Color Forecast: Bright, Very Bright
“Pink is the new black, yellow is the new pink,” said Oren Shepher, owner of O Boutique at Los Angeles’ Sunset Plaza.
This mantra is his color forecast for 2004, and his prediction could be right on the money. His fashion researchers are none other than his celebrity clients and many of the luminaries on the guest lists for the town’s most glittering award shows.
“No one wants a black dress,” Shepher said. “With the economy we’re in and the country coming out of a war, people want to celebrate life, and they want to celebrate it with color. I love the fact that people are willing to take risks. The colors we’re seeing on dresses can be almost fluorescent, with fuchsia and turquoise.”
Shepher’s rack space runs the gamut, from the funky chic of Los Angeles designer Grey Ant to the high gloss of Givenchy. Currently taking up O Boutique’s real estate is fashion from designers such as Dina Bar-El, Michael Kors, Petro Zillia, Roberto Cavalli and Luca Luca, as well as the skull-and-crossbones bikinis of Los Angeles’ Holmes Swimwear.
Shepher’s clients are taking note of styles by Los Angeles designers such as Corey Lynn Calter and Black Halo; the glam-rock miniskirts featured in Shepher’s line, O; and the fedora hats crafted by another Los Angeles label, Isabella’s Soul.
Christina Aguilera purchased 10 of the rabbit fur felt fedoras for an upcoming concert tour. Nicky Hilton had O Boutique custom make one for her. At $365 a piece, the hats are definitely luxury items. However, some of Shepher’s other wares are more affordable.
“Dina Bar-El is perfect,” he explained. “They’re beautiful dresses with a reasonable price point: $350 to $600 for a beautiful silk dress. She even has some beaded gowns for that same price point. People want a great product, but they don’t want to spend thousands of dollars.” —Andrew Asch
