Meet artist-designer Greg Lauren at Beverly Hills Barneys on Saturday

Whether it's describing the inspiration for a particular piece of his crumpled-paper artwork, or explaining how long he spent trying to find just the right pieces of vintage military duffle bag fabric to make a jacket, artist-turned-clothing-designer Greg Lauren knows how to tell a story.

So, if his deconstructed, rumpled, military-meets-formalwear aesthetic is something that appeals to you, it'll be worth heading over to the Barneys New York in Beverly Hills on Saturday, Feb. 26, where Lauren is scheduled to make a personal appearance in support of his debut collection of scarves, jackets, hoodies, T-shirts and footwear.

Lauren will be meeting with customers and talking about his creations on the fourth floor of the Beverly Hills Barneys flagship at 9570 Wilshire Blvd. from 1 to 3 p.m. this Saturday, with additional personal appearances scheduled for Barneys doors in Chicago (March 5) and San Francisco (March 19).

-- Adam Tschorn

Greg Lauren's debut collection is a hero's wardrobe -- no cape required

Paper suits him: Artist Greg Lauren (Ralph's nephew) crafts cool clothes from crumpled paper

Photos: Looks from artist-designer Greg Lauren's debut clothing collection, currently available at Barneys New York. Credit: Adam Tschorn / Los Angeles Times.

New York Fashion Week: Greg Lauren's debut collection is a hero's wardrobe -- no cape required

You don't need to know anything about Greg Lauren's artwork to appreciate -- or wear -- his debut clothing line that hit retail shelves of Barneys New York on Madison Avenue on Monday (as well as Barneys' doors in San Francisco and Beverly Hills and smaller boutiques such as Maxfield in West Hollywood). 

But if you've previously seen his crumpled-paper creations at art exhibits (like the one in West Hollywood last spring), you'll instantly realize that those exquisitely tailored yet wholly unwearable menswear pieces  -- painted paper tuxedos, military jackets, three-piece suits and superhero costumes -- were the blueprints for the collection.

The Superman insignia is there -- in crumpled and weathered graphite gray on a  white T-shirt (yes, legally -- Lauren struck a licensing deal with DC Comics), the tuxedo is there -- as soft and unstructured as a fleece hoodie with silk faille lapels that have been washed into crumpled ribbons. And there's a veritable platoon of military-inspired jackets; cropped women's jackets made from vintage snow camouflage fabric, dusty brown coats crafted from vintage military duffel bags, darker-colored coats made from military tent fabric, and a soft cashmere coat that closes with a regimental row of brass blazer buttons -- straight down the middle of the back along the spine.