WEST COAST FAB: Fashion Minga at Boulevard 3

The cancellation of most of the runway shows for the second half of Los Angeles Fashion Week left me wondering if there would be any events that would mark the week as special.  There were some delightful revelations, such as Julia Clancey’s dreamy collection, but would there be an event that would have a particularly LA flavor to it.  Fashion Minga may have been that moment.

Held at Boulevard 3, Fashion Minga was more than a fashion event in the strictest sense,  it was an extravaganza.  The word “Minga” is an Ecuadorian term for “a community coming together to work for the benefit of all”.  And being for the “benefit of all” goes beyond the participants in the event.  Fashion Minga also benefited the Entertainment AIDS Alliance, a volunteer group of industry professionals responding to the urgent need for AIDS service organizations nationwide. And members of the industry turned out to support the cause and the event, including Thom Barry of Cold Case.

Fashion Minga was an interesting mélange of fashion, theatre, dance and music.
Opening with a performance by Bella Circo, a Cirque de Soleil type theatrical group, the mood for the evening was definitely set. Performances by the dance troop, Flirt Dancers, an acrobatic duo by the name of Elle-Evate, and the music stylings of pop/hip-hop duo Electrolightz served as segue-way to the Fashion being shown.

Presenting five of LA’s up and coming designers, we were treated to runway offerings by M5 Couture, Urban Republic Clothing, BiPolar Gear, Destroyed by Fame and Onanong Swimwear.   All in all, they definitely had a flare for drama and an aesthetic which represented the City of Angels well.

Once the performances were finished, it was the audiences turn to become part of the celebration with dancing and partying into the night.  A night that benefited Fashion, Theatre, Music and even more importantly those in our society who need us the most.

Watch video of the performances at Ladies Who Lunch Travel.

Reported by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel.  Photos by Omri Escalante

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L.A. Fashion Week: Julia Clancey Spring 2011

Los Angeles Fashion Week is really unlike any other Fashion Week. Not having an official sponsor for the entire week, Fashion Week ends up being scattered events across the giant sprawl that is Los Angeles.  With so many events, each sponsored by a completely separate entity, you never quite know what to expect when you show up at one of them.

Last Saturday, I attended the show for the Julia Clancey collection in West Hollywood.  I wish I could say that I was savvy enough to have known Julia Clancey’s work before requesting an invitation to the event.  Of course, once I had determined to go to the event, I did my homework and researched Ms. Clancey and her work.  My research, however, gave me a little background and a feel for her style, but I was still a bit vague as to what I should expect ...

Having attended the show, I can now say that it was a complete revelation.  Julia Clancey presented a collection that was world class and could hold its own if presented in any of the major fashion capitals.  The rooftop of the Palihouse Hotel was transformed into a whimsical garden where we were all invited to attend a tea party á la Alice and Wonderland.  Flowers marked the runway area, which had miniature gold encrusted tea sets, small crocodiles, peacocks, lilly pads and croquet mallets strewn about for our afternoon garden party.  When the models hit the runway, they completed the whole atmosphere with the magical designs of Ms. Clancey.

Calling the collection “Sensually Sorbet”, the color palette was one of lush springtime pastels of peppermint, aqua, watermelon, lemons, lilac and white.  Utilizing soft chiffons and satins, the outfits flowed dreamily across the rooftop.  This collection brought me back to my days at Nina Ricci in the atelier flou.  Both in cut and embellishment, the collection had an haute couture feeling to it.  Short dresses, long gowns, signature shifts and even kaftans were presented with decoration in the form of hand embroidered crystals, beads and sequins. Not heavy handed at all, the embellishment on these pieces is delicate and feminine and provide just the right amount of sparkle, without becoming overwhelming.

The models hair and makeup complimented the outfits and the theme perfectly, with butterflies adorning their perfectly coiffed heads.  On their final pass, the models ended up lounging on a little hillside, completing the theme and the atmosphere of Ms. Clancey’s imagination that we were lucky enough to partake in for the afternoon.

Julia Clancey is in the process of opening an appointment only boutique in West Hollywood.  I am looking forward to paying her a visit there and discovering more about this extremely talented woman.

Reported by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel

Photos and Video by Omri Escalante

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