18_can102607lettersi.. - California Apparel News

JOHN ECKMIER
Jeremy Scott
Jeremy Scott returned to the runway Oct. 17 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox
Studios in Culver City, Calif., after a four-year hiatus to show his “Urban Decay” collection.
Scott, who has been showing his collection in New York and Paris in recent years, decided to do
a follow-up show in Los Angeles after presenting his Spring collection in Paris. “I thought it would be
nice after four years to make a little statement to show what I’ve been working on and support the
community,” Scott said. “It’s nice to pop back in and say, ‘hey,’ and pop back out again.”
The collection was inspired by construction workers, construction sights and all of the dirty, dingy
city things that are unappealing and unattractive. “I wanted to make something beautiful out of them
and make them feminine and chic at the same time,” Scott said.
He juxtaposed little silk charmeuse rompers and chic ladylike dresses with strong masculine
prints. Boot prints, tire treads, road signs and hand prints dripping paint decorated dresses, frilly
swimwear and sportswear. Trash can lids were worn slightly askew on the heads of models who
adopted a chic sensibility, reminiscent of Dior’s “New Look” and mixed with Scott’s own campy
sense of style. Tires were transformed into belts, and wrenches seemed to make complete sense as
chandelier earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
The men’s collection had a sexier edge. A black fishnet top was paired with blazing, yellow ruler–
print jeans, a parka was layered over tiny briefs and a cardigan jacket was worn with transparent cargo
pants. Hard hats, Adidas boots and transparent construction vests completed the look.—N.J.S.
Whitley Kros
Actress Marissa Ribisi and business partner Sophia Coloma debuted their new line,
Whitley Kros, Oct. 16 to a packed crowd of fashionistas, Hollywood actors and retail buyers
at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif.
Their collection was sleek, clean and powered by subtle colors blended with bright
tones ranging from eye-popping yellows to hot pinks.
Some of their design cues came from Coloma’s experience as the former co-owner of
the Satine Boutique on West Third Street in Los Angeles. Ribisi’s creative sense comes
from her first venture into fashion as a teen-ager, when she and her siblings started a
T-shirt line called Monster. She later launched an acting career, as did her twin brother,
Giovanni. The designer is married to musician Beck, with whom she has two children.
Whitley Kros is a fictional character the two designers invented. “She is a traveler,
young and very free,” said Coloma, a native of Australia. “The collection will always be
in her suitcase.”
This Spring/Summer ’08 collection was the contents of Kros’ suitcase after attending
the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. Those contents included lots of navy-blue items,
including a classic short jumpsuit with short sleeves; an “Edgemont” dress; and clean,
sleek jackets influenced by Chanel.
The designers spent eight months perfecting the fit of their “Vine” jeans, which have
skinny legs.—D.B.
JOHN ECKMIER
JOHN ECKMIER
JOHN ECKMIER
Grey Ant
Grant Krajecki started his career designing for porn films, the theater and
the Ice Capades.
So it is no wonder that his collection always takes on a theatrical twist when
parading down the runway.
It was no different for Krajecki’s Spring/Summer ’08 show, held Oct. 16 at
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif.
The designer, who started his label in Los Angeles in 1998, got cheers from
the crowd when he sent one plump model and one older model strutting down
the catwalk alongside the standard fare of thin, leggy women. Some models
wore wild frizzy wigs so large they could have doubled as umbrellas.
Krajecki’s creations for men and women had creative silhouettes and fabrics,
although he stuck to a subdued array of colors that gravitated toward gray
and white, veering occasionally into yellow, lavender and dusty pink.
Grey Ant’s denim selection and pants took the high road, incorporating super-high
waists to go with skinny-leg or wide-leg looks. Dresses were amply
represented, some in tent-like silhouettes or kimono looks. Others had corseted,
strapless tops or bikini tops. For men, Krajecki incorporated a certain garage
influence with overalls and jumpsuits, oversize and boxy tops, and high-waisted
jeans.—Deborah Belgum
JOHN ECKMIER
Brian Lichtenberg
As many designers zig toward eco-friendly themes and natural inspiration
this season, Brian Lichtenberg zagged in the other direction
and was inspired by toxic waste and slime. Pattern pieces of green goo,
inspired by childhood pop-culture references including the film “Ghostbusters,”
dripped from the collars of his “futuristic sportswear” collection,
shown on Oct. 19 at the Architecture and Design Museum in Los
Angeles.
Lichtenberg elaborated that the collection was about “taking something
that’s humorous and turning it into something that’s modern.”
Drooping armholes held by stringy straps added a lazy comfort quality to
a simple black knit tent dress. On a romper in a 1980s Laura Ashley–type
floral print with a motorcycle-jacket collar, the stiff shape of elongated
armholes took a futuristic turn as the shoulders jutted out like a space
cadet’s.
Lichtenberg introduced swimwear for the first time, with men’s mini
briefs and an asymmetrical women’s one-piece.—Rhea Cortado
OCTOBER 26–NOVEMBER 1, 2007 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS 17