Photo by Joe Garcia

Photo by Joe Garcia

RUNWAY AND ROADWAY

LAFW Takes Petersen Museum with Escada & Porsche Design

After a few years of producing runway events around the city, LA Fashion Week now has a permanent home at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

On Aug. 3, Arthur Chipman, LAFW’s executive producer, gave a preview of what the museum’s runway events will look like in October when Spring/Summer fashion will be coming down the catwalk.

Luxe women’s brand Escada produced a runway show centered around the museum’s extensive exhibit called “The Porsche Effect,” which covers the history of the prominent German automaker.

Earlier in the evening, a presentation of styles from men’s brand Porsche Design took place next to exhibits of the high-performance cars. Porsche Design is a subsidiary of Porsche SE, the holding company that manufactures Porsche cars.

The event was called “Cars & Fashion.” “It fits when it comes to a city known for car culture and art. It’s important for us to have a landmark where the city can come together,” Chipman said at an after-party at the museum’s outdoors William E. Connor Penthouse, which has a commanding view of Los Angeles.

In 2015, the Petersen Automotive Museum wrapped up a $125 million remodel of the building, which years ago was the Ohrbach’s department store.

It is well known for its exhibitions of Porsches and the art of low-rider cars. The museum’s vault includes rare cars including a 1902 Cadillac, the car used by the fictional superhero Green Hornet, as well as presidential limousines used by Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.

Next up on LAFW’s calendar is fashion week for Spring/Summer ’19, which is scheduled to run Oct. 6–10. The mix of exhibiting designers will have a decidedly international flavor. Along with USA-based designers, those producing runway shows will be coming from Thailand, Russia, Australia, Mexico and Brazil.