Sandast opens flagship in downtown L.A.

Ah, leather. The look. The scent. The feel. Few materials are as sensual.

Not only does L.A. bagmaker Sandast bring out leather's best attributes in its handcrafted bags and luggage, it's inviting Angelenos into the experience with a new flagship store adjacent to its workshop in downtown L.A.

"Since the factory is so big, we needed a showroom," said Milan Franeta, founder and creative director of Sandast. And once Franeta decided to open a showroom, he decided to share it with friends who share his affection for artisanal fashion with a vintage twist.

Located in a former automotive garage, the enormous 4,000-square-foot space is a tribute to American heritage as much as it is a store. In addition to Franeta's bags, the flagship carries dozens of brands whose styles compliment a Sandast aesthetic that marries elegance and ruggedness. There are cubbies of handmade Gilded Age jeans from New York and AG Jeans from L.A. Tables of Johnson Motors T-shirts yield to displays of Dita sunglasses and H by Hudson shoes.

"This is a lifestyle store. We're not just going to sell shoes and bags and clothing. We're going to have music, books, some organic food, olive oil, honey, coffee. A little bit of everything," said Franeta, a native of Montenegro and artist who made or found most of the furniture in the new shop and says he's "addicted to finding new ways to make bags that are different."

Most of the leather Franeta works with is from tanneries in Kansas, Illinois and Texas that use  vegetable dyes that yield five different shades of brown, tan, rust, grey and black. Some of the hardware is sourced from Italy. Others are custom-made and distressed to compliment Franeta's "massaged" and polished leathers. His bags retail for $250 to $2,000. Clothes are priced from about $50 to $200.

Franeta's style was born from a childhood spent watching American westerns when he "fell in love with all the colors of western style, the boots, the saddles, the jeans." After moving to the U.S. in 1987, he began collecting vintage Levi's and antiques, some of which are used as decor for the store.

He started Sandast in 2006 with a collection of handmade belts that he private labeled for Gilded Age, and partnered with retail veteran Chris Pak in 2010 to extend the brand that was primarily sold in Europe, Mexico and a handful of U.S. specialty stores. Franeta has so far designed more than 100 bags. The 40 or so that are displayed for sale in the new store represent his best work.

"I'm not a designer designer that puts everything on paper," Franeta said. "I'm more of a creator. Mine is a style I create in my head and I go in the factory and make it."

Shoppers who want to see exactly how can do so at the new South Hill Street shop. There's a window that looks into Franeta's workspace from the store.

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-- Susan Carpenter

Photos: Sandast models and bags; Sandast store displays. Credit: Sandast.

Louis Verdad returns to the runway

Los Angeles designer Louis Verdad returned to the fashion scene on Thursday, showing on the runway for the first time in two years. The sexy tailoring that earned him a reputation with the likes of Madonna and Cate Blanchett when he first burst on the fashion scene nearly a decade ago, was back, only with a more measured touch and a more vibrant color palette.

Verdad toned down some of his signature screen siren glamour, showing feminine trouser suits and dresses that fit in with the 1950s housewife, "Mad Men" retro glam vibe that is informing fashion at large. Knits, made in collaboration with Anthropologie knitwear designer Steven Oo (whose work is also featured on Project Artisan), helped round out the collection.

My favorite look was a bubble gum-pink pantsuit. The single-button jacket was nicely tailored, with wide lapels and a sailor collar in the back, and paired with cropped pants. It seems like Verdad could find a niche with affordable suits (the ones in this collection start at $475) with special, designery details. There's not a lot of that out there.

I also liked the scoop neck, zig-zag crochet dress with candy pink and mint green lining, which was textural and fun, the yellow awning stripe jumpsuit with palazzo pants slit high on the leg, and a ruby red jumpsuit with a plunging neckline and buckle details in back.

Not everything worked, but the stronger pieces were a potent reminder of Verdad's talent for tailoring--and how it might translate to a more mass, mainstream market. Perhaps the Limited or Banana Republic should give him a call for a collaboration.

