Fall Fashion LA's Presentation

©ourtesy of  Karen Ostlund

Paul Redmond Design

“Concept fashion – it’s when music, art & fashion come together as one” It takes place twice a year, at Ace Gallery in Hollywood.
Concept fashion week, Hollywood’s bi-annual event, was as last season located at Ace Gallery (5414 Wilshire) and welcomed 16 designers, two nights of runway shows,  and creative installations. This March fashion- presentations featured fall 2012 season’s runway collections and installations by: MIKE VENSEL, HENRY DUARTE, BRYAN HEARNS, PAUL REDMOND, MEMENIC, NUVULA, S&G, CHAMBERS, THAI NUYGEN, CURLY V, BELLE N. MATISSE, ELAINE ALLEN, ZuBAUEN, GYPSY JUNKIES, LAILI LAU, NAMI and JEN AWAD.

Edgy, Dark & Spanish style for S & G by Sequoia and Gita

Concept fashion week was founded by fashion designer Mike Vensel and downtown Los Angeles visionary Brady Westwater in 2010. The concept was seen as a new alternative for designers wanting to showcase their latest collections under their own terms.
Vensel and Westwater had produced fashion shows in Los Angeles since 2004, and also worked together to launch many shows over the years.

Bryan Hearns Design

Concept Los Angeles at ACE Gallery has become the creative platform born out of the modern Mecca of marketing, which is Los Angeles today. The aim of Concept is to merge entertainment with some of the
most upcoming  fashion designers, artists and musicians of the moment.
How Concept Fashion Week all started: 
Doug Christmas, owner of ACE Gallery, had an interest to get more involved in the fashion industry, and approached fashion designer Henry Duarte. Duarte introduced Concept to Doug, and the rest is history – a month later they announced their newly formed partnership. right, Henry Duarte wearing his design

Doug Christmas and Duarte explained in an earlier interview:

“Many designers are looking for a new way to showcase their collection . Having a beautiful raw space as a blank canvas in which designers can push their creative boundaries and expand the idea of what a fall fashion show can be, from a traditional runway show to video projections, to live performance art, there are no boundaries restricting the way a designer can communicate their vision”.
Ace Gallery on 5514 Wilshire blvd is an enormous labyrinth, which has space for everybody with interest in fashion & art. The only drawback with this venue is that the main floor has only one unisex bathroom, and you had to walk three floors up for additional.

Nuvula :: Columbian designers Rebeca and Vanessa Victoria of Nuvula, kicked off opening night with theatrics and colors.

Los Angeles  Fall Winter 2012 collection titled, “In the airs of La Belle Époque,” was a tribute in colors and textures to Gustav Klimt and Toulouse Lautrec and the imaginary wardrobes of their muses. Nuvula’s fashion show started off with a live performance of ‘El Tango De Roxanne” from the movie Moulin Rouge. The singer was accompanied by a violinist and a cellist, so the music set an more operatic tone. The eco-line consisted of pieces inspired by 20’s, 30’s and Art Deco – in geometric shapes, patterns and silhouettes. Inspiration was also drawn from Asian luxury – Chinese and Japanese hybrids and Samurai armors. The fabrics were made with hemp and bamboo and low impact H20 dyes. In addition, Nuvula uses no animal products, choosing to use only vegan leathers, and is strictly anti-fur. nuvula.com

Chambers men’s line

The Gypsy Junkies collection is
always contemporary and never contrived.
Brainchild of LA transplant, Marcus Paglialonga and his mother Cynthia Crighton – Gypsy Junkies’ design aesthetic is shaped mostly by their world travels and the luxurious textiles they discover along the way.  “The sartorial embodiment of bohemian & rebellion youth”. gypsyjunkies.com
Laili Lau Fall 2012 “The Wild Hunt” was characterized by daring and original clothes filled with Zen and spiritual freedom and space. It targets the young-spirited, sensible, modern and the unconventional woman who wants a trendy and relaxed look. Beyond the clothing brand or trend, Laili Lau is projected as a concept that aims to create social awareness and promote the respect for nature. The Laila Lau Fall 2012 concept reflects the textures of trees through clean cuts, cotton, wool and touches of glitter with sequins. The soft and delicate folds bring to this creation volumes and style of ancient tribes. laililau.com

Curly V Design

CURLY-V Curly-V is meant to bring just a bit of happiness into a world of uncertainty and darkness. It is for the trendsetting girl who isn’t afraid of taking chances and perhaps for some of the boys too. But mostly, Curly-V is for the dreamers of the world—it represents the beauty of the people and their unrelenting spirit to follow their dreams.”  curlyv.com
Jen Awad is a self-taught painter, artist and musician of Peruvian and Egyptian descent, but she was born here in Los Angeles. Awad has flair of embroidery with mod tattoos, to classic Hollywood glamour with beading details. The many zippers are dominating details on her dresses and mini-skirts for fall 2012.

Jen Awad

The colors are black, brown, and white & pink floral, combined with metallic in jackets, skirts and long evening gowns. “My collection does for a woman, who is a free thinker, open minded and unrestrained”. It’s a compilation of looks, so the soundtrack to this current collection would be a fusion of electro punk with a nod to LA warehouse scenes, street style and embodies true underground LA style at Jen Awad.”  jenawad.com
Mike Vensel is an American fashion designer known for his minimalist aesthetic and use of traditional natural materials. Each Mike Vensel  collection explores natural, cultural and architectural elements and creates a fusion between organic design evolution and futuristic ideas of a second skin. With use of organic cottons, bamboo, recycled leather and silk overstocks the brand has an ecological responsibility that goes beyond eco marketing.

Mike Vensel Design

Vensel’s Fall 2012 design has light-winged silhouettes, which are joined by body-conscious and tunic styles. mikevensel.com
Thai Nguyen’s Fall 2012 Collection “Sultry Saigon” was an inspiration from the Vietnamese city Saigon.
Nguyen’s runway show featured dresses for three different occasions: Casual, red carpet and bridal-wear in satin, tulle and silk.
His color tones choices featured black, purple, navy and Jade-green as basic colors.
“The sequins and fringe reflect the bright lights of the motorbikes, which is a common scene of  the streets of Saigon. – Dark fabrics are mixed with soft jewel tones throughout the collection. It looks refreshing  to the hot and humidity – Saigon is known for”

Thai NGuyen’s “Sultry Saigon”

 

Elaine Marie Design

“I want to create soft, airy dresses in silk materials, that will complement the female body", Thai Nguyen said. Thainguyencollections.com

Belle N Matisse

Nami Design