A Shopping Night Out With Trink Turk and Gen Art

Trina Turk's Pop Art Collection, photo courtesy of GenArt.org

Trina Turk celebrated the launch of a new Holiday Pop Art collection with an in-store event on November 18 at her Los Angeles boutique. Guests joined the designer for cocktails, an evening of shopping and the opportunity to help support Gen Art. Ten percent of the evening's proceeds benefit The Gen Art Foundation.

Gen Art's Jeffrey Abramson and Lindsay Aberegg attended the event as as well as Turk's husband, photographer Jonathan Skow. Turk said she appreciates the work that Gen Art does and feels it's important to support new designers. "I've judged their 'Fresh Faces In Fashion' show a few times in L.A. and in New York," said Turk. "And somebody has to support designers who are just starting out because I think it's a really difficult time right now. I think that it's never really an easy time, but now compared to when I started my business, I think there are so many more obstacles," she explained.

Turk, who has boutiques in locations such as Palm Springs, Bal Harbour and New York, received the Fashion Achievement Award at the Los Angeles Fashion Awards in 2005. Her chic sportswear collection with signature vintage prints is quintessentially California and highly covetable. The holiday collection gives a nod to the '80's with an updated take on the look. Here are a few of Turk's thoughts on fashion trends, the inspiration behind her latest collection and some advice for upcoming designers.

What is the inspiration for your Pop Art collection?

It's basically an '80s-inspired collection - a lot of black, a lot of really intense bright color with silver metallic worked in. I went to design school in the early '80s and that era is implanted in my brain. Our [version] is a toned-down version of what we were wearing back in the day.

Looking back, what do you think about the '80s now?

I think the funny thing is how extreme it actually was. Because it's not that long ago and now when I realize what we were actually wearing, it's hilarious. We have a vintage room at my office where we keep all these vintage clothes - my own vintage clothes included. I found this Jean Paul Gaultier men's jacket that I used to wear in the '80s. I tried it on the other day and it was insane how big the shoulders were. And when I think that I wore it as a throw-over kind of jacket, I was shocked [at the size].

What part of the '80s are most inspiring for you?

Something that can really be interpreted into what we're doing now, which is women's contemporary sportswear. It's more the color [including silver] than anything. The fabrications are really different because we are doing new modern fabrications. We're doing some shoulder pads but it's not like [that big], we're doing oversized tops with leggings which is definitely an '80s thing, but it's still not exactly the same. It can never be exactly the same. So like all the vintage stuff that we have, you can look at it and be inspired by it, but you can't really just do it exactly, it doesn't really work.

What advice would you have for upcoming designers?

I guess I know what I did - that was in 1995 - a lot of what I did was...I worked very hard. I was very tenacious and it was kind of like failure was not an option. [That] was basically my attitude. But I think it was a different time. My advice for them would be to figure out why the world needs your brand and stick to your guns and not get swayed by what the buyers tell you that they want or what the trends are. I think it's really important to establish who you are as a brand and stay consistent. I feel like we have stayed consistent for the past 14 years which is why we're still around. People know what we are and they know what we're not and we don't really try and do stuff that doesn't make sense for Trina Turk.

You've been very successful. What is the key?

[The look] is specific and also I think that we have a very broad appeal. Some of our customers are 18 and some of our customers are 60. There is something in there that will appeal to both of those customers. I think that it's important - especially now - it's important that you don't really limit yourself too much because I think that that's how you end of going out of business basically.

Jonathan Skow and Trina Turk

Vintage-inspired eyewear and head scarves epitomize Turk's resort chic look.

The scene at the Trina Turk' Third Street boutique.

The lifestyle a la "Palm Springs Modern."

Jeffrey Abramson, Trina Turk and Lindsay Aberegg