L.A. Fashion Week Fall '07: Kushcush by Kerry Cushman

War and peace. The subject has been on the agenda of several designers during Los Angeles Fashion Week, and Kerry Cushman was among them. The Los Angeles–based swimwear designer appeared in Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion in 2004. Cushman debuted her Fall ’07 collection on March 17 during Kitten Fashion Week at The Standard Downtown. The designer created her collection as a tribute to the American soldiers in Iraq, who watched her fashion show on Fashion TV. “There’s a little love message going on with this collection,” said Cushman. Soldiers watching the show wrote in to say that the show was a great break from the war. “I was totally moved by it,” said Cushman, who continued to expand her collection of swimwear and ready-to-wear with her Fall ’07 showing. Models wore military medals, and one toted a pink machine gun. Military-inspired pieces such as trench coats and camp shorts were given a 1970s treatment in a palette of yellow, brown, white and orange. Cushman expanded on the 1970s with high-waisted wide-leg trousers, swimwear and turtlenecks in plaid silk/wool fabrications, subtle brown stripe knits and sparkly Lurex fabrications with a strong disco feel. —N. Jayne Seward