L.A. Fashion Week Spring '07: Chan Luu
Los Angeles designer Chan Luu is probably best known for her jewelry collection, but in 2004 she branched out into the realm of apparel. While her creations are always graceful and classy, this season took on a decidedly delicate influence from her native Vietnam.
For Spring 2007, Luu showed a sophisticated array of 16 dresses in an installation piece at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif. Silk was the preferred fabric as well as timeless silhouettes that were utterly rolling in femininity with an Audrey Hepburn feel. Luu’s dresses came in empire-waist configurations or baby-doll looks. Fragile-looking cotton tees with hints of embroidery were paired with silk skirts that were paneled, pleated or came fashioned in a dirndl.
Her colors were as light as cotton candy with off-white and taupe doing most of the heavy lifting. Black was also another major player.
This collection was definitely designed with the stylish woman in mind. “This is the season that women like Chan Luu go into town to go to a museum or have tea,” Luu said. “The collection is clearly more elegant.”
The Los Angeles designer is starting to hit her stride after starting out on a high note. Last year, she was one of a handful of Los Angeles designers selected to be part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s entourage to China, where a fashion show by Los Angeles designers was presented. —Deborah Belgum
