Design Dish: welcoming LA Fashion Week with an open mind.

Well, that is what I tried to do. The open mind thing, that is. But with Smashbox and IMG's marriage dead and gone away and the shows now dispersed from Downtown to Hollywood to God Knows Where and nightclub parties showcasing God Knows What, things have gotten confusing. Each new venue or collective names itself 'the' new LA Fashion Week to pay attention to. But while the media and buyers are forced to traipse around LA from show to show, how can they pay attention to anything at all.
New York Fashion Week doesn't garner international attention and an Anna Wintour appearance by breaking off into Lower East Side Fashion Week, Harlem Fashion Week and Midtown Fashion Week. The shows are consolidated, made legend by their Bryant Park locale, and have front rows packed with those who matter [to the industry], not reality TV stars the publicists have buddied up with.

Then again, NY fashion designers aren't showing cotton sundresses and trying to call them art.

While I do shed a small tear for LA fashion, especially in this wild season, I will celebrate what's left of our designer community here. Last night I found myself pleasantly surprised at Skingraft's show at the MOCA Geffen. The designers featured aviator caps [which, note to self, leave gnarly hat head], militant styles, and Doc Martens [which are back...apparently].

Louver made a comeback with a nautical theme. And though the collection was limited to blue, gold, white, and [I'm not gonna lie] pretty simple styles, there was a flare in the sleeves, the embellishments, and the hot team of models who strutted down the runway.

For all the LA Fashion Week news that's fit to have online, visit darling Jen Uner's Fashion Week Calendar. If the shows are going to be all over the map, at least we've got Jen to track them for us.