chiffon and hand-painted organza. Unlike overtly revealing gowns seen on other runways, Tyler’s emphasized femininity, not nakedness. He topped long, silk tulle layered skirts with aprons that were crocheted or beaded in fishnet patterns. He created supple dress forms with couture touches of pleats, hand tucks and dramatic drapery.
For daytime, Tyler offered leather sportswear with crochet cutouts on trousers, vests and jackets. He favored brown, coconut and chamois.
His use of fine fabrics, exquisite tailoring and color demonstrated why the CaliforniaMart is recognizing him Oct. 3 for his commitment to design excellence.
Roxy by Quiksilver, another CaliforniaMart award winner, showed a day later because of the hurricane.
The Huntington Beach company’s three designers--Chelsea Burggren, 23, of Costa Mesa, and Julie Harris, 29, and Lissa Zwahlen, 39, both of Santa Monica--recast 1940s and ‘50s Hawaiian prints in new colors and put them on bikinis, hot pants, wraparound skirts and halter tops. They used halters not only as tops but as aprons over minis and capris.
The CaliforniaMart is recognizing Roxy, which showed here for the fourth time, for helping to position California fashion nationally.
