Farm Tactics, Elmer Ave, Otto Gates and Mike Vensel at Concept L.A. Fashion Week
Farm Tactics makes workwear-like clothing that will be worn by discerning men who probably don’t do any real manual labor, unless you count the hands-on tasks of tending an organic urban garden and DIY home art projects.
In the waiting time between runway shows at Concept at L.A. Fashion Week, the deliberately dressed-up crowd loitered around presentations by Farm Tactics, Elmer Ave, Otto Gates and Mike Vensel. Here are some highlights. Also check out the slideshow for some more photos.
Farm Tactics
Farm Tactics' bags were made from repurposed cargo pants and vintage textiles.
As a sixth-generation Chinese-American, Kyle Ng of Farm Tactics was inspired by “American heritage,” military and outdoor wear. The installation was accessorized with a flotsam and jetsam of branches, taxidermy animals, ropes and net. In short, “this is his house and my house,” said Ishi Glinsky, a friend of Ng who contributed to the installation.
From left, Kyle Ng of Farm Tactics and Ishi Glinsky, installation collaborator and owner of One Four Five One jewelry. Ng busted out his vintage fishing pole just for the photo op.
I know you’re wondering about the curious wine-colored fringe flap around Ng’s waist that he wore like a fanny pack. Me too. It’s a vintage mohawk headpiece. Ng demonstrates here another way it can be worn. Both methods of Ng's choosing are not the way it was intended to be worn. Glinsky sets it straight, so it looks proper like this:
Over at Elmer Ave.’s installation, models walked slowly in a clear plastic bubble. It took a few minutes between outfit changes because when the models exited the bubble, so did some of the air. Then the bubble had to be reinflated with the model inside. The clothing was quintessential Elmer Ave. skinny blazers with a punk-rock school-boy and school-girl twist.
Bubble girl and bubble boy in Elmer Ave.
Otto Gates by Katie Kay
Otto Gates by Katie Kay was titled "Love in the Time of Fast Fashion." According to the show notes, the installation was "created in 72 hours, from concept to installation." Between the girls linked to the central tree by the scarves wrapped around their heads, the ropes tied around their feet and hands, and the all-black clothes, Kay's presentation compelled the viewers to take a closer look.
Mike Vensel
Mike Vensel's collection was pared down and simple—solid black or gray draped dresses both long and short. His installation was similarly simple. Two models stood in varying mirroring poses on a white seamless backdrop.
