L.A. Fashion Week Spring '06: A Friend of Mine
This season, Torrance, Calif.–based designer Kelly Marshall experimented with blouson shapes for her A Friend of Mine line, which was shown on Oct. 22 at the P.KaBu runway series.
Tieback blouson-style tops in satin gradually gave way to dresses in satin and printed chiffon. Other key pieces were capsleeve blouses with inset floral yokes, floor-length skirts with ruffled hems, shorts of all lengths and surplice dresses in matte jersey and printed chiffon.
Spanning everything from romantic peasant tops and dresses to flirty satin dresses, Marshall offered a mix of casual sportswear pieces in traditional evening fabrics. She topped casual shorts and skirts with lace boy-beater tanks and reworked slouchy lowrise pants in navy satin. Highlights included a drop-waist satin skirt with a floral cummerbund; crisp, tailored short-shorts with large pleats; and a sheer white kimono-style dress over a peach halter-style swimsuit.
quot;I try to do sexy and feminine but comfortable and wearable— and still be creative,” Marshall said. —Alison A. Nieder
