Los Angeles Fashion Week Fall '09: Sjobeck
Sjobeck played homage to Native Americana by way of Malibu, Calif., for its Fall/Winter ’09 collection, which showed before a packed Los Angeles Theatre crowd on March 15 as part of BOXeight Fashion Week.
Sjobeck’s women’s line ranged from bohemian silhouettes featuring earthy draped shirts and long tiered skirts made with gauze to more-feminine and sexy looks, such as short skirts, cashmere shawls and plaid-trimmed dresses with empire-waist cuts. Some pieces featured cotton/bamboo fabric as well as man-tailored styles, including Western shirts matched with denim.
Women’s designers Shelly Sjobeck and Lani Lupton said the aim was to incorporate American style while at the same time adopting a feminine portrayal of the natural environment.
Lupton went right to the source for some of the looks, which included feathered bodices and skirts and a knit hoodie with Native American prints.
Men’s designers JesseRay Vasquez and Garrett Gerson turned to the other side of the prairie and focused on Western cowboy influences, including plaid shirts and vests, thermal shirts, denim, and modern jackets.
The collection was largely influenced by Gerson’s 88-year-old grandfather, a former cowboy. —Robert McAllister
