LA Fashion Week: Ghost town in the City of Angels?

Downtown LA Fashion Week? M.I.A. Passion Revealed? Not so much. Mode Israel? Unless it's operating  in "stealth mode" it's currently another one of the events from last season's crowded fashion calendar that seems to have quietly disappeared off the Los Angeles Fashion Week map.

Of course, all that could change; downtown L.A.'s  "fashion cowboy" Brady Westwater is trying to rope the wind by offering to play go-between for displaced designers and the owners of the recently renovated 1914 Citizen's Bank space at 5th and Spring streets, to host a day or more of shows as part of the Downtown Fashion Walk (would that make it "Downtown Fashion Walk Week"? Stay tuned.)

We had high hopes. Earlier this year, things seemed to be ticking right along; Some of the movers and shakers involved with Downtown Los Angeles Fashion Week's cluster of events at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA for the last two seasons (which last season included an emerging designers showcase of city-grant-funded designers) seemed to be angling to transplant their event (or something akin to it) across city lines to launch a Beverly Hills Fashion Week this month.

But, in late February, Barbara Graff, one of the movers (or perhaps shakers, we're not sure which) informed us that the inaugural event had been pushed back to October. In an e-mail, Graff said that  while the event had been "received enthusiastically" by potential partners and city officials, the group needed more time "to put certain elements in place to ensure its absolute success."

Which leaves the landscape littered with a handful of one-off, single-designer shows and the following events scattered throughout the third week of March (and look at the bright side -- at least it's not a month this time around):

Yotam Solomon goes super sexy for Spring 2010 [UPDATED]

Yotam Solomon has been busy this fashion season. The 22-year-old L.A.-based designer showed his Spring 2010 collection during a Downtown Los Angeles Fashion Week presentation at the MOCA Geffen Contemporary space last week, followed by a full-blown cocktail party and roving fashion presentation for the same collection on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont. 

[UPDATED 11:26 a.m. Oct. 28: A previous version of this post spelled the designer's last name Soloman]

In both cases, he eschewed a traditional runway show. "I think a presentation is a more modern way to show collections," he explained at the Chateau Marmont event. "And this way, I get to be out here with everyone, instead of [hanging] around backstage like an idiot."

Guests at the Chateau Marmont soiree, which was hosted inside a private bungalow, were encouraged to interact with the clutch of willowy models swanning gracefully around the room.

"Stop them if you want to see something closer -- that's the point," instructed the designer.

Most outfits only took a minute to take in -- the ultra-feminine collection was all about the super-short: abbreviated cocktail dresses jutting away from the body, marrying '50s taffeta fabrications with an '80s party feel; short bandage-like skirts paired with bejeweled tops; and a few form-fitting '80s-inspired frocks that were beyond short and tight and that felt, regrettably, a little too much "working girl."

But there was magic in the details -- sewn-on glass beads and gemstones (sometimes wrapped in fabric, sometimes exposed) on intricately detailed tops and dresses. “This collection is about playing with light and shining through the economy," said the young FIDM graduate. "And the glass beads on the dresses are so thick, they don't break. I’ve tested them.”

-- Emili Vesilind

Photo: Models at the Yotam Solomon event. Credit: Emili Vesilind / For The Times

Mode Israel says 'shalom' to Downtown L.A. Fashion Week

Israel might not be the most well-known arbiter of fashion, but Israelis Alber Elbaz, Elie Tahari and Yigal Azrouel have become respected industry names. Elbaz, Lanvin's artistic director, works from Paris with Tahari and Azrouel, who are both based in New York.

Wednesday night, the Israeli Consulate presented Mode Israel at MOCA's Geffen Contemporary, sponsoring the local debut of seven native designers plus jewelers as part of Downtown L.A. Fashion Week .

Mode Israel designers collectively borrowed from the 1980s playbook -- harem pants, leggings and mock turtlenecks and jumpers, while shunning any color in favor of that decade's preference for monochromatic hues of black, gray and white.

The show kicked off with Kedem Sasson’s collection of oversize coats and long dresses meant to double as plus-size fashions. 

Bracha Bar-On, Bet Ka, Yosef Peretz and Alembika showed mainly on-trend layering separates such as blazers and cardigans worn over sheer dresses and leggings.

The result was perhaps more suitable to a trade show than a runway (a few designers are also participating in this weekend’s L.A. Fashion Market).

Shai Shalom was the only designer to incorporate menswear in his presentation, though the body-conscious shirts and slim-cut shorts appeared to veer close to Bruno territory, which subtracted from the appeal.

The aptly named Sugar Daddy presented graphic tanks emblazoned with peace signs or revealingly sheer tanks on female models that drew resounding applause from males in the front row. 

-- Max Padilla

RELATED:

Photos: L.A. Fashion Week -- Phong Hong, Fernanda Carniero, Krys-N-Jack

More from Los Angeles Fashion Week

Follow the Image section on Twitter

Photo: A look from Alembika. Photo credit: Peter Halmagyi

‘Project Runway's’ Jerell Scott opts for ‘more is more’ for Spring 2010

 Jerell Scott is a believer in piling it on. In his mind, crystal-laced ribbons, tribal prints, craftsy yarn details, appliques and cuffs decorated with iridescent plastic studs all belong on the same outfit.

