Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring '05: Linda Loudermilk
A meeting of ecology and elegance took place on Oct. 24 at the Hollywood home of couture designer Linda Loudermilk. The designer kicked off Los Angeles Fashion Week with the introduction of her new concept, Luxury Eco by Linda Loudermilk, and the online ecological forum the Social Network; announced her plans for a 1,100-square-foot retail store in Los Angeles’ Melrose Heights neighborhood; and offered guests a look at her latest collection.
An Atlanta transplant, Loudermilk has been designing couture for the past five years in Los Angeles and began showing her collection in Paris in 2002. The designer started the Luxury Eco concept when she commenced research on textile makers creating certified-sustainable fabrics. As she began to assemble a team of experts, the concept evolved into a mission that now encompasses the new collection and the retail store. The Social Network is an online forum for exchanging information about sustainability and ecological responsibility.
Guests nibbled on gourmet organic fare before the models took to the runway in designs made from bamboo; organic cotton; recycled lace; and herbal woven, a hypoallergenic fabric made from paper and herbs. The designs were colorful confections of lace and satin whipped into whimsical mini-dresses and ethereal gowns. There were also knickers, skirts and long cutaway vests made from raw-edged cotton folded like origami.
“Fashion is a vehicle to change the way people feel about the world,” Loudermilk said. “If we can make it cool and luxury, we can change the way people feel about environmental initiatives.”
—Alison A. Nieder
