Mila
“Project Runway” alum Mila Hermanovski presented a chic modernist perspective for the runway debut of her Fall ’12 Mila collection, held March 14 at Style Fashion Week L.A.
The designer, who grew up with modernist interior-designer parents, took inspiration from op art of the ’50s and West Coast conceptualism to create the look. “I’ve always loved mid-century modern and abstract art,” said Hermanovski, who studied the work of Joseph Albers, John McLaughlin and Bridget Riley at a recent museum exhibition. “I really wanted to play with the geometry and the composition of each garment and treat it like a painting.”
For this collection she incorporated subtle shifts of gray as an homage to Albers. Design lines were clean and geometric as she experimented with textures, patterns and hem lines inspired by the work of McLaughlin and Riley.
She worked with luxurious fabrics—including silk, crepe, sequins and leather —as well as cut-and-sew wool knits. Fabrics such as leather and wool were combined for subtle surface interest on a chic sweater and flare pant, and structure was created by using fabrics such as felted sweaters knits for cocoon tops. The designer’s signature leggings, some with patchwork patterns and others made of chevron stretch-leather with mesh insets, were paired with multiple looks throughout the presentation.
Hermanovksi said she plans to offer a “mini collection” of leggings alongside her full collection because they are like a staple in her own closet. “I [feel] like this is something that can instantly elevate your outfit and is comfortable and is wearable,” she said. Key looks included a chic wool cape paired with a gradiated pair of gray leggings with diagonal leather panels and a leather-trimmed blazer paired with a sequin chemise and leggings with black chevron leather panels.
The designer, who patterned and sewed most of her collection in between working full time on the feature film “Star Trek,” said she likes to think about a woman’s lifestyle when designing the collection. “It’s really important to me for everything to be wearable,” she said about integrating her costuming expertise to the process. “I think of the whole picture and [apply the] ‘Who is this woman? What kind of accessories does she wear?’—the sort of head-to-toe thing,” she said. “I think of myself as a consumer as well, and I think that in this climate, where we are right now economically, and being more sensible and less wasteful, I like to create pieces that will hopefully be in a woman’s closet for a long time and that she can style different ways and get a lot of mileage out of.”—N. Jayne Seward
