Laili Lau
If a prize were given out for the designer who traveled the farthest to participate in Concept L.A. Fashion Week at the Ace Gallery Los Angeles, Laili Lau might be the winner.
She flew all the way from Venezuela to show her collection of dark-hued garments that were created with an abundance of fabric.
Lau said her Fall ’12 collection, seen March 10, was inspired by tree trunks and their texture. “It’s about the forest, the trees gone wild, and being ourselves and forgetting about everything,” she said. “We live in a world that has too much pressure.”
That’s why she wanted her creations to be all about comfort and a carefree lifestyle. She made sure to use soft fabrics and design clothes with a certain roominess to play up the carefree.
Lau paired her tops with a variety of harem pants made of different fabrics, including a textured sweater fabric that evoked warmth in a light olive green.
Her artistic flair was seen in a gold-and-black knit lace tunic sweater and in her use of paillettes to accent the shoulders and hems of various knit tops.
Most of Lau’s skirts were long and straight. Her dresses and tops took on an asymmetrical look with off-the-shoulder silhouettes and angular designs. The South American designer employed ruching to create texture and interest to the mostly solid-color garments.
Lau’s color schemes came from the forest, with beiges, browns, blacks and greens dominating the runway.—Deborah Belgum