The salon-style show at the Boa gallery in West Hollywood, which had an audience of stylists, bloggers and local media, was momentous for another reason, too. It was the first time the designer had shown under his own name since settling a 3 1/2-year battle with a former business partner out of court.

It's been a long road for Verdad, who established his label in 2002, and was "discovered" by Madonna's stylist Arianne Phillips when he showed his first runway collection at Los Angeles Fashion Week in 2003. He dressed Madonna in a cashmere suit for the 2003 MTV Music Awards (where she kissed Britney Spears on the lips), and Maria Bello in an ivory satin column gown for the Golden Globe Awards in 2004. He was introduced to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, his clothes were featured in InStyle, Harpers Bazaar and other glossy magazines, and they were sold in Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.

He was the L.A. designer name on everyone's lips for a while. But, like so many talents in the fashion business, he expanded too fast, spent money foolishly, and failed to develop a strong business model. Verdad lost custody of his own name when a business partnership went south, and was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2007. In the last couple of years, he's shown a handful of looks (made on a shoestring) at L.A. Fashion Week, under the name LA Louver.

Now that he's got his name back, he's committed to doing things differently.

"It was a hard collection because I had very little budget," the designer said. "I wanted to do something sexy, to be more risky with color combinations, and to bring in cleavage, a sexy front or a beautiful leg."

"This show was for me to tell the press I'm back and still alive. Celebrities will endorse my label, they always have. But growth will depend on production." 

The comeback collection was a collaboration with ProjectArtisan, a website that features the work of emerging and socially responsible designers, giving them a platform to sell to consumers who are looking to support grassroots fashion labels. The site is similar to ModaOperandi.com, in that it bucks the traditional fashion system by allowing consumers to bypass store buyers, and vote with their dollars for the next crop of designer talent. A selection of Verdad's runway looks will be available to order this spring on Project Artisan, at prices from $450.

"I’m looking for my visionary," Verdad said, referring to a partner who could be the business-savvy yin to his creative yang. "Someone who knows how to commercialize on this momentum. I need to be careful that I do the right thing. I need to think about business."

He's off to a good start.

--Booth Moore

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Photos of Louis Verdad's spring 2012 runway show. Credit: X Xanthm L-9 Media Group.

Special holiday shopping destinations in the L.A. area

Let’s face it; holiday shopping can be such a drag. What with all the Black Friday madness or even just braving the parking lot at your local mall over the next few weeks, it’s easy to see how the joy of giving can quickly dissipate when you can barely get in and out of a store without your blood pressure shooting through the roof.

In an attempt to stay sane and make the shopping experience peaceful and inspiring, we’ve sussed out several local shopping events, sales and pop-up shops that provide unique wares as well as a quaint and calm environment in comparison with the usual chain store spots.

A Current Affair: Pop-up vintage marketplace is happening Dec. 3 and 4 at the Cooper Design Space in downtown L.A. Over 30 vendors will be selling their vintage clothing and accessories, which range from cheap and cheerful items to pricier haute couture pieces.  Journalist and author Rose Apodaca has curated a selection of vintage that will be on display. She’ll also be signing copies of her recently released book, “Fred Hayman: The Extraordinary Difference: The Story of Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Glamour and the Showman Who Sold It All.”

KCRW DJ Marion Hodges will be spinning some soothing shopper friendly tunes. And if that doesn’t make your experience pleasant, perhaps a beverage from the open bar will.

A Current Affair: Pop-up vintage marketplace 6-10 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 3), 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (Dec. 4) at the Cooper Design Space, 860 S. Los Angeles St. Admission is $10 and tickets can be purchased at www.itsacurrentaffair.com

Simply Vintageous Holiday pop-up shop is open through the entire month of December and features a collection of vintage and designer items displayed throughout four adjoining rooms. High-end vintage is housed in one while two other rooms have contemporary pieces from clothing and accessory designers like Eva Franco, Athena Jewelry and M. Andonia Handbags. The fourth room is a bargain bin of things starting at just $10.

