Bryan loves to play around with textures, which was reflected in the ostrich feather skirts and silk and feather dresses. He also favors clean, structured shapes as seen in some of the more casual pieces presented in the collection. Bryan also made the shoes that the models wore on the runway, and they were fabulous! Gaga would approve.
After the show ended I walked around and checked out the designer installations. First on the list was KittinHawk. The line’s apparel and jewelry is made from recycled and vintage materials. Allysun Maria Dutra’s presentations are always very theatrical and tend to coincide with the collection’s theme. Tonight the models looked striking in KittinHawk’s artsy creations as they strutted slowly around a drum circle.
The models in Jessica Huang’s installation looked like they came straight from a Lady Gaga video shoot. Her edgy creations are very avant-garde, and I can see the Fame Monster wearing a piece or two.
Debakalis is collaboration between Project Runway alum John Sakalis and costume designer Eddie DeBarr. Their installation brought to life a fantasy land under the sea.
On the other end of the spectrum Elaine Marie presented a little fun in the sun as her models romped in vintage inspired beachwear while a DJ spun some cool tunes.
L.A. based fashion designer Eduardo Lucero is known for his vivid colors, deep plunging necklines, and romantic shapes. His installation showed a sample of his range of talent.
By the time I got done viewing the installations it was time for the next runway presentation. L.A. based designer Sarah Nami Ahn was born in Korea and lived all over the world as a U.S. Army Brat. Hardly a “brat” by nature, Sarah is an eco-friendly designer whose sustainable clothing line, NAMI, utilizes green materials. The SS 2012 collection was inspired by her love for the art of origami, which was reflected in the pleated details of the flared minis and the use of unique triangular sleeves.
Having acquired a PhD from UCLA in the neurosciences, Sarah credits her draping and construction skills to her scientific background. You can see this craft reflected in the flowy tunic inspired dresses.
Not only was it a warm night in October but it was also very warm inside, so I went out to get some air and ran into Marilyn Manson. Having interviewed him several times in the past I recognized him immediately. He had just finished checking out some of the designer installations and was heading off to the next destination with his friends.
The last show of the evening was Thai Nguyen. I heard that his F/W 2011 debut was spectacular, so I was excited to see what he had in store for the follow up. An FIDM graduate, Thai served as the associate designer for BCBG Max Azria before starting his own line. The inspiration for the SS 2012 collection was the traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai, and he started off the runway show by showcasing a number of modern variations that could be incorporated into every woman’s wardrobe. The color palette of pastels and nudes gave the collection a soft and feminine touch. Each piece presented some sort of intricate detailing and an embroidered fan motif was seen throughout. A number of the dresses featured defined waists, thigh high slits, and cape like scarves. It was beautiful.
Narrative and photos by Nikki Neil
Wendy Bendoni featured in opening photo.
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