Los Angeles Fashion Week Fall '09: Marco-G Design

Fashion executive Marco Guzzardo spent a career behind the scenes. He manufactures contemporary fashions for several large retail chains. Yet for one night in downtown Los Angeles, his company, Marco-G Design, took a rare bow. The prime reason for the more-than-50-look fashion show, held March 14, was to raise funds for the Help A Life Foundation, a nonprofit organization that finances a school in rural Ethiopia. The school offers computer education for orphaned girls.

At the show drummers performed and played in rhythm to the club music that DJs were spinning. At the ornate show space, which was constructed in 1911, models danced in a tribal manner and others danced the samba. The show emphasized lightweight and transparent fabrics. The models displayed bolero-like sweaters, crochet ankle-length dresses, and club-ready clothes featuring gold and silver metallic fabric. Other dresses were inspired by a flapper look. A top was designed with puff sleeves and detailed with metallic studs. One of the show’s pieces was a ballerina-like tutu. —Andrew Asch