LA Fashion Week: The Left Coast Version of Fashion Week is about to Start!

I’m just starting to sort through the LA Fashion Week shows and the invites in The Recessionista‘s In-Box.  Poor LA Fashion Week, it seems to be widely regarded as a poor cousin to the bigger  fashion events around the globe particularly New York Fashion Week.  Although we have a burgeoning fashion scene here with some great designers and the thriving California Mart downtown with sample showrooms to revival NY’s Garment District, Los Angeles Fashion Week has remained something of  a red-headed step child. I think Los Angeles has some great designer talent, we just haven’t had the infrastructure to put on runway shows like New York , Paris, London and Milan.  When Kelly Cutrone produced Alternative Apparel’s show earlier this year, the production value stood head and shoulders above the other shows.  In my opinion, Los Angeles shows have seemed more like rock shows than events about the business of fashion aimed to impress buyers from retail stores. In New York at Fashion Week, there is no long cocktail hour pre-show or musical act playing until 1 am. The clothes are the stars period.  In Los Angeles, the party and the fashion show are combined sometimes into one indistinct entity. But, we may see some exciting changes this year in Los Angeles.  One show I’m really excited for is Sue Wong’s “Glamour Goddesses: A Tribute to the Glamour  Goddesses of the Silver Screen.”   The theme is brilliant for a show set in Los Angeles, home of Hollywood and its resident glamour. I can’t wait to see what Sue does with this theme.  If anyone can elevate LA Fashion Week, I think it’s her.  I like her Indian inspired Eat, Pray Love collection sold at Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus and other retailers.  Look for Sue Wong’s cocktail dresses for less on eDressme.com and use discount code RETAILMENOT to save 10%.

Other upcoming highlights to look for during Los Angeles Fashion Week are the launch of  Concept Fashion Week (invite only exhibition and runway shows kick-off with a Fashion for Passion Opening Event from 8pm to 1am at the Crocker Club downtown), Lauren Elaine’s show, the two shows scheduled from designer Jen Awad, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund event and FGILA’s 75th Anniversary of Fashion Gala. Clearly, there’s a lot going on.  I look forward to learning about some new designers and seeing what’s new from the ones I already know.  To see the full LA Fashion Week schedule click here to see the list on the Fashion Week LA calendar.