Simply Vintageous Holiday: Pop-up shop opens Saturday at 11 a.m. Regular store hours are  11 a.m.–7 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday,    Monday/Tuesday by appointment only.  8270 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. Visit www.simplyvintageous.blogspot.com for more information.

Geren Ford Holiday shopping party On Saturday there’s a holiday shopping party at the new Geren Ford Annex in Hollywood, where creative director and founder of the brand Geren Lockhart will be selling discounted items from her fall collection. Also joining in on the fun are designers and brands like Gregory Parkinson, Wren, Loden Dager, Bare, Vosges and the Wrapped, who will be selling everything from men’s and women’s clothes to wrapping supplies and chocolate.

It’s a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to peruse a great selection of stuff from local designers, all under one roof, and check out the newly opened Geren Ford Annex, the company’s headquarters and retail space stocked with the collection plus items from other like-minded designers.

Geren Ford Holiday Shopping party: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday at the Annex, 1034 Seward St. Los Angeles.

Jaguar Presents Holiday Shopping Celebration on the Avenues  The city of West Hollywood is getting into the holiday spirit with a shopping night on Wednesday (Dec. 7). It’s like Fashion’s Night Out holiday edition, with stores extending their hours, food trucks parked along the streets for shopper sustenance and several places offering discounts and gifts with purchase.

Participating retailers include Alberta Ferretti, Alpha, Arcade Boutique, Beckley, Blumera, BOA Gallery, Chocolate Sun, Faruy'Art 1969, J Gerard Design Studio, John Varvatos, Kitson Melrose, Makeup Mandy, Nicky Rising, Shalimar’s Apothecary of Scent, Soolip Paperie & Press, the Fashion Society, Undrest, Viola Park, Wanna Buy a Watch?

Holiday Shopping night:  6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday. Visit www.AvenuesWH.com for a full list of events and retailers.

Decades 8th Annual Chanel Event starts on Dec. 10, which might lend itself more to doing a little personal shopping rather than shelling out the cash for a lavish gift. Either way, the highly anticipated event features Decades' largest selection of Chanel clothing and accessories to date, with an enticing array of modern and vintage Chanel handbags.

There’s an in-store event on the 10th and for those who can’t get to the boutique in person, the event continues online the next day (a Sunday), starting at 11 a.m. at www.decadestwo1.com.

Decades 8th Annual Chanel Event: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 10. Decades, 8214 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles.

Holiday Sale with Gabriela Artigas The L.A-based jewelry designer will be showcasing and selling her delicate pieces alongside other local designers like Marie Turnor, Black Crane and Parabellum.

The sale takes place in Artigas’ new studio near the Beverly Center, but the environment here will be much less harried than the scene at the mall, Artigas will be serving champagne while shoppers stroll through the accessories.

Gabriela Artigas Holiday Sale: Noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 10 at 314 N. Alfred St. Los Angeles.

Helms Design District Vintage Boutique holiday shopping event  This sale is something to look forward to for the large, open spaces and vast array of vintage clothing and accessories for both men and women. This year it's also added a seamstress who will be on hand at the sale to aid in altering garments or giving advice on how to repurpose something that needs tweaking.

Entry to the event is $5, but those who bring a charitable donation of either an unwrapped toy or a bag of nonperishable groceries will receive free entry. I’d call that a win-win.

Helms Design District Vintage Boutique holiday shopping event: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 10 at the LightSpace Studio at 8755 Washington Blvd., Culver City.

Happy shopping.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos, from top: A Current Affair vintage Marketplace. Credit: A Current Affair.

Clothing at the Geren Ford Annex, right; shoppers, left, at the Geren Ford Annex/Geren Ford.

Helms Design District vintage boutique, bottom /Helms Design District vintage boutique.

L.A. designers worth a second look

The month-long marathon of events known as L.A. fashion week has commenced, but off the runway, several designers have been hard at work building promising collections and clothing brands, all based in L.A.

The collections range from the slouchy and modern to the sweet and retro, but each manages to capture the ease and insouciance that seeps into everything women in Southern California wear.

