Sheer Drama

NEWSPAPER 2ND CLASS
ApparelNews
CALIFORNIA
Where fashion gets down to business SM
THE VOICE
OF THE
INDUSTRY FOR
63
years
$2.95 ($3.50 OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA) VOLUME 63, NUMBER 48 NOVEMBER 9–15, 2007
JOHN ECKMIER, VOLKER CORELL AND TIM REGAS, COURTESY OF LINDA LOUDERMILK
Denim Report:
Premium Dilemma:
Fighting the Fakes
By Deborah Belgum
SENIOR EDITOR
Since the beginning of the year, Antik Denim, the Los
Angeles–based premium-denim label, has gone on the
war path to catch counterfeiters selling Antik knockoffs
on the Internet.
In March alone, Antik Denim filed 43 federal court cases in Los Angeles against counterfeiters and trademark
violators peddling fake Antik Denim jeans on various Web
sites.
At the same time, another high-end Los Angeles bluejeans company, True Religion, has gone to court with
a flurry of federal lawsuits to send knockoff artists, both
online and offline, a message: Don’t mess with True Religion.
And 7 For All Mankind, the Los Angeles denim label launched in 2000, is filing about one criminal case a
week in various U.S. courts to shut down counterfeit operations.
Blue-jeans companies are no strangers to the world of
knockoff artists. Just ask Levi Strauss & Co., the venerable San Francisco–based denim company founded in
Counterfeiters page 5
From Vintage Retailer
to Design Archivist
Linda Loudermilk
Jeremy Scott
By Erin Barajas
MANUFACTURING EDITOR
Retailer Shareen Mitchell has been known to shoo
designers out of Shareen Downtown, her vintage store
with a rabid cult following among stylists, starlets and
trendsetters.
“I think about it now, and I say to myself, ‘I can’t believe
I did that!’” Mitchell said, sitting among the thousands of
vintage dresses, skirts, jackets, swimsuits and pants that
lure women to her out-of-the-way location near downtown.
Mitchell, who shops for her store four days a week,
reserves key items for her own archive, which until this
summer served as a resource for Shareen, her own line
of classic modern dresses.
“That is where I put the most-special, most-fabulous,
Shareen page 16
I n s i d e:
Randolph Duke
Sheer Drama
Special Report: Fashion Philanthropy
… p. 6
Visual Display … p. 13
New Resources … p. 16
Market Scoop … p. 17
Dyehouse Resource Guide … p. 19
Los Angeles Fashion Week had its share of dramatic moments. From
the exquisite gowns that ruled the runway at Kevan Hall’s show to
the theatrics of Jeremy Scott, the week showcased the diversity
of the season. BCBG Max Azria, which received the “Wells Fargo
Century Fashion Achievement Award” at the Los Angeles Fashion
Awards, presented a collection that played on the Spring trend of
transparency. For more on Spring trends and other dramatic moments
on the runway, see pages 14 and 15.
www.apparelnews.net
Kevan Hall
BCBG Max Azria
Trend Watch
Elsie Katz
Couture
Eduardo Lucero
French Twist
Whitley Kros
Petro Zillia
Evidence of
Evolution
Bradley Baumkirchner
Sue Wong
Classically styled dresses and clothing
are reminiscent of 18th century French
style. Ruffles, shirring and jacquard
prints decorate dresses in soft tones of
cream, pink, blue and purple.
Dorothy Lee
at Gen Art
Point of Hue
The color trend continues into Spring, and the runway was filled
with bold palettes. Styles ranged from skinny jeans in every
possible shade to sportswear, dresses and evening gowns.
Dina Bar-El
Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring ’08
A Season of Contrasts
This season Los Angeles presented the full range of its contrasting character. With
nearly a month of runway shows, Angelenos were reminded of the diversity offered
on the Left Coast, with the looks on the runway as varied as the venues in which they
were presented during the Oct. 12–30 run. Runway shows were presented by BOXeight at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles and at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
at Smashbox Studios in Culver City. The California Market Center hosted contemporary collections on the runway throughout the Los Angeles Fashion Market,
and the Los Angeles Fashion Awards showcased the innovative designer nominees. And, of course, independent shows and events around town offered designers
the versatility of creating a personalized presentation. The shows put the spotlight on
everything from T-shirts, sweats and denim to contemporary labels, designer readyto-wear and red-carpet finery.
