Designers create exclusive looks for London Show Rooms L.A.
British designers are invading Los Angeles this week to put their work in front of buyers, taste makers and red carpet stylists during the twice-yearly industry showcase known as the London Show Rooms.
And we have sketches of some of the pieces created exclusively for the Los Angeles market by shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood (who recently won the Vogue Fashion Fund Award), David Koma (who dressed Miley Cyrus in the best awards show look she’s ever had, at last year’s People’s Choice Awards), Todd Lynn (who has dressed Louise Roe, Nicole Richie and Olga Kurylenko to name a few) and Holly Fulton, who was inspired during her first trip to Los Angeles, for last year’s London Show Rooms event, that she adopted 1965 SoCal skateboard champion Patti McGee as the muse for her spring 2013 collection.
Check out the exclusive pieces here, along with several of the designers’ inspirations and favorite things about Los Angeles in their own words.
(Organized by the British Fashion Council and supported by UK Trade & Investment, a government department to help UK-based companies grow, the London Show Rooms are aimed at boosting British designer exports, and increasing visibility for designers on the all-important Hollywood stage, through celebrity dressing.)
Holly Fulton
Inspiration: My L.A. dresses were inspired by my AW13 collection based on the idea of obsessive love. The collection centered around girl bands, fanzines and groupies and the lengths they go to in order to show their devotion through their dress. I worked on two new silhouettes, the full-length tiger dress which took its lead from the half-tone graphics used in vintage fanzines and played with tiger imagery to represent old band visuals. The second look is a strapless evening length look, using the lily heart motif but in a darker colorway. All the pieces have pockets to encourage the feeling of easy elegance I was aiming for with the collection.
Dream celebrity clients: Anjelica Huston and Carey Mulligan. I would hope that my work appeals to quite a wide range of women and I would love to see how these two would wear my pieces. They both have an individual, strong look, very different to each other but both with an undeniably individual beauty. They are dynamic ladies who I think would suit my bold graphics and embellishments beautifully.
Favorite thing about Los Angeles: The overwhelming sense of optimism. The combination of glorious weather and positivity are irresistible. It feels like anything could happen and often does!
David Koma
Inspiration: This gown was developed from the AW13 collection, which was inspired by the vinyl records and the youth of ‘60s style. The dress is made out of red wool featuring heavy zip detailing. The powerful opposition of the linear cut and the circular neckline is, combined with the striking color, means it’s for a woman who isn’t afraid to match her clothes to her powerful personality.
Dream celebrity client: Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow, as these women are true representations of the beauty, elegance, confidence and strength which always inspired me.
Favorite thing about Los Angeles: Weather and beaches. I really like L.A. and the best thing to do there for me is to have a walk on Venice beach boardwalk and have a lunch on Abbot Kinney Boulevard. One of my favorite restaurants there is The Tasting Kitchen. I also always love visiting MOCA.
Todd Lynn
Inspiration: The entire dress is embroidered threads. The pieces are raw and edgy, but have a lace-like quality, subverting the pieces into a more feminine ideal.
Dream celebrity client: I’ve been so lucky to dress some of the world’s biggest musicians, and there are many more that I would like to dress.... it’s difficult to narrow it down to a few!
Favorite thing about Los Angeles: I have always loved L.A. The weather and I get to see a lot of my friends who don’t always make it to London!
London Show Rooms Los Angeles AW13, Thursday and Friday at Ace Gallery Beverly Hills, 9430 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.
ALSO:
The British (designers that is) are coming
Designer Nicholas Kirkwood talks extreme shoes
‘Fashion Star’ host Louise Roe is ready for spring
