L.A. Fashion Week Spring 2011: Bloggers' Cafeacute;

Everyone kvetches that fashion can be a brutal dog-eat-dog world, but on Oct. 23, fashion insiders proved that wrong.

When a series of runway shows called Fashion Week Los Angeles was cancelled due to permitting problems last week, 18 designers scheduled to exhibit their work at the cancelled runway series were left high and dry, without a Plan B or an alternative venue to get some exposure for their designs.

The weekend was saved for three designers when events producer Fashion Los Angeles quickly put together one of its “Bloggers Cafeacute;” events at its loft office space in downtown Los Angeles.

Fashion Los Angeles wrangled press and bloggers for designers Anh Volcek, Paulina Lopez and Daisy Gonzalez. It also found models, makeup artists and hair stylists willing to donate their services.

“There was a need to do something,” said Fashion Los Angeles co-founder Michael Venedicto. “We’re a community service. We want to raise the level of integrity of fashion presentation.”

Designer Daisy Gonzalez was impressed by the common cause for fashion. “Everyone is helping each other out. It is good to have that feeling,” said the Los Angeles–based designer.

She showed six looks at the event, which featured informal modeling. One Gonzalez look was a crop jacket with a pleated bubble skirt, which the designer designed to evoke the image of a beautiful flower.

Lopez traveled from Mexico City to participate in a Los Angeles fashion show. Her self-named line was composed of brightly colored and intricately embroidered gowns and cocktail dresses.

La Jolla, Calif.–based Ahn Volcek showed her L’Une collection. It offered a wide array of looks, including shrunken tuxedos, gowns with ostrich feathers painted black and casual tops featuring a photo-like graphic of a flower.—Andrew Asch