L.A. Fashion Week Fall '08: Elmer Ave.
Elmer Ave.’s Smashbox debut was loud and raucous, yet inspiring for many. The main tent was packed at the label’s March 13 show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif.
Audience members knew they were in for some high decibels when they found ear plugs on their seats. The ear plugs came in handy for the show, which featured a speed metal accompaniment.
The 3-year-old rock couture collection by the Burbank, Calif.–based collective of Collin Pulsipher, Jonny Day, Ward Robinson and Sean Murphy, who themselves are musicians, offered a broader view of its tailored-Goth-meets-skateboard culture blazers, jackets and streetwear. The designers have confined their talents to custom business until recently, when the brand branched out to include a production line.
The line is known for its dark imagery with hand-painted and screen-printed blazers, vest jackets and suits. The pieces are tailored and reconstructed with cropped sleeves, tapered pants and other details. Most of the pieces have some type of embellishment with painted stripes, daggers, skulls and iron crosses. A pin-striped Western vest was paired with a red long-sleeve shirt and skinny pants. The designers threw in a bullet holster for effect. Other featured items included painted military coats and tuxedo jackets. A white women’s blazer featured a print of the American flag. —Robert McAllister
