Los Angeles Fashion Week: Jen Awad

Quirky bows, scarabs and metal studs collided on the runway in Jen Awad’s Fall 2011 collection on March 12 at Concept Los Angeles Fashion Week at Ace Gallery. The Egyptian designer said this season she was inspired by her heritage and the collection represents a sense of growth. Each season, Awad challenges herself to push the collection in a new direction. For Spring, she said, the look was very marshmellowy and cutesy, but this season she took a harder edge approach.

“I always like to show different sides of what I can do,” explained the designer, who is not afraid to take risks on the runway. The collection fused her Egyptian theme with vintage silhouettes and rocker-esque studded details. Key pieces included sexy little dresses, striped sportswear, high-waist hot pants, metallic leather moto jackets and long flowing evening gowns in her signature chiffon fabrics. —N. Jayne Seward