L.A. Fashion Week Fall '04: Prospect 44

Prospect 44 debuted a colorful and inventive Fall/Winter 2004 collection on April 10 at El Cid Restaurant in Los Angeles’ Silverlake neighborhood. The event was part of “The Champagne Catwalk,” a Saturday brunch and fashion show series sponsored by LA.com to give up-and-coming designers the opportunity to show their collections.

The shows bring innovative emerging designers to the attention of the industry and the public, according to Laurie Pike, editor-in-chief of LA.com. “It’s sort of like taking people from the underground and pushing them above the ground a little bit,” she said.

This was the first solo show and first full collection for Prospect 44 designer Marlene Salcido, who had previously focused only on one-of-a-kind deconstructed pieces. Salcido, inspired by British and Japanese design, said she loves to contrast conservative menswear fabrics with bubble shapes and kitschy details.

The collection was colorful, yet subtle with bright colors such as chartreuse accenting subtle shades of brown, burgundy, camel and lavender. Looks included jersey web-sleeve tops and dresses; strapless jersey dresses with woven bubble skirts; strapless tops paired with shorts; fishnet tops with capri pants; and strapless full-skirted dresses in a mixture of jerseys, menswear plaids and tweeds. Contrasting stripe details, embroidered circles, deconstructed edges, belts and capes, as well as chartreuse socks painted on tights, added a light, whimsical feeling to the show. —N. Jayne Seward