Los Angeles Fashion Week Fall '09: COA
For the debut of his men’s clothing line, COA, Zak Kaufman aimed to hit a trifecta of “clothing that still pushes the limit,” is easy to understand so that the “average person could still wear” and possesses a “happy” mood. “We don’t like to do anything overly dramatic or serious,” said Kaufman, who showed his first collection, Fall ’09, on March 14 during BOXeight Fashion Week at the Los Angeles Theatre. COA, which is an acronym for “City of Angels,” is a step up in design maturity from Kaufman’s streetwear line, Vitamins, which has been sold at stores such as Urban Outfitters.
The designer dug into classic heist movies, Steve McQueen flicks such as “Bullitt” and the television series “Starsky and Hutch” for classic menswear inspiration that translated into fitted cable-knit sweaters and slim suits on the runway. All jeans were skinny in a spectrum of ripped, raw, acid, colored and faded washes. Some items could be worn in multiple fashions, such as a puffy down jacket with detachable sleeves and a sweater with a seamlessly attached hood that folded down into a cowl neck. Plaid woven shirts, jeans and pullover sweaters in vivid hues kept the mood light among the more tough design pieces such as leather jackets, outerwear coats and tailored suits. —Rhea Cortado
