L.A. Fashion Week Spring '09: Nonja McKenzie
Fresh to the runway scene was designer Nonja McKenzie, a Los Angeles stylist who debuted her first line at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios on Oct. 16 in Culver City, Calif.
McKenzie divided her line into two sections: bright solids and flashy bling.
“My inspiration for the line was Picasso’s ’Sleeping Woman.’” She is very soft and strong, and colors go from greens to oranges, whites and blacks,” said McKenzie, a friend of singer Macy Gray, who was in the audience and, later, backstage. “I try to make clothes that feel good on me and on other women.”
McKenzie started out the collection with a white silk jersey dress with a deep V-neck that was ruched along the sleeves and up the middle. Also looking soft and breezy was a tangerine silk chiffon butterfly blouse cinched above the waist and matched with a sophisticated silk white trouser for a simple but refined look.
During the second half of the show, the collection made a big leap into glitzy clubwear with beaded tops and bottoms. Particularly intriguing was a black-and-silver beaded eyelash top that took its cue from the Roaring Twenties.Another popular look was a silvery white beaded butterfly top that could have doubled as loungewear for femme-fatale actress Jean Harlow.
Macy Gray was definitely smitten with the new line. “I thought it was beautiful, with really pretty tops that were comfortable,” she said. —Deborah Belgum
