LAFC – Open Runway Showcase #2

The Los Angeles Fashion Council held the second round of its Open Runway presentations at Couture Los Angeles on Saturday, July 27^th. Congrats to last month’s winner Serena Abel of SABel. She made it to the final round in September and will be competing for a spot at the LAFC’s Spring 2014 Collections showcase.  This time around the producers of E! Network’s "The Soup" and "Fashion Police" were on site to film the event, so round two competitors received an added bonus.

The night began with a surprise presentation by ISM Mode. Inka Sherman’s casual yet sophisticated looks are perfect for the everyday woman who wants to look put together while remaining comfortable. Inka wasn’t competing but it was nice for others to have the opportunity to view this talented designer’s work.

The first competitor of the evening was Emeute. Designers Fernanda Martin Del Campo & Trixie Encomienda met at The Art Institute of California (Hollywood). In 2011, the duo established Emeute with a desire to rebel against the outdated structure of fashion while still designing beautiful clothes. They believe in the beauty that is created when two extremely converse ideas are combined, and this belief was reflected in their presentation.

Up next was Q.Lee. Founded in 2011 by Canadian-Taiwanese designer Helen Lee, the collection featured a number of ready to wear looks that could easily transition from day to night.

Kimberly Luu describes herself as a graduate student by day, style blogger by night, and an occasional fashion designer. However, one would guess that her entry in tonight’s competition might suggest that she intends to turn design into a full time focus.

The fourth and final showcase was by Rose La Grua. Rose has vast experience as an artist as well as a designer. Her artistic creativity is expressed through her designs, which are funky, fun, edgy, and unconventional.

Check out the video of each collection below and if you liked any of these looks be sure to visit the Los Angeles Fashion Council’s Facebook Page to vote for your favorite designer and help them make it to round three of the competition.

Narrative and photos by Nikki Neil. Video courtesy of J.