L.A. Fashion Week Fall '07: The Battalion

The Battalion Sisters Linda and Chrys Wong collaborate to design The Battalion, an eco-friendly jersey line made out of bamboo and organic cotton. For Fall ’07, they were inspired by the 1968 movie “Spirits of the Dead: Tales of Mystery and Imagination,” a tribute to three of Edgar Allen Poe’s short stories. For their runway-themed show, “Unlock the Mystery,” the Wongs transported Sherlock Holmes back in time to investigate the mysteries of Poe’s works. “It’s very macabre and dark and was very inspired by the music. We wanted that mysterious and dark feeling,” said Linda. The show was held on March 17 at Kitten Fashion Week at The Standard Downtown. Top hats, canes, elongated scarves and riding boots added a dramatic flair to the dark runway presentation. But minus the drama, the pieces broke down to very wearable, not to mention comfortable, contemporary clothing with an edge. To achieve the look, the pair experimented by taking what’s conventional for tailored and woven pieces and making it in eco-friendly jersey. They incorporated voluminous bubble-shaped sleeves and a double box pleat detail to add fullness and structure. Fitted cuffs and covered buttons added detail to a double-breasted trench coat, and gathering on leggings created a jodhpur effect. The 19th-century Holmes could be pictured wearing the traditional British-inspired hooded coats, capes and trench jackets paired with shorts and leggings. And sexier fitted dresses and long draped coats brought out the vampy side, hinting at the hedonistic debauchery of Poe’s stories. A long black burial gown with an elaborate ruffled collar topped with an umbrella with cascading netting closed the show. —N. Jayne Seward