L.A. Fashion Week Spring '06: Elsie Katz Couture
For her first show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif., Donna Baxter, the designer for Seattle-based Elsie Katz Couture, found her muse in grace or, should we say, graces. Her inspiration came from actress Grace Kelly, Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington, a manual on social graces and late musician Jeff Buckley’s final album, “Grace.”
Baxter showed styles to populate princess fantasies and rock concerts.
The Oct. 17 show mixed prim pencil skirts with gamine gowns in shades of pink, blue, gold, black and white. Styles included sequined halters, denim keyhole jackets, cropped lounge pants, lace swing coats, bias-cut gowns in chiffon and satin, caftan gowns and petal skirts.
For the rocker chick, Baxter showed sequined pants paired with a black tank. Polka dots and petticoats lent pieces a French flair that the designer said was inspired by her husband’s heritage. He is Gene Baxter, known as Bean on KROQ radio’s “Kevin & Bean” show.
For evening, the designer draped and layered silk satin to create dual trains and paired a tulle ball skirt with stretch boyshorts.
“I wanted my clothes to be beautiful and graceful,” Baxter said, “but I want the girl in them to still be able to jump up and down at a concert.”
—Erin Barajas
