MB Fashion Week: Day 4: Tulle & Clothe Logic- Row 4

Fashion history always repeats itself in some way, shape, or form. Most designers do not need to reinvent the wheel to sell a product. Such is true for the two independent labels Tulle and Cloth Logic who combined their pieces for a colorful runway show. The first look showed a modern version of a pink fifties skirt, complete with a beehive with a yellow bow sticking in it. The menswear grasped firmly onto the nerdy chic that is in right now, rolled up jeans, sweaters, argyle, thick specs, loafers, and unwashed hair. Socks were paired with the pumps... I love it and young Hollywood is very into it right now.. very preppy, sexy librarian from Pleasantville. There was a bit of a cross over into a London style too with all the flats and mix matching. The stylist for the show did an amazing job with taking simpler pieces and pairing them with different colors or patterns or accessories to make an interesting look. All in all, a very fun, youthful, and playful!
Bag bonus: WINNER OF THE GROUP, the swag bag included a mustard cami, a g-pa sweater (good quality too), china glaze nail polish in Revolution, a Smashbox lip pencil, Think! food products, and a small container of moisturizer all in a eco-friendly tote perfect for grocery shopping!

MB Fashion Week: Day 4: Leila Hafzi- Row 3

The Leila Hafzi collection for Spring/Summer 2009 combines an elegant safari look with a fresh color palette. Soft, flowing materials are very in for the next season but the silhouettes in this collection are forgiving to the less than perfect bodies. Her mustard yellow fabric is vivacious and perfect for her overall theme, it is what the fashion forward would wear on their trip through Africa. A salmon colored tunic with a cartoon ape on the front is an interesting new take on playful but sophisticated. Although some of the dresses were a little simplistic for my taste and some of the colors did not blend well, the collection was admirable. A gorgeous peacock tunic at the finale of the show was the perfect close.
Bag Bonus: peacock sacks that mimic the final dress of the evening, Nounou shampoo and conditioner in luscious scents, and a hint water- not a bad bag for a smaller show!

MB Fashion Week: Day 3: Christian Audigier

As if purchasing a billboard size poster of his portrait hanging on a building 2 blocks from Smashbox Studios was not outlandish enough, Christian Audigier's runway was covered in astro-turf most in an attempt to resemble a stroll in rockstar fantasy land perhaps. In a word...tacky. More descriptive would be if Slash and High School Musical were to have a child, that child would resemble this show. Models would walk out in over-the-top looks with neon green top-hats, huge American flags, or real English dogs on leashes. While the use of the red plaid was kind of fun and edgy, it was overdone in that every ensemble used the same plaid material. It is no wonder that LA Fashion Week does not receive the same media attention that the others do, this designer was actually permitted to show two collections this week. The only piece that was marketable for me was a black hoodie that was covered in sequins. Mostly, it was just plaid for the whole collection...moving on!

MB Fashion Week: Day 3: Crispin & Basilio- Fifth Row

In a slightly more personal venue at Smashbox Studios, Donny Barrios- the master mind behind Crispin & Basilio- presented his collection which he considered "innately Californian". I found it to be modern and fresh, while retaining a classic glamour but to be honest, it might even be too good for LA. Barrios really understands a traditional woman's body and a modern woman's needs as most most of us gals in this consumer conscious economy are looking for pieces that can transition from day to night with very little effort. Comfort is a must because really you are less likely to wear something that you know you are going to have to endure all day- even if it is cute- Pain and Beauty are no longer walking hand in hand like they used to- they are more like friends by association. Barrios materials were flattering and appear to be soft to the touch. I was not even bothered by the more simple color palette because the versatility of the separates- you can really mix and match! Barrios line has one very unique characteristic that you don't usually find in other LA designers- it can be worn by a variety of women. The fresh look is as age appropriate for the mature 22-year old student as a hip 35-year-old business woman, a fact that makes Crispin & Basilio a remarkably relevant brand for the times. Kudos Donny!