Check out my story in this Sunday’s Image section, where lines including Theonne, Charles Henry, Amber Sakai and Brochu Walker are profiled.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Left photo: Lisa Brochu, left, and Lauren Walker of Brochu Walker. Right photo: Imjung Jung of Theonne. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin, Los Angeles Times

Gen Art makes a return to the runway

Gen Art, the organization known for fostering new talent in fashion and film, stopped operations 18 months ago, but this season it made an impressive return to the L.A Fashion Week lineup.  

Held at the former cathedral of St. Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night, the event drew a slew of excited guests including a solid group of media and buyers to the gaggle of goody-bag-toting revelers who seem to pop up at every fashion-related event this time of year.   

Zoe Saldana played host for the evening, mentioning in a pre-show chat that she is a huge supporter of new designers and is always on the lookout for new talent, not only to wear, but also for her website My Fashion Database (an “IMDb for fashion” she launched two years ago with her boyfriend Keith Britton).

“We want to continue to affiliate ourselves with organizations that support young, up-and-coming talent,” said Saldana, clad in an Antonio Berardi cocktail dress and Giuseppe Zanotti peep-toe pumps. “Everybody starts somewhere.”

For a few of the lines that showed Saturday evening, the runway that sliced through the middle of the former cathedral might be that “somewhere.” 

The lines that showed at this season’s Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion were: We are Handsome, Dear Creatures, Odylyne, Chambers, 71 Stanton, Funktional, Stand and Deliver, as well as accessory lines Sticks and Stones, Iman Toloui, Plomo and Tomtom.

Standouts included a menswear line called Chambers that had a heavily grunge feel throughout seen mainly in varsity style jackets with leather sleeves and flannel button-downs tied around the waist of wax-coated skinny jeans. The medley of Nirvana songs that served as a soundtrack helped drive the early-'90s sentiment home. Contemporary women’s label 71 Stanton sent out a sporty lineup of racerback tanks, sheer paneled hooded jackets and paper bag waist shorts in summery colors like melon and off white. There was a simple ease to the entire line but a fresh and sporty twist that made it stand apart from the typical contemporary collection. 

Stand and Deliver didn’t deliver the most original collection (a lot of black leather, spikes, studs and a dash of S&M) that carried the moody influence of Gareth Pugh mixed with the more youthful and darkly bedazzled look of Balmain. They even staged a mosh-pit fight between two male models, adding a punk attitude to the already overt rebellious references. 

In the leafy courtyard of the space, several accessory lines presented their spring/summer 2012 collections. Each was impressive for their strong direction, focused and well-edited collections and understated approach to design. A Portland-based jewelry line called Sticks and Stones used natural materials like fossilized deer mandibles and woolly mammoth ivory to create cuff links, tie bars and pendants (which were hung on contrasting recycled red chain; some of the fancier pendants were speckled with tiny black diamonds). The pieces make as much sense for a department store as they would for an Exploratorium gift shop. “I’m a bit of a science nerd,” said Sticks and Stones designer Stephan Alexander. No kidding. 

A locally based and made bag line called Iman Toloui showed just a few styles, including a satchel style bag and tote. The line is super simple, offering each style in just straightforward black or brown leathers, minimal hardware and easy, classic shapes.

Also L.A. based, Tomtom jewelry is made by architect-turned-designer Elena Coleman Howell who applies her architectural design skills to accessories. The result is angular pieces like triangle (shark tooth-shaped) pendants made from blue agate and hung on a bronze chain and rough cut crystals encased in chevron-shaped bronze.

It was nice to see Gen Art back on the scene, curating a solid lineup of promising talent and giving them somewhere to showcase and hopefully catapult their fledgling lines.

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-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Top: Looks from Chambers (left), Odylyne (middle) and Funktional (right). Second from top: Looks from We are Handsome (left) and Dear Creatures (right). Third from top: A look from 71 Stanton. Bottom: Models "fighting" in looks from Stand and Deliver. Credits: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

L.A. Fashion Week and designers featured on KTLA tonight

I’ll be talking about local design talent and the events surrounding L.A Fashion Week this evening at 8:40  on "KTLA 5 News Sunday Edition."

