Beverly Hills Fashion Festival: H. Lorenzo
H. Lorenzo, the cutting-edge boutique and a Los Angeles mainstay, showcased three designers at the Beverly Hills Fashion Festival. The avant-garde runway show was a highlight of the event, showcasing some of Los Angeles’ premier and emerging design talents, including Michel Berandi, Skingraft and Olima Atelier.
And it was all for a good cause. The show benefited The Teddy Bear Clinic and The Linor Project. A clip from “The Linor Documentary Project” was presented, and Linor Abargil, Miss Universe 1998 and a rape survivor, spoke to the audience about her mission to help others. H. Lorenzo was inspired to take part in the event to help support the cause.
“It was just something that we wanted to do,” said Leran Hadar, director of the store and son of founder Lorenzo Hadar. “It was mainly a charity event; that was the entire purpose, and that was basically the motivation,” he explained. According to Hadar, the designers were selected because they were Los Angeles–based and because of their high-fashion aesthetic.
Olima Atelier opened the show with a feminine yet architectural collection inspired by a feeling of “Paraiacute;so”—Spanish for “paradise.” The collection—in white, nude and gray—was airy and light and featured intricate details such as fabric strip detailing. Two show-stopping pieces included a cocktail dress and finale gown that utilized the technique.
Skingraft presented a collection that evoked the feeling of an African safari but with a decidedly hard edge. The Spring 2011 collection was inspired by African body modification and Grace Jones. Chic harem pant ensembles, intricate bustiers paired with leggings and a leather hooded bodice atop an elaborate pleated gown were highlights. Michel Berandi, a featured designer in the recent California Design Biennial, showcased dark looks from his current collection chock full of edgy leather ensembles. The collection, which took inspiration from the animal world, featured goat hair–trimmed jackets and a darkly elegant hooded fur sweater dress. A wool coat with an elongated pleated collar was exquisite, and a nude gown topped with a goat hair cape showed the designer’s lighter side.—N. Jayne Seward
