Los Angeles Fashion Week Fall I 2003: Cornell Collins
As an up-and-coming designer, Cornell Collins was determined to make his Fall/Winter 2003 collection show off his knowledge of stylish cuts and couture.
“I wanted a clean, grown-up look because there is so much novelty out there,” said the North Carolina native who has only been designing for a few seasons. “It’s a struggle as a young designer—when you call up a store, they tend to make assumptions. I wanted to show them that I know my craft in terms of cut.”
Collins showed his simple lines on April 4 at the Downtown Standard Hotel. The collection boasted subdued colors and a certain Jackie O. look—minus the pillbox hats.
Black merino-wool pants came with satin piping. A wool polo shirt with satin trim was paired with a black cotton-sateen skirt.
Suits in either a boucleacute; or a silk/cotton mix were a big part of the collection. And dots were everywhere—from the multicolored dots on blouses to the appliqueacute;d black and blue dots on dark wool skirts and dresses.
More fanciful designs topped off the collection as the show evolved from daywear to eveningwear. Collins created an opera coat—that looked like a tiered wedding cake—out of layers upon layers of ruffled organza. Underneath was a black satin cowlneck evening gown.
“I wanted a sophisticated look,” Collins explained. “No one dresses up anymore.” —Deborah Belgum