Join me and designers Bryan Hearn, Alana Hale, Chambers and the brand Alternative Apparel who will all be displaying looks from their spring/summer 2012 collections live in studio.

The Concept L.A. Fashion Week event has commenced but Style Fashion Week, L.A Fashion Weekend and Gen Art have yet to happen.

Find out more about the events and get a closer look at some super talented L.A designers.

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Photos, from left: Designer Alana Hale; menswear from Gen Art designer Chambers. Credits: Alana Hale; Chambers

Concept LA Fashion Week spring/summer 2012

The high temperatures on Thursday soared even higher inside the air conditioner-less Ace Gallery in mid-Wilshire, where the first night of Concept LA fashion week, a mix of fashion and art presentations, took place.

People flocked into the second floor space, many of them dressed like '90s club kids -- skin-tight body  suits with Grace Jones-esque hoods, giant platform creepers and wacky sunglasses worn indoors (Gaga would be so proud)

Peppering one long hallway was a series of art and fashion installations. A line called Curly V (designed by a guy named Curly V) who previously worked for Jeremy Scott before going out on his own, featured '60s dresses with paper flower skirts done in pastel colors

Next door, Halloween seemed to come early. Makeup artists Melanie Mills and Summer Rose had women dressed in full-on feather gear for an installation called “Futuristic Ice Hunters.” There was even a live owl sitting on a branch. When I asked a guy standing in front of the installation to help me make sense of the presentation, he replied, “I dunno. I just brought the owl.”

Nuvula was the first runway show, sending out about 60 looks, some repeats or a dress in several color ways.

The line, designed by Rebeca Victoria, had a bunch of different themes and inspirations informing the often circus-like look of the collection. Kimonos, fencing vests, flapper fringe, plaid and sporty piping popped up throughout the lineup. There was no cohesion and about five too many ideas happening. The show notes stated the 1920s, 1930s, Asian luxury, Art Nouveau and the fragility of butterflies as themes for the spring 2012 line, all influenced by the 5-year-old brand's signature themes of ballet, the circus, abstract painting, the '60s, dandyism, Elizabethan times and rock and roll -- this was also stated on their show notes.

Despite the mishmash of whimsical plaid shirts caged in by body harnesses, fringe and kimonos, there were some promising pieces.

The sporty, bamboo fabric (the line is entirely green and uses natural fabrics) racer back tops and dresses with bright piping looked well made and had a true direction. Nuvula should edit all around (maybe also cut the five-minute operatic performance that opened the show--lovely but with absolutely no connection to the presentation) and focus on the colorful, sustainable and well-made sporty items.

It was Mad Max meet Michael’s arts and crafts at the S&G show. There were a lot of ombre dyed linen pieces with cuffs and hems shredded and some looks had small, random pieces of fabric around a model’s midriff or more ombre linen this time tied halter-style around the neck and back.
The post-apocalyptic approach to dressing can certainly be interesting and dramatic, but at times it was pretty literal. The high point here was the leather jackets. Particularly the men's fitted black leather styles that would be a welcome staple in most stylish men’s wardrobes. Also, a few crochet items had a nice, tactile and earthy feel to them.

The concept of Concept is cool. A gorgeous gallery (nevermind the heat) decked out with young, passionate artists, designers and revelers who love to get dressed up and attend a party. Last season’s lineup of talent was maybe just a bit more focused as well as complementary to each other. But to hone in on the fashion show aspect of the event, only one word comes to mind -– edit. There is no need to show every sample in every color and size. A designer’s message and vision are so much clearer when an audience (much less a buyer) doesn’t have to visually weed out the random bits.

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Concept Fashion Week bring art, fashion and culture together

--Melissa Magsaysay

Photos:

Top: Nuvula fashion show at Concept LA Fashion Week Gen Art held at the Ace Gallery, 5514 Wilshire Blvd., on Thursday. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

Middle: S&G fashion show at Concept LA Fashion Week Gen Art held at the Ace Gallery on Thursday. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

Middle left: Plaid with harnesses from Nuvula/ (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

Bottom: A leather jacket from S&G/(Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times)

Emily Factor teams up with jewelry line Alex and Lee

Emily Factor may be a twenty-something, recent Central Saint Martins grad, but the designer shares the same 1970s, artsy sensibility with Alex and Lee, the jewelry line that was started more than three decades ago and combines hand-woven cord with fossils, stones and recycled objects.

