Eco-Chic Lavuk Fall 2011 by Natasha Gindin

Presented at the ACE Gallery as part of Concept LA Fashion Week. theLAVUK Fall 2011 Collection by designer Natasha Gindin was received by an enthusiastic packed house.

Born in the former Yugoslavia and growing up in cities all over the world, Natasha Gindin brings the diversity of her upbringing to her designs.  Calling her LAVUK Fall 2011 Collection “Infinity”, she attempts to capture the present and move into the future at the same time.  Classic sportswear silhouettes were transformed into a line that is about being contemporary and easy to wear, while still making a fashion statement.

The color story is based on shades of grey with a reddish-orange and purple mixing in as full garments or as accents.  With silhouettes that are a bit deco inspired in their sharpness of line and the exploration of lines extending out into “Infinity”, the collection expresses a modernity that is futuristic and a bit reminiscent of 1960’s Pierre Cardin.  Some of the highlights of the collection are modern coats with contrast details and detailed seaming, dresses and tops with cut-outs that reveal contrast fabric beneath, a modern take on the shirt dress, and tops that play with cowl drapes.

The LAVUK line is created using eco-friendly sustainable fabrics and is made sweatshop-free locally in Los Angeles.  Additionally, a tree is planted through American Forests as part of the California Wildfire Releaf Program for every garment purchased.

Fashion with a conscience.  Becoming more of a concern to LA designers, LAVUK is one of the leaders of this movement like fellow designer Averi Bell of Chemline.  We can only hope that more will follow.

Video by Omri Escalante.  Story by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel

Read more →

Chemline Fall 2011

L.A.Fashion Week began with a weekend of runway shows and fashion/art installations hosted by Concept LA Fashion Week at the ACE Gallery in the Mid-Wilshire district.  Housed in an historic Art Deco building, the ACE Gallery is an interesting venue for shows, with its wide open spaces and attempt to mix fashion and art together.  To get to the runway space, you first had to pass through the gallery and make your way through art installations and performance artists, giving a buildup to the runway shows that would ensue.

The first show that I took in at Concept LA Fashion Week was designer Averi Bell’s Fall 2011 Chemline Collection.  A former costume designer for LA’s film community, Ms. Bell launched Chemline in the Fall of 2007.  Chemline is an apparel line that is inspired by Ms. Bell’s love for storytelling, combined with a love for the craftsmanship of garments.

Placing an emphasis on using materials that are eco-friendly and sustainable, the Fall 2011 Chemline fabrics are hemp, hemp silks, yak hemp blends and recycled poly with an emphasis on texture. The color palette for the collection was primarily black, white, grey, and shades of cream/off white, with a shot of a vibrant emerald green in the mix for a few outfits and as an accent on a black hooded jacket.

Silhouettes are sleek and modern with a remarkable attention to construction and details.  A very lady-like collection with scalloped hemlines, meticulous tailoring and the mixing of matte and shine fabrics give Chemline a sophistication that makes it stand out among other LA fashion lines.  A few pieces of note are the structured vests over blouses, a black cocktail dress with fabric streamers that connect to the ankles and a belted black gown with white shoulder accents and white godets at the hem.

Averi Bell’s Chemline Fall 2011 Collection accomplishes what she set out to do: tell a story.  And liking the story that was told, I will look forward to more of her storytelling in the future.

video by Omri Escalante.  Story reported by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel

Read more →

Cynthia Vincent NYC Boutique Launch

West Coast designer Cynthia Vincent opened her downtown New York boutique last week. The store on the Lower East Side held a curated collection of her signature shoes.  The spring collection of clothing was a mix of ethic prints, easy silk silhouettes and delicately beaded tops.  Ikat patterns and Native American motifs hung in Earthy warm colors.  

Ms. Vincent herself was on hand to introduce hand-picked jewelry pieces from her travels, along with hand crafted handbags.  The easy contemporary style has become a favorite of celebrities like Blake Lively, Beyonce and Kristen Stewart.  

If you are looking for the perfect spring refresher, come on down to 253 Elizabeth Street to make your wardrobe happy.

Read more →

Rodarte: States of Matter Exhibit at MOCA

In business for only six years, the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte have been one of the most lauded and respected fashion designers of the current generation.  Honored by Michelle Obama with the Cooper Hewitt Award, celebrated by the fashion elite, the label is now being honored at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Los Angeles.

The exhibit, “Rodarte: States of Matter” shows several tutus from their highly publicized (and controversial) gig designer for the movie Black Swan.  There are also garments from three seasons of their runway collections.

