And the Winners Are: Oscar Togs Worth Copying
Every year, women’s-wear manufacturer A.B.S. picks the best Oscar dresses and comes out with its own versions. And before you snort “knockoff,” A.B.S. founder and designer Allen B. Schwartz justifies the practice by reminding us that his generally young customers can’t afford designer gowns anyway.
The A.B.S. gowns are a reflection of who looked best on Oscar night. Some of the choices are obvious--Hilary Swank in Randolph Duke, Cameron Diaz in Versace, Cate Blanchett in Jean-Paul Gaultier, Charlize Theron in Vera Wang, Ashley Judd in Valentino, Penelope Cruz in Ralph Lauren, Salma Hayek in Eric Gaskins and Uma Thurman in Alberta Ferretti. Others are less obvious but interesting. For one, A.B.S. will copy the vintage Pauline Trigere worn by Winona Ryder, as well as gowns worn by grown-up women Jane Fonda in Vera Wang and Pauletta Washington (wife of Denzel) in Carmen Marc Valvo. The A.B.S. gowns, which retail for $240 to $340, will be in stores by the end of June.
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Apparel Industry magazine has announced its 2000 California Excellence Awards: The winners are Lucky Brand, which was recently sold to Liz Claiborne, and Leon Max, founder and designer of Max Studio, a women’s wear line that manages to stay on top of fashion trends. Max was honored for both his fashion work and his online marketing.
Retailer awards went to the Draper’s & Damon’s chain for older women and Hot Topic, which focuses on a younger clientele. Chavez Cutting in the city of Industry and Patternworks in Santa Ana received contractors’ awards.
Sears, Roebuck & Co. won the national retailer of excellence, and the Weitman family of Security Tex wins the lifetime achievement. Mayor Richard Riordan will be honored as man of the year.
The California Excellence Award banquet--April 13 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles--has raised $30,000 in the past four years for the California Fashion Foundation, which awards scholarships.
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If you love Custo shirts--those colorful cotton tops--you might want to meet the man who makes them. Custo Dalmau will visit three local stores in the next few weeks. He’ll be at the Rag Factory in Santa Monica on Sunday, Vin Baker in Hollywood on May 4, and Neiman Marcus in Newport Beach on May 6. For more information, call (213) 488-0140.
Barbara Thomas can be reached at barbara.thomas@latimes.com.