MB Fashion Week- Day 2: Maggie Barry

Most of the shows in Fashion Week have an identical format, models walking up and down the runway one at a time, showing off each part of the collection. Every now and again you will have two models walking down at once, or maybe there will be a performance at the beginning of the show (ie an opera singer for Julia Clancey or a dance piece to Kanye West for Christian Audigier), but for the most part, the clothing is the most exciting part of the show. But for the Maggie Barry show, costume type collections were accompanied by circus performers, expert hula hoopers, belly dancers, violin artists and a sultry-Enrique Iglesias-type flamenco dancer (do I have your attention yet). The show started, in true Maggie Barry fashion, with 2 female ringmasters- a little person and a fully decked out Dita-Von-Tese type- in matching attire to introduce the show. Not only did the talent perform, but they were the models alongside a few real models. The collections consisted of costume type outfits, some cheap, but some really beautifully constructed. A favorite for me was a yellow puffy skirt with an amazingly detailed white top and paired with little white ruffle socks and ivory shoes, very porcelain doll. My gush moment: seeing Jeffrey Sebelia- winner of Project Runway Season 3 and designer for Cosa Nostra, watching girlfriend Cassandra Church model my favorite piece from the show. Some of the ensembles left their classiness (and half of their material) at the door, however because of the nature of the circus theme, you are more forgiving of some"freak show" pieces walking down the runway! To say the least, it was a memorable moment for the week.

MB Fashion Week- Behind the Scenes of Julia Clancey's show

I can honestly say that my first experience working with Julia Clancey, a designer who showed at LA fashion week, was a unique experience... in a Devil Wears Prada sort of way. While it was not only my idea but my pleasure to help Julia pro bono for the day of the show, she had called me in to help her every day for 2 weeks without any sort of stipend for gas, time dedicated (sometimes upward of 10 hour days that I put in), etc. I was put in charge of lists, seating charts, transportation of clothing, playing chauffeur, while on more than one occasion she would be hanging out at the beach with her parents boogie boarding! It is not that I don't have some idea how difficult the industry can be and I am fully prepared to have to work my way up to success, but this was just a harsh display of passive aggression. As a creative designer who has done "tons of shows", Julia really should have known better. The up side: meeting my charismatic mentor George who was signed on to help me as well as some other great models/interns/designers/friends etc, working the show and viewing the amazing- St. Tropez-yacht- hopping collection before its debut on the runway, and of course any learning experience is a good learning experience. I am unhappy to report that because I am a stylist and not a PR agent, and our list was simultaneously worked on by 4 people days before the show, there were several unhappy press members who were misplaced for the show (as read in The Daily). However, the show went on, and most of the audience (as is usually the case) was unaware of the conflicts that happened back stage. As for me, I enjoyed the show for what it was and will cherish the memories I made while working MB Fashion Week 2009.

MB Fashion Week: Day 1: Whitley Kros- Front Row

"I went to Morocco..with Allen Ginsberg in my satchel and Bob Dylan in my ears. Met Alessandro and embarked on a romantic adventure.. Safari in Africa and sunsets in Greece."
This was the self proclaimed phrase on the cover of Whitley Kros' pamphlet for her show, sounds like it would be a positively organic and cultured collection right? Well, that is not what I got from the show, but it was no doubt a romantic adventure back into childhood. I got pajama party with Mary Kate Olsen's crew- literally parts brought me back to Lisa Frank, spray cheese, silk pj bottoms, off the wall prints, and amusing oversized work boots that she painted a baby blue! The colors were classic, the pieces were fun, playful and girly. The highlight of the show for me, oddly enough, was a simple white silk jumper with a plunging neckline that I couldn't help but notice was crafted exquisitely.
Bag Bonus- And the schwag bag was good, a white tank with a multi colored unicorn that I have already worn a few times, PETA inspired eye shadow, and Good Hair Day fat head volumizer (which I was actually running low on).