Rock & Republic's Rockin' Goodbye to Fashion Week
Rock & Republic said farewell to Los Angeles Fashion Week with a rock ’n’ roll black tie party on March 20 at Sony Studios in Culver City, Calif. Label founder Michael Ball said his line of premium denim and contemporary clothing could make a bigger editorial splash at New York Fashion Week.
Ball said his company’s headquarters and operations will remain in Los Angeles. “It’s unfortunate,” Ball said. “I’d love to keep it in L.A. But we’re not going to get the attention we want in L.A.”
While Rock & Republic is sold at department stores such as Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus and Saks, Ball felt participation at other fashion weeks would give his company added gravity as it transitions from its roots as a premium-denim company to a lifestyle brand.
The change was literally on display at the Rock & Republic party. Ball dispensed with producing a runway show. Instead, the 4-year-old label exhibited its Fall 2006 collection museum-style. Under glass displays, 27 looks featuring Rock & Republic and new line Tailor Made by Rock & Republic, which debuted at Fashion Coterie in February, were browsed by the 500 guests at the party.
Ball opted for the museum display because he wanted to try a different way to present fashion. The 12 Rock & Republic looks featured motorcycle-style jackets and military jackets made with denim produced by Italian manufacturer Candiani SpA. The 15 Tailor Made looks featured tweed and twill looks inspired by the style of English country squires and rock music.
The museum displays also included Rock & Republic’s accessories and footwear such as pony hair pointy-toed boots and pumps. The label will debut a cosmetics line in 2007. Ball said he did not license out any of the new lines. Instead, he created new divisions for his company, hiring approximately 90 people in 2005. Rock & Republic employs 140 people.
While Ball plans to produce future Rock & Republic events in Los Angeles, he wanted the farewell night to be big. Legendary rock band Pretenders played a 90-minute set. Lead singer Chrissie Hynde took requests from the audience. —Andrew Asch