For Spring ’08, the runway reintroduced sportswear with bold colors, graphic
prints and dynamic ’80s silhouettes. A colorful new-wave look emerged with a techy
cartoon twist reminiscent of Japanese animation. On the softer side of the spectrum,
classic romantic looks, sheer fabrics and floral prints were prevalent. Key silhouettes
ranged from high-waisted trousers to chic rompers and dresses in every possible variety. Eco-designers took center stage presenting looks ranging from casual bamboo
dresses at Ecoganik to Gary Harvey’s couture gowns made of recycled newspapers. And technology made an imprint on the season with high-tech fabrics, metallics, tie-dyes and ombré treatments. Whimsical themes took shape on the runway
as some designers, including Jeremy Scott, made fashion from the “unfashionable,”
while others—including Suh-Tahn, Juan Carlos Obando and Jasmin Shokrian—took
a more serious approach with innovative, architectural designs.
Here is a look at the season’s key trends.—N. Jayne Seward
Cosa Nostra
Orthodox
at Gen Art
Grey Ant
Modern Man
Menswear takes a modern approach for Spring. Companies ranging from eco-conscious to hard-core rock ’n’ roll
showed their version of the look. Walking shorts, knit tops,
windbreakers and crop pants are the essentials.
Bohemian Society
New-Wave Rave
Eighties pop meets techy cool with a new-wave hybrid look.
Styles are perfect for casual day-to-day activities or for an
all-night rave in Tokyo.
Jordi Scott
Voom by
Joy Han
Whitley Kros
Voom
by Joy
Han
Heatherette
Romper Room
The romper takes a decidedly chic turn for Spring with all-over prints,
vintage styling and a bright color palette. The freshest looks came
beautifully fitted and accessorized with belts, bows and zippers.
Linda Loudermilk
Ecoganik
Evidence of
Evolution
Eco-Chic
Eco-alternatives have become the latest in
fashion cool. Designs ranged from casually
chic T-shirts and knits to the wind-blown couture looks of Linda Loudermilk and ingenious
recycled creations of Gary Harvey.
Jeremy
Scott
Gary Harvey
14 CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS
NOVEMBER 9–15, 2007
Brian
Lichtenberg
Louis Verdad
Petro Zillia
Cosa
Nostra
Eduardo
Lucero
Juan
Carlos
Obando
Elsie Katz
Couture
Juan Carlos
Obando
Bird of
Prey
Petro Zillia
Christian
Audigier
Suh-Tahn
Gregory
Parkinson
Grey
Ant
Cutting-Edge Treatments
CW Christian
Weber at Gen Art
Fabric treatments and design details take on a high-tech, artistic feel this season. Fabrics defy the norm with metallic and plastic treatments and heavy wax coatings. Tie-dye
effects, ombrés and artwork add additional surface interest. And the back is a new focal
point as designers engineer architecturally inspired eveningwear.
Whitley Kros
Gregory Parkinson
Sport Report
Sportswear makes a return for Spring with clean styling, bold
colors and high-tech fabrics. High-waisted shorts, athleticinspired tops, blazers, wide-leg trousers and trench coats are
key pieces of the season.
Plastic Island
Gary
Harvey
Grey Ant
The Shirt Dress
Voom by Joy Han
Voom by
Joy Han
Grey Ant
Jeremy
Scott
The shirt dress is the freshest take on
Spring’s key item. And designers created
inventive variations for the classic shape.
Styles included everything from clean styles
with minimalist treatments to elaborate
gowns made from men’s recycled shirts.
Chick
by Nicky
Hilton
Jeremy
Scott
Heatherette
Sue Wong
On a Whim
Designers turn up the theatrics this season with an
over-the-top sense of style. Inspiration comes from
fairy tales, the bizarre and the out of the ordinary.
Grey Ant
Monarchy
Oligo Tissew
Louis Verdad
The Trouser
Trousers are key for Spring. Variations include high waists, wide legs, skinny proportions and pleating—and multiple combinations of them all.
NOVEMBER 9–15, 2007
CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS 15
VOLKER CORELL, JOHN ECKMIER, TIM REGAS, JESSICA SILVERSTEIN AND ED LAPORTA/WINSTONE PRODUCTIONS
Sheer Drama
Transparency is a key aesthetic for Spring, and designers
have an individual approach to the conceptual look. Styles
ranged from sweet to sexy with a strong trend toward eveningwear.