Longtime collaborator, Alexandre de Betak helped to create dramatic set pieces to display the collection.  A very noir exhibit meant to display black garments as sculpture pieces, there are mannequins suspended from the ceiling and spun slowly on whirling motors.

The theatrical “immersive” exhibit is what you would hope for from a duo who cites “Living Dead Dolls” and Japanese horror films as inspiration. 

The exhibit runs until June 5, 2011 at MOCA Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.

Photos by Autumn de Wilde. Courtesy of MOCA.

Read more →

WEST COAST FAB: M5 Eco Couture

Besides benefitting Entertainment AIDS Alliance, the Fashion Minga event also showcased 5 Southern California design houses. Events like these can be very important to small design houses, because they can help to give them the much needed exposure necessary to succeed in the highly competitive fashion arena. Los Angeles has a vibrant fashion community that marches to its own drummer and often reflect the local culture and concerns.

M5 Eco Couture is a perfect example of a design house that produces clothing that is right in line with LA style and is also fashion with a conscience. Designer Morgan Olson, the founder of and the creative talent behind M5 Eco Couture, definitely has an agenda. An agenda for saving the planet. M5 Eco Couture is all about being Eco-Friendly. Ms. Olson not only designs using resources that are sustainable and wonʼt harm the environment, but a big part of her collections are focused on recycling materials. Making garments out of recycled denim, scarves and other fabrics from used clothing, M5 Eco Couture strives to eliminate the waste that is caused by mass production. It also eliminates the need for producing new fabrics. Manufacturing fabric can pollute the environment with chemicals and dyes used in the process. Ms. Olson tries to use very little to none of packaging materials, with an eye toward reducing the mount of plastic bags and other packing items that end up in our landfills.

M5 Eco Couture presentation at Fashion Minga proved that you can create LA Chic clothing without being detrimental to the environment. A noble cause for fashion and a noble cause for our future.

Reported by Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel. Photos by Omri Escalante.
Follow my blog with bloglovin
Follow my blog with bloglovin

Read more →

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

Read more →

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

Read more →

Los Angeles Fashion Week: Green Initiative Spring 2011

Los Angeles Fashion Week started last weekend and what better way to begin my coverage than with The Green Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show.  The show is sponsored by The Green Youth Movement, an organization founded by Ally Maize with a goal to educate youth on how to be eco friendly.  As Ms. Maize put it at the opening of the show, “We’re the next generation and can and will make a difference”.

The event showcased four labels that concentrate their efforts on eco-friendly fashion: organic and sustainable fabrics, local manufacturing, fair trade practices, non-toxic dyes.  Although these labels all put an emphasis on being eco-friendly, they each have a very distinctive personality.

First up on the runway was Kristinit, by designer Kristina Lenss.

In a collection that covered the bases from daytime casual to dressier pieces, Ms. Lenss turned out a very feminine and versatile line.  Constructed jackets paired with flirty skirts were key to this grouping as were a mix of day to evening dresses.

Next up was , a line with a primary goal to provide jobs for women with HIV in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. With this noble goal, they produce a line that is very handcrafted and artisanal, emphasizing elegance and comfort.  Using a color palette that is very earthy and natural, Keokjay produced a nice line of mostly casual separates, all with handcrafted details that really stand out.    One look that stood out was a dress with the fabric braided in the front to produce and interesting textural element from which the fabric emerged in soft drapes.

Jonãno followed with a line that was also more geared toward casual wear.  Utilizing mostly natural colors, Jonãno accented the collection with a few shots of mauve, a bright blue and an ethnic-look print.  A “macramé” shawl, an intricately twisted front print dress and a lace sheath dress with a long jacket were standouts in this grouping.

Last, but definitely not least, the Emily Factor line.  While the other lines were all beautifully done, this line kicked it up a notch.  The Central Saint Martins education was definitely apparent here.  Vibrant sophisticated prints were the focal point of this collection, whether draped in fluid dresses or as leggings. This bold use of color was a nice ending to the show. Flowing dresses with an emphasis on drape were knock outs and high waisted “paper bag” pants and shorts were stylishly reminiscent of the 80’s.

All in all, The Green Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show  made good on its promise of showing us that fashion can be eco-friendly without compromising on style. Let’s hear it for Eco Chic!

Photos & Reporting by Mdivani Monroe

Read more →

West Coast FAB: Delano

California. Beautiful people with beautiful bodies playing on the beach.... But those bodies didn’t get that way by accident. It’s all about working out!  But what do you wear when you are working out?  I mean, you need to be practical and wear clothing that is functional for working out.  But you also want to look good WHILE working out.  And wouldn’t it be great if some of those workout clothes could serve double duty by being fashionable enough to wear on other outings?

