L.A. Fashion Week Fall '05: Iron
Designers often come from artistic backgrounds. Such was the path that led Leejay Mintz to launch his relatively young label, Iron.
Mintz, who grew up on the East Coast and studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the School of Visual Arts in New York, transforms his acrylic paintings into the printed fabrics used in his nearly 2-year-old womenswear line. The designer, who is also president of Los Angeles–based Sheri Bodell, showed his Fall 2005 collection March 19 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City.
“My designs are an art gallery come to life,” Mintz said. “I felt that transforming my paintings to fabric would bring a lot of color into the world.”
The collection was vivid, with prints that almost looked as though they were on fire. Mintz used ample doses of magenta, royal blue, deep red, burgundy brown and violet to bring out his silhouettes, which flowed like Greek gowns. Some pieces had studded waistbands that highlighted slim waists and wide shoulders. The designer was particularly fond of batwing dresses with ruching. —Deborah Belgum
