Cherry-red booths with tables decked in white cloths moved from the diner onto Karl Lagerfeld’s French Bistro-inspired runway.
His unconventional Chanel showcase strutted past bounds of the expected blank-slate catwalk, mirroring the creative standard set by Paris Fashion Week that is then mimicked by designers on a global scale.
Enter mid-March’s Los Angeles Fashion Week, its on-and-off copycat cousin.
Neutral colors, sheer fabrics and construction-based pieces have emanated from the event into today’s shops. Designer collections have seamed the season together with casual-but-dressy style like looks showcased in Mike Vensel’s minimalist pieces.
“I don’t think its fair to compare the two. They are very different,” the Los Angeles-based designer said.
The producer of Concept, a platform for up-and-coming designers to showcase their collections, notes that the two are entities of their own.
“Lately we have been getting a lot of attention from big brands producing shows here like Tom Ford, Dior or Burberry,” he said.
White rose petals blanketed Milk Studio’s stage like snow in Tom Fords’ showcase of his fall-winter collection in February. According to Los Angeles Times, Ford chose Los Angeles because much of his market is directed toward clients headed to the Oscars, hinting at the potential shift of big names like Dior to the southland.
“Los Angeles [pulls from the local] fashion market, so here we have much smaller brands showcasing than in New York City or Paris,” Vensel said. “The spirit of Los Angeles Fashion Week is a bit more relaxed and fun.”
SoCal’s collaborative take on Paris’ couture prototype boils down to a meagerly funded market, hungry for recognition.
Emily Daccarett, a Los Angeles-based fashion designer, said that in order to put on elaborate, high fashion expos, the city needs attention from huge companies with larger labels.
“The people that go [to Paris] are really into the fashion industry; [the organizers of Paris Fashion Week] are putting a focus on the buyers,” Daccarett said. “It’s a major business; [organizers of Paris Fashion Week] put pressure on having buyers attend.”
Daccarett ‘s Victorian-esque Noir Collection drenched Paris Fashion Week’s runway in black at her first showing overseas. During her transatlantic trip, she noticed the differences between the two events, contrasting Paris’ more refined structure to its mellow American counterpart.
“I feel like that there is a bit more freedom to do the type of show you want to do [in Los Angeles],” Daccarett said. “I don’t think I would prefer one over the other; both events allow me to do different things.”
The still-forming Los Angeles Fashion Week excites designers like Daccarett, who said she feels that the lack of protocols set forth allots for designers to sew their own patterns outside of the high-fashion standard.
“Paris Fashion Week has set the path. It ‘s more like getting a good training and then coming to LA,” Daccarett said. “There is a lot of room to grow and to set our own standards here and the type of shows we like to do; that’s what is very exciting about LA.”