L.A. Fashion Week Spring '08: Gregory Parkinson
The runway at Gregory Parkinson’s Oct. 16 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif., looked like a “Great Gatsby”–meets–flower child garden party.
The Los Angeles show, a first for the British designer, was packed with brilliant, delicately tie-dyed silks layered into flapper-style dresses of varying lengths. Parkinson used a Japanese resist-dyeing technique to achieve a delicate artisan effect.
Prints, from ditsy flowers to bolder florals and multi-colored stripes, were mixed and matched with a casual flair. Layered hemlines, often three or four deep, were found on sleeveless blouses, skirts and dresses.
In keeping with the Jazz Age bohemian vibe, Parkinson’s silhouettes were close to the body but unstructured. Loose-knit cardigans helped anchor the flightier styles.
Standout pieces included a long, flamenco-style dress with layers of mauve, purple and royal blue, a crepe jersey T-shirt-style dress perfect for a tropical vacation and a khaki silk duster coat with a pink lining. —Erin Barajas
