Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring '05: Louis Verdad
Louis Verdad, known for his dramatic 1940s style, revealed a softer, more wearable collection during his Oct. 29 runway show, the final event of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City.
“I wanted to create something with a little of the drama that I like but [something] that would also be very wearable,” the designer explained.
Verdad’s Spring ’05 collection was inspired by the wealthy women living in St-Tropez in the 1940s. The flirtatious, yet chic line showcased nautical looks, feminine tailored suits and separates, and glamorous evening gowns in candy colors. The designer experimented with color and added crocheted knits in rayon and cotton yarns that captured the lines of his vintage style.
The collection included beautiful ’40s-inspired suits in white and turquoise, poplin dresses with sweetheart necklines and bows, and a chic white crepe bolero sailor jacket worn with high-waist, wide-leg trousers. Verdad ventured in new directions with colorful pin-striped suits in tangerine and pistachio; sexy jersey dresses with flirty tiered ruffled skirts; and soft, feminine knit swimsuits, blouses, skirts and dresses in lavender, white and navy. —N. Jayne Seward