Los Angeles Fashion Week Fall I 2003: Richard Tyler and Tyler

The drumbeat of war had a definite influence on Richard Tyler’s two collections, Richard Tyler and Tyler, with both borrowing heavily from a military color palette.

The Australian-born designer, who was the last in the Mercedes-Benz Shows L.A. lineup, opened his April 4 show at the Downtown Standard Hotel with his one-year-old collection, Tyler. The contemporary line had a decidedly casual look that included tan iridescent-cord carpenter pants and denim, skinny-leg pants.

The Richard Tyler couture collection was sophisticated- but-simple and featured plenty of high-waisted pants and masterfully tailored dresses. There were plenty of Army-green shades, as seen in a double-face silk crop jacket, a forest slip skirt and a paisley-printed, plaid, wool dress.

“It was quite military,” admitted Tyler after the show, surrounded by family and fans who wanted to have their pictures taken with him.

“But I basically design based on the way I want a woman to look,” he added. —Deborah Belgum