L.A. Fashion Awards Turns 3
The Los Angeles Fashion Awards hosted its third annual awards event celebrating Los Angeles designers, manufacturers and retailers on Oct. 26 at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.
Once again, the pre-show cocktail party in the theater’s lobby drew a crowd of local designers and executives—as well as several well-dressed new faces. And once again, guests continued to mingle long after the lobby lights flickered, delaying the start of the actual awards ceremony.
But once the event started, emcee Debbie Matenopolous, a television personality who used to be on “The View,” provided a spirited and, at times, off-color commentary to the evening.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa presented opening remarks, calling Los Angeles an “undisputed fashion capital” and “the place where trends are born.”
The evening included a mix of awards and fashion presentations from designers such as “Moss Adams Fashion Innovator Award” nominees Jasmin Shokrian, Juan Carlos Obando, Rami Kashou and Thomas Wylde’s Paula Thomas.
This year’s event featured a new awards category: the “Supima Denim Designer of the Year” awards. J Brand’s Susie Crippen and Jeff Rudes beat out stiff competition from Adriano Goldschmied’s Goldsign, Kristopher and Amy Enuke’s Oligo Tissew, 7 For All Mankind and Paige Premium Denim.
Jewelry designer Tarina Tarantino presented the “Marketing Excellence Award” to Guess by Marciano following a retrospective of Guess’ more than two decades of iconic advertising images.
Sharon Segal accepted the award for “Fashion Retailer of the Year” for Fred Segal. “I wish my dad [Fred Segal] could be here tonight,” Sharon Segal said. “Dad opened his first store in 1950. It's the family of owners that makes us what we are today. They deserve this award, too.”
DailyCandy’s West Coast Editor Crystal Meers accepted the “Fashion Communication Award” from 2005’s winner, Rose Apodaca, formerly of Women’s Wear Daily and now with the Los Angeles Times. And E! Television’s Amanda Luttrell Garrigus and “Project Runway” designer Nick Verreos presented the “Inspiration Award” to some of the producers of Bravo’s fashion reality show, “Project Runway.”
Winner of the “Moss Adams Fashion Inspiration Award” was Obando, who had been nominated last year, too.
Wells Fargo Century’s Kevin Sullivan presented Max Azria, owner of BCBG Max Azria, with the “Wells Fargo Century Fashion Achievement Award.”
“I share this award with my wife [Lubov Azria]. She’s my design director and my total inspiration,” Max Azria said. “I hope we are going to be the No. 1 city in the world for fashion.”—Alison A. Nieder