Factor first saw a few vintage Alex and Lee pieces at Decades and was an instant fan of the intricate, hand-dyed and woven statement necklaces. "We share a brain," she said of jewelry designers Greg Francke and Lee Brooks, during a presentation of her spring/summer 2012 that was shown at a downtown art gallery Wednesday night. Their similar aesthetic was apparent through the heavily printed, diaphanous pieces from Factor that were anchored by heavily textured, colorful jewelry from Alex and Lee.

Leather clogs, sandals and boots from Calleen Cordero pushed the boho vibe  a bit further, but this was no tired trope through the same luxe-hippy look so many L.A brands love to churn out in a more commercial manner each season. The artistic quality and handmade, hand-dyed details from each designer came through in a subtle and natural way.

And the event marked a return to fashion for the Alex and Lee line, which has essentially had a decade-long hiatus. The design duo also recently did the jewelry for Proenza Schouler's resort collection and plan to get back into retail and creating new pieces.

--Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos: Looks from Emily Factor's spring/summer 2012 collection worn with Alex and Lee jewelry. Credit: Todd Oren

Brochu Walker’s line for Undiscovered launches Friday

L.A.-based Brochu Walker, a line of silky tops and easy knits from New York transplants Lisa Brochu, former design director at Joie, and Lauren Walker, who used to work for Splendid and James Perse, has created a casual capsule collection for the Venice lingerie and loungewear store Undiscovered that’s so cozy and stylish, it makes vegging at home subtly sophisticated.

The line includes jersey rompers and bodysuits, slinky linen and ribbed cotton tanks, French terry tunics and robes, and woven silk and cotton nightdresses, all with Brochu Walker’s signature dusty palette of earthy pastels and drapey silhouettes.

The collection ranges from $65 to $265, which may seem steep for pj's, but the Ts, harem pants and tank tops work for layering with button-downs and sweaters as we transition into fall.

To kick off the collaboration, Undiscovered will host an in-store event Friday for anyone who wants to check out the line. The address is 1104 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

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-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo: A piece from the Brochu Walker collection for Undiscovered. Credit: Brochu Walker

The Bohemian Society's accidental switchblade-packing jacket

Downtown Los Angeles label the Bohemian Society accidentally created a switchblade-concealing jacket recently, according to the brand's founder and designer Victor Wilde.

According to Wilde, Nicola Formichetti --the  longtime Lady Gaga stylist/collaborator and current creative director at Mugler -- recently pulled a leather jacket from Wilde's wares for a Japan Vogue photo shoot, during which Formichetti apparently took a liking to it, put it on, and wore it for the rest of the day.

That's how, Wilde says, he came to discover a switchblade had been sandwiched between a pocket and the jacket's inner lining, where it had inadvertently been stitched in some four or five months ago.

"I got a call about it Sunday night," Wilde told All The Rage, "and my first thought was: 'So that's where it's been!' I'd been looking for it for a long time, and I knew it was somewhere. The jacket's been sitting here in the showroom for months."

Wilde said the first thing Formichetti and his assistant wanted to know was if the inclusion of the switchblade was on purpose. "I told them no, but since they were keeping the jacket, they should keep the switchblade too. It's a leather motorcycle jacket and the [two pieces] really go well together. And after all, it's finders keepers."

Unless, of course, Formichetti had tried to wear that Bohemian Society biker jacket through airport security before discovering the stowaway blade.  

Photo: Mugler creative director Nicola Formichetti (above, far left, with menswear designer Romain Kremer at the men's spring and summer 2012 Paris runway show. Credit: Jacques Brinon / Associated Press) discovered a switchblade accidentally sewn inside a Bohemian Society jacket like the one pictured above right, according to designer Victor Wilde. Credit: Joe Rubinstein

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