L'Ecole Des Femmes: Playing Dress Up
Laura Sfez considers herself more of a storyteller than a clothing designer. She just finished writing and illustrating a children’s novel, which she describes as whimsical, environmental and in the vein of author Roald Dahl’s frightening and supernatural fairy tales.
The ensembles from her Los Angeles–based clothing line, L’ecole Des Femmes, which Sfez translates from French as “School of Women,” can be seen as characters with their own tales of adventure and mischief.
There is a white cotton double-breasted shirt dress inspired by a doctor’s lab coat, a chocolate crinkle silk chiffon shirt dress with a red scarf and matching knee-high socks that has its roots in girl scouts’ uniforms, and preppy argyle vests, puffed-sleeve blouses and wool/cashmere blend pencil skirts with suspenders that represent a French schoolgirl.
“I like for outfits to not so much be role play, but that you feel a certain way once you put on your clothes,” Sfez said of her theme-based collection. “I think that clothing can inspire different attitudes and a certain way of carrying yourself.”
Sfez spent her youth hopping between France and the United States and plays with cultural differences between the two countries for her clothing line. Her signature piece, the slim-fitting pencil skirt, was inspired by the French perception of sexiness.
“Sexy [in Paris] is very different from sexy here [in the United States]. I’m using more of what the French feel is sexy in my opinion, which is showing less [skin],” Sfez said.
Working in the apparel industry is practically a birthright for Sfez. Her father works in distribution for Seven Jeans in Europe and production for various clothing companies, her mother used to design clothing in France, her uncle works as a designer for Marciano, and her brother is a designer at Ed Hardy. Before Sfez started the L’ecole Des Femmes line, she did graphic design for Interscope Records and apparel companies such as Bongo and Joe’s Jeans.
Wholesale price points for L’ecole Des Femmes start at $60 for pencil skirts, $100 for dresses, $36 for knit items and $45 for woven items. For more information, contact the Steve Martino & Associates showroom in suite 906 of The New Mart at (213) 627-4413. —Rhea Cortado
