Los Angeles Fashion Week wraps up third edition

Los Angeles Fashion Week (LAFW) is over. Held at the W Hollywood Hotel, the “still under construction” edition featured six runway shows and a series of presentations, exhibitions, chats and performances that attracted audiences of all generations.   

After a first day marked by the West Coast debut of The Blue Jacket Show and the Rio World brand’s show, the second day began with a very Hollywood show by the BruceGlen brand founded by twins Bruce and Glen Proctor.
 
Entitled ‘Runaway Out of the Blue’, the collection was unveiled after a gospel show featuring singer Jekalyn Carr and her gospel choir, who set the lounge of the W Hollywood Hotel alight. A nod to the passion of the two designers, proclaimed The Fashion Preachers, who, in addition to fashion, preach the word of Christ at certain events. The gospel number wasn’t enough, so a contortionist act followed before the endless label’s fashion show to the music of Daydream in blue. 

Descending the W Hotel’s long staircase, the silhouettes displayed a patchwork of fluorescent colors and graphic effects on shirts, shorts and satin ensembles. This was followed by a series of long evening dresses featuring beetles, olives, gummies, lollipops and other pictorial effects on a blue background. All in all, a joyful, often delirious fashion, presented in a show format that was very much in tune with Hollywood and Los Angeles. 

 
More eagerly awaited, the Ed Hardy show was the highlight of LAFW. Held on the hotel rooftop, the show attracted the largest number of guests. A cross-generational audience with dozens of fans in caps, T-shirts and dresses featuring Don Ed Hardy’s famous tattoos, twenty-year brand loyalists, teenagers discovering the brand and even couples bringing their babies for the event. 
 
Now in the hands of the Iconix Brand Management group, which operates labels such as Jay Z’s Rocawear, ZooYork, Joe Boxer and Candies, and after having been run by Frenchman Christian Audigier, the Ed Hardy brand came to Los Angeles to celebrate its twentieth anniversary. 
 
Kevin Christiana, the brand’s creative director since 2009, ensured the brand’s survival by presenting the label’s most accomplished luxury collection, By Appointment Only. Christiana, who was a contestant on Project Runway in 2007, became famous through his many collaborations with rock and pop artists. He notably created the clothing brand of artist Adam Levine, was design director for Andrew Charles brand, and launched his own label. 

“In 2019 I was the creative director of Adam Levine’s clothing brand, and I made my clothes at Revise Clothing,” said Christiana.

“One of the managers at Revise Clothing called me one day and told me about the project with Ed Hardy and the launch of By Appointment Only line, a luxury collection that would celebrate the iconic work of legendary tattoo artist, Don Ed Hardy. With my background in rock fashion, I agreed and the collection began to grow, attracting celebrities like Gigi Hadid. Over the past two years, the brand has enjoyed real success, and we’re delighted to present it here in the city of its roots.”
 
Choosing the youngest and sexiest models in Los Angeles, Christiana launched his first silhouettes to guitar beats and Depeche Mode music. An intense cadence saw the debut of girls in faux-leather pants, matched to ultra-sexy tops embroidered with the tattoos of Don Ed Hardy, and chains as accessories. 
 
This was followed by crops for girls and boys with a playful punk vibe, a wide collection of tank tops and caps covered with lion and heart tattoos, ultra-mini denim mini-skirts paired with traditional western boots, tight leopard evening dresses to be worn with booties and fishnets, and others with a pair of long leather gloves. All in all, a collection with a strong rock and tattoo identity, perfectly tailored to pay tribute to the work of Don Ed Hardy. 

Now suffering from Alzheimer’s, tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy had long been involved in the label’s development. A native of San Francisco, he opened Tatoo City in 1977, a cult tattoo studio which closed its doors three months ago.

“Naturally, I met Don Ed Hardy several times,” added Christiana. “His son even tattooed one of his latest designs on my arm a few weeks ago. Since the beginning of my involvement, I’ve gone out of my way to celebrate his art, which guides all the collections. This will continue in the future.” 
 
While the Private Policy and Theophilio shows didn’t make much of an impression, this latest edition was noteworthy in other respects. Firstly, for its commitment to connected brands, with the presentation of Tribute Brand, a physical and digital brand. And for established brands still lacking visibility, such as Head of State, presented in exhibition format throughout fashion week, and House of Aama, which organized an afternoon mixer on the last day in collaboration with Amoeba Music, the cult music store in Hollywood.
 
Launched in 2017, the label created by mother and daughter duo Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka, presented its latest collection there entitled, ‘Sun Records’. A theme unrelated to Memphis and Elvis but dedicated to Caribbean roots, Los Angeles jazz music, and Akua’s father, avant-garde jazz musician Jamaiel Shabaka. Long run from New York, the label relocated to Los Angeles two years ago, and has since been manufacturing its clothes in Los Angeles factories. Distributed by Saks Fifth Avenue, Moda Operandi and Nordstrom, House of Aama made its debut in Free People stores this year. 

Otis College of Art and Design, associated with LAFW since last year, also revealed the creations of its top students. More senior citizens were also delighted by the screening of ‘The Times of Bill Cunningham’, a film dedicated to the American street photographer. Narrated by actress Sarah Jessica Parker and introduced by producer Mark Bozek, the 2018 documentary film reveals the portrait of a charismatic photographer, launched as a milliner in the early 50s in New York and turned “fashion historian” as he defined himself, thanks to his street and celebrity photos. 
 
Held this year between November 13 and 15, a time when buyers are hardly ever present, the format of Los Angeles Fashion Week may yet evolve next season.