L.A. Fashion Week Fall '04: Gen Art
Gen Art showcased a trio of emerging Los Angeles designers at the organization’s “The New Garde” show, held March 29 at Ten9Fifty Studios in Culver City.
The nonprofit organization—which promotes visual artists, fashion designers and filmmakers—chose Michel Berandi and Jeff Sebelia’s Cosa Nostra, Corinne Grassini’s Society for Rational Dress and Coryn Madley’s Madley line to represent the future of West Coast fashion.
There were no girly looks here. Grassini took military harnesses and reworked them into unfinished linen separates to create a variety of draped silhouettes. She contrasted these styles with silk garments fastened together with an abundance of delicate strapping. The designer accessorized the pieces with strappy knee-high moccasins that she created especially for the collection.
Berandi and Sebelia also ventured from pure feminine themes, exploring the macho world with looks borrowed from their menswear collection. Leather and deep-dyed denim pieces came detailed with heavy zippers and company emblems in Gothic lettering. While many pieces featured heavy materials, the designers kept the cuts tight and low for women, creating sexiness out of a fashionable toolbox.
Madley, on the other hand, used vintage fabrics and beading to create colorful handmade knit separates adorned with sea horses, jellyfish and other sea creature appliqueacute;s. The looks were artwear for the contemporary market. —R.M.
