Mercedes who? Alternative Fashion Week events get a kick in the pants
By Michelle Foody
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 10/13/07 — As Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week revs up for its official weekend kick-off, Friday night the Peterson Automotive Museum played host to Gen Art’s fresh crop of neophyte designers. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the organization devoted to the arts & entertainment allowed emerging talents to showcase free of charge.
To warm-up the terminally hip crowd of fashionistas, buyers, and ooglers, the corporate sponsors transformed the roof top into a pulsating, cocktail fueled reception. Blackberry Pearls were hawked like cigarettes, Botox for Sweat Control (go figure) flyers were distributed, way-cool Goorin hats and designer Dunhill cigs were given away and lots of signature libations were consumed—the perfect marriage of Hollywood and haute couture!
The show itself was a rapid-fire succession of Spring 2008 trends. Gen Art alum and Project Runway winner Jeffrey Sebelia provided the emcee introduction, though he forgot some of lines. “I don’t like to read, so I don’t have anything written down,” he said, followed by the long awkward pause.
But that was the only pause. With no time to catch one’s breath, each designer was given about 10 looks to put forth their best material—somewhat reminiscent of the reality competition itself—all presented back to back.
So, what to expect for spring? Hemlines remained sky high for women’s collections from Wren and Dorothy Lee. Menswear creators Endovanera and Orthodox pushed the androgeny look, with shaggy haired models and skin tight cuts. An overall move towards flowing, thin materials harkened the arrival of spring, despite a general avoidance of color.
Gen Art has launched the careers of designers such a Zac Posen, Louis Verdad, and Rebecca Taylor. Certainly winners will emerge from this fresh outcropping of young, raw talent, as well.
As the event drew to a close, the party continued downtown at Vibiana, an old church transformed into a hipster hotspot, for Flaunt Magazine’s kick-off party. Macy Gray, doing her DJ thang, hit the turntables as revelers took in the massive photography exhibition in the aisles, featuring David La Chapelle, among others. And the fashion show continued, with the crowd itself rocking their own sense of nighttime style.
Photos by Lalie Katavazi
