California Apparel News

The Coalition of Los Angeles Designers (CLAD) switched gears this season for its show Nov. 1 at the Farmers and Merchants Bank Building in downtown Los Angeles. The group took a more serious approach (non-nightclub location, impressive lighting and a prioritized guest list starting with retailers and editors) rather than the hyped-up Hollywood spectacle of last season.

The show was delayed by an hour due to late arrivals (a domino effect of prior events starting and ending late), and guest attendance seemed down since friends of friends of friends were not on the guest list.

Eisbar started things off with its familiar “California cool” stylized, washed jeans and screened tees and tops for guys and gals. The “Jakarta” pant—a relaxed, slouchy cotton twill military-style pant (minus the pockets and zippers), offered for both men and women— was a favorite, as was the women’s “Bombay” pant—a military/karate-style pant with ties at the ankles in avocado— that was paired with a white off-the-shoulder, long-sleeve screened top. Another standout was the “Cypress” dress—a sexy T-shirt-style number in navy, worn with Eisbar’s signature ultra-cool legwarmers (usually done in denim, but this season offered in the “Jakarta” style).

Keeping with that jeans and T-shirt feel, Huzzi showed a very casual and very sexy collection of low-rise, tightfitting denim pants and micro-minis with matching tanks and a few fitted jackets. Outfits came monochromatic in pretty palettes of light yellow, peach and olive.

Mona & Company and Naqada were the least casual of the group. Both collections flirted with kimono-style looks and blended them with their own signature styles. From Mona & Company, a sage striped kimono jacket was shown with flared pants and a three-quarter-sleeve coat (also in a sage stripe) with capris. The collection also featured feather chiffon skirts in dusty pink and an eye-catching shade of purple.

Naqada designer Octavio Carlin chose all black and white for his silk evening dresses—with the exception of a gown and men’s shirt in very busy multi-colored striped silk and another satin gown in nude. The use of antique kimonos came on a black panel dress and as a contrasting white bodice on a black chiffon dress.

Mhope ended the show with its version of the domestic housewife circa 1950s. Looks included a silk tweed “Coco” jacket and skirt in fuchsia, a silk charmeuse robe dress in peach, and an apron skirt with a simple striped cotton shirt. Some ensembles came accessorized with those cliche ’50s-housewife tools: rolling pin, perfume bottle, dog and, of course, martini.

Jewelry designers Linda Weng and Jessica Elliot accessorized the collections—Weng, with her rock ’n’ roll–inspired feather and suede chokers was shown with Eisbar, and a 1960s flower child collection was shown with Mhope; Elliot, with her gothic-feeling sterling silver and beaded pieces, was worn with Huzzi and Naqada. —Joselle Yokogawa