And while the “Project Runway” alum’s Spring 2010 collection -- shown Wednesday on the runway for Downtown L.A. Fashion Week at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA -- had a few fun moments, the designer's “more is more” aesthetic largely came off as overkill.

The dress-heavy collection had so much going on it was difficult to distill the basic elements. Why put a leather shoulder piece on top of a dress already so busy it needs its own day planner?

The L.A.-based designer, who was one of my favorites on the fifth season of "Project Runway," said he's "really inspired by the different cultures of the world," which showed in the collection's tribal-inspired maxi-dresses, with roomy and back-revealing cuts (they would have been show-stopping, had he not festooned them so deeply with crystal-encrusted ribbon and the like).

Ultimately, the juxtaposition of earthy/tribal elements and "Dynasty"-style sequins and glitter felt incongruous. The few bright moments in the show materialized when Scott eschewed the weird mix and went for all-out '80s glam; for instance, a lace and silver-sequined cut-out minidress you could easily envision on a Peaches Geldof or a Lily Allen.

And Scott is definitely aiming for the stars with his new line. "I've always been very much an evening designer, but now I'm really gunning for young Hollywood," he said backstage after the show. "The collection is glitzy L.A. -- I'm going for celebs by any means necessary."

-- Emili Vesilind

RELATED:

Photos: L.A. Fashion Week -- Phong Hong, Fernanda Carniero, Krys-N-Jack

More from Los Angeles Fashion Week

Photo: A gussied-up Spring 2010 look from Jerell Scott at Downtown L.A. Fashion Week. Credit: Emili Vesilind / For The Times

Fashionable funding: Emerging L.A. designers get a $10,000 city grant

A who's who of the Los Angeles fashion community (designers Louis Verdad, Randolph Duke, Max Azria, Nick Verreos, Yotam Solomon and Five Four Clothing's Dee Murthy and Andres Izquieta among them), congregated in the lobby of the California Market Center this morning to hear Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa reiterate his intention to burnish the city's fashion bona fides, and learn which three fledgling labels would receive the first Fashion Angel emerging designer awards.

LAFW: The lineup for lowercase 'fashion week'

  Honestly, we've been dragging our feet on putting together the definitive list of fashion-related events scheduled to unspool around town for the next nine days. Partly because it involves an eye-glazing number of acronyms and creepy-sounding labels (as a general rule of thumb, you should avoid naming your clothing line after a medical procedure), and partly because the crazy-quilt of upstarts, one-offs and seemingly random events doesn't appear to have much in common with the format or purpose of a traditional Fashion Week. (Back in October we offered up one possible solution). In its current state it hardly feels deserving of the initial caps afforded to other cities. No, it may technically be a week of fashion, but it's no Fashion Week.

Maybe that will change. Perhaps BOXeight will stop railing against the corporate suits long enough to be the unifying force the city's fashion industry needs. Or maybe COLA or the long-incubating DLAFW will surprise us. In the meantime, here's the lowdown on the rundown:

Friday, March 13

Gen Art/BOXeight “kick-off” to Los Angeles Fashion Week (sold out)
Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway
8 p.m. Grai, Society for Rational Dress and Raquel Allegra
BOXeight solo shows (Tickets available to the general public):
11 p.m. Sonia Vera Swimwear
12 p.m. J. Gerard presentation

Saturday, March 14

BOXeight, Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway (Tickets available to the general public)

2 p.m.     Jen Awad
4 p.m.     Smoke & Mirrors
5 p.m.     David Alexander
6 p.m.     COA
7 p.m.     Future Heretics
8 p.m.     martinMARTIN
9 p.m.     LAEKEN
10 p.m.   SkinGraft
11 p.m.   Young Hollywood presentation featuring UNIF, KIN, World Coco, Dim Mak, YHBF CO, Cody Kennedy

Sunday, March 15

BOXeight, Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway

3 p.m.     Mike Vensel
4 p.m.     Hayley Starr
5 p.m.     The Battalion
6 p.m.     Sahaja
7 p.m.     Yotam Solomon
8 p.m.     Sjobeck
9 p.m.     Maxine Dillon
10 p.m.  Li Cari by Jazmin Whitley

7-10 p.m. Whitley Kros art installation/Fall 2009 presentation hosted by Erika Christensen, 1201 S. La Brea Ave. (Note: Unlike the BOXeight events, this is not open to the general public.)

Thursday, March 19
11 a.m.  Kevan Hall Fall 2009 runway collection and charity luncheon, Beverly Wilshire
7 p.m.   Downtown Los Angeles Fashion Week (DLAFW) hosts "An Evening of 20th Century Glamour," hosted by Cameron Silver and Rachel Griffiths and a presentation of Louis Verdad's Louver line. Both at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 North Central Ave. (Tickets available to the general public).

Friday, March 20

City of Los Angeles Fashion Week (COLA), 843 Los Angeles St. (open to industry trade by invitation only)
7:30 p.m.  Eksempel
9 p.m.       Fremont
10:30 p.m. B.Son

Saturday, March 21

City of Los Angeles Fashion Week (COLA), 843 Los Angeles St. (open to industry trade by invitation only)
7:30 p.m. Joyrich
9 p.m.      Brian Lichtenberg

In addition, the California Market Center is hosting a handful of runway shows as part of its market week lineup, all of which are open to industry trade only. The complete schedule can be found here.

-- Adam Tschorn