Back in the 80’s, the movie Flashdance started a craze for wearing dancer inspired workout wear as street clothing.  But in all honesty, although it seemed cool at the time, the clothes that came out of that fad were merely sweatshirts that had necklines cut out of them and ripped leotards. They were hardly what you would call fashionable and it was a look that probably should have stayed  in the dance studio. Which raises the question, is it possible to have clothing that is practical for working out and also appropriate for daily activities?

Welcome to the world of Delano, a Southern California severely hip line of workout clothes that covers your needs for working out AND is cool enough to wear on the town as well.  Designed with active women in mind, this is not just a line of activewear, it is a line of lifestyle wear that will carry you through many of your daily needs.  While the company is based in Southern California, the clothing will speak to active women everywhere.

The mother/daughter team of Tamara and Britt Delano have launched their namesake line and it is definitely a winner.  Veterans of the entertainment and music worlds, they have long been involved in dance and body conditioning with pilates.  And like the saying goes: necessity is the mother of invention.  Having a hard time finding workout clothes that were functional and stylish, they took their love of dance and fashion and developed the Delano line of clothing. 

The line consists of sporty tops, leggings, pants, jumpsuits and wrap jackets, both long and short.  All of the pieces put an emphasis on design with decorative touches that make them fun to wear and very fashionable.  The colors of the collection are black, white, red, eggplant, bright pink, light blue and I am sure more colors will be added as this new line picks up steam.

Let’s face it, if you are going to all of the trouble of working out to get that buff body, don’t you want to show it off?  With Delano, you can show it off in style.

Read more →

West Coast FAB: Juicy Style From Orange County

Happy Fabulous Friday!  We're going bi-coastal and bringing you all that is chic from Orange County.  Ms. FABulous has a new West Coast correspondent, Mdivani Monroe.  You may know him as the creator and host of "Ladies Who Lunch".  He will be showing you the best places to shop on the West Coast...

Orange County, CA.  The name itself conjures up images of Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Republicans, and Huntington Beach.  When you think of fashion companies in Orange County, the names of Quicksilver, Roxy, Billabong, Oakley roll off your tongue.  Fashion design is pretty much limited to surf and skate inspired clothing.  But perhaps that is about to change...

Breaking that mold, a new collection has emerged from the OC, 2627-Line.  The line, created by designer Maria Lopez, is also breaking the mold for herself personally as well.  As former Vice President of Design at St. John, she designed for their celebrity and politician clientele excelling in creating not only their signature suited looks, but also  crafting their elegant evening wear.  But when she left in 2008, she wanted to create a line that reflected more of what she wears.

The line consists of hoodies, sweatshirts, T-shirts, dresses and leggings in a color palette dominated by black, white, taupe, grey and just a shot of color with a slightly faded ruby.  Although the line reflects the California relaxed lifestyle, it has an urban edge to it that makes it sleek and sexy.  Ms. Lopez has designed the line for “the contemporary woman who is self confident and has her own fashion sense.  She isn’t overly concerned with being trendy, but rather wants to put together a look that is flattering and easy to wear”.

This is the type of clothing that dependent upon how it is worn, can take you from day through evening and is not defined by age or body type.  It is the type of clothing worn by celebrities, but is perfect on the everyday woman as well.  As Ms. Lopez puts it, “it’s classic clothing with a modern twist.  I love the fact women can now dress down and look still very chic and put together for a 9-5 career.”

Fabrications run from MicroModal, vintage wash fleece and French terry to cashmere.  The feel of the fabric was very important to Ms. Lopez and she worked endlessly with a wash house to get just the right softness.  “I want the line to feel comfortable and luxurious at the same time”, said Ms.

Lopez.  They are also “no-fuss” fabrics making them easy to wear and easy to pack for trips

I spoke to Ms. Lopez as she returned from a photoshoot for next years Spring line.  “Expect a little more color for Spring.  While I will still have the classic colors of black, white and grey, there will also be a muted khaki, a soft sky blue and a mink shade of brown”.  The fabrications will also expand to include stretch cotton denim, a laminated heathered linen, stretch linen and an angora/cotton blend.

The Fall 2010 will be hitting the stores in the beginning of September, with

prices starting around $65 for a T-shirt and going up to around $200.

You will find 2627-Line at American Rag, Cie. in Newport Beach, CA and also the Los Angeles store.  It will also be carried online by the shopping site Moxsie.

By Mdivani Monroe Photos by New Vision Studio

Read more →