The L word meets t

Globe Life i•?tyle
CLOSET POLITICS
The L word meets t
BY AMY VERNER
with their fashion sense."
"It was the first ongoing
ot long after its debut
five years ago, The L
Word went from being a
show about L.A. lesbians to a
show about chic L.A. lesbians.
The fashion focus generated
so much buzz that it's fair to
say many viewers of the final
season, which launched this
week on Showcase, are more
interested in seeing the characters in their clothes than out
of them.
The attention also made a
celebrity out of show stylist
Cynthia Summers, who, like
the show's production, is
based in Vancouver.
For Summers, The L Word
was a chance to refine the nolion of lesbian chic. While the
show was initially criticized for
being too "lipstick," she believes its success is a sign that
"gay women have come out
show for lesbians and, in particular, the lesbian community
in L.A.," Summers says. "By
season two ... creator ilene
Chaiken said, 'Let's show these
women for who they are and
what they are and let's put a
bit of mystery and fantasy behind it.'"
N
The fashion-as-empowerment approach worked, judging by the response from L
Word fans on blogs and websites. "My wife is a dean at an
L.A. university and wore conservative power suits as the
job required and was bored to
tears," reads one testimonial
on www. afterellen.com.
"Then BAM, Belie Porter
comes along. Power, grace, fern
and big fun shopping. Her
mantra now is 'Would Belie
wear this?'"
)}SEE 'FASHION' PAGES
Jennifer Beals (immediate
left) stars as power lesbian
Befle Poe whose wardmbe
Is an inspiration to many gay
viewers. Beside her Is her
partner, Tina (Laurel
Hoiloman); at far left Is guest
star Elizabeth Berkley.
PAUL MICHAUD/SHOW11ME
It's not what they're wearing; it's howthey wear it
Brtte Porter, played by
Jennifer Beals, Is In fact
a dean (of art) herself, a
power lesbian with a healthy
sexual appetite. According to
Summers, her look has evolved
to represent a woman somewhere between the classic
"butch" and "femme" roles.
"She'a a modern woman with
a high-profile job," Summers
says. "We started styling her
with a 19405 Kate Hepburn
look - slacks and blouses or
men's shirts and skirts that are
fitted and sexier. Now, she
wears a lot more dresses. But
she still looks like a woman to
be reckoned with."
Label spotters will note that
Bette favours Ann Demeulemeester and Alexander McQueen, whose suits axe
'structured with a feminine
edge," as well as Stella McCartnay, Dries Van Noten and Sienna Mfflers line Twenty8Twelve.
For the character of the
slightly giddy girly girl Alice
played by Leisha Halley, the
only out lesbian In the cast the designer of choice Is Marni.
"1 think a lot of lesbian fashion
Is that loose, deconstructed,
fiowy vibe," Summers says.
As for the dark-horse butch
character Shane (Katherine
Moennig), the key label is Dior
Homme. "She Is probably the
fashion version of Ellen Degeneres," Summers says.
))
While Summers gets the
most kudos for Bette's wardrobe, Shane, too, is a fashion
Inspiration.
'When season one aired, I
was coming out of the closet
and before I came out! was trybig to play it 'straight' with the
clothes that I wore," a viewer
wrote to afterellen.coni. "Seeing the way Shane dressed, especially In season two, made It
a little easier for me to change
my wardrobe to what! felt
comfortable in. I particularly
enjoy the androgynous style."
For Summers, "Ii's not so
mucliwhat she's wearing; It's
how she's wearing It and her
attitude. I think that's what lesbian chic Is and I think that's
when it's making a statement.
It's not so much a piece of wardrobe or a particular look."
Diversity and personal choice
In matters both sartorial and
political is key for Summers,
who was determined that the
show avoid caricature. And
while the producers saw the
fashion as "aspirational," they
also wanted to make It accessible enough that a real L.A.
university dean would emulate
a character's look.
Still, she struggles with the
notion that "lesbian chic" Is in
the final analysis different than
simply "chic."
"1 think fashion has always
played an Important part for
marginalized groups throughout history; as It has given
them a visual presence, given
them a physical voice, If you
wifi," Summers says. Yet
there's an irony there. "We
want to be taken as we are and
we want to stand out politically
but we also want lobe a part of
society."
For herself, it's Alice's style
she feels closest to. "I'm definitely a girly girl. I have been
all my life."
I) The sixth and final seasen of The
L Word airs on Showcase on Tuesdays at io p.m.
Left, Mica (Leisha Heliey) Is the
girly gbl who likes dresses;
above. Jennifer Beals's efle
mixes sharp-edged wiling with
softer touches. Right, Shane
(Katherine Moennlg) favours Dior
Homme.