L.A. Fashion Week Fall '02: Comrades Unite
Fashion was served up by seven up-and-starving independent designers at a Communist kitsch–heavy fashion show held on April 16 at Star Shoes in Hollywood.
The 35 pieces from Antonio Aguilar carefully draped and shaped the female form with the use of darts, pleats and interesting clothing angles. Arty one-shoulder tops with tiered collars; deconstructed open-back, tattered tops; and corset-back tops were paired with both uneven skirts and muted pants.
Sarah Cake, carried at Sirens & Sailors in the local community of Echo Park, offered a collection reminiscent of tattered dolls, displaying mostly short dresses and tutus in knits and metallic prints with haphazard hems worn over tights.
Inspired by the colors of the changing sky, Jose Angel showed off a sleek collection of men’s and women’s clothing. His women’s bandeau and jacket were paired with a “skant,” a combination pant/skirt missing most of the inner seam. He showed off the female breastbone in a milk-white wrap dress with an expansive neckline.
In Vintage Veritas by Chrys Wong featured poodle-themed skirts without the flounce, blouses with leather sleeves, patchwork skirts and asymmetrical skirts.
Actress Julie Delpy unveiled her first collection of clothing, consisting of such ladylike pieces as simple form-fitting dresses and a white-on-black optical-print dress. Her outside-of-the-box dresses consisted of a black strapless dress with a cutout back and a bandeau top and skirt connected by a neck strap.
Show organizer De Anna Brooks debuted a line of funky, frilly skirts and dresses, some of which were a mishmash of fabrics and styles. The limited collection was due to the fact that she had already sold some of her wares to Na’pali, a new store on Third Street.
Jennifer Dawn Phillips, who collaborated with Prospect 44 designer Marlene Salcido, stuck to vintage looks in rayon, crepe, wool and cotton, including lace inset skirts, silk drape dresses and ruffle top blouses, much of which she sells in her store Sirens & Sailors. —Nola Sarkisian-Miller
