As Is: Art Walk Downtown's Fashion Connection
So many designers have tried new angles on classic American looks. But Japanese-born Ayumi Shibata thinks she found a new wrinkle on one of the original American styles—Navajo.
Southwestern and Plains Native American looks are the inspiration for Shibata’s latest As Is collection. On June 9, Shibata and the Connected International Sales showroom produced an intimate runway show at downtown Los Angeles’ Tiara Cafeacute;. On a raised runway in the cafeacute;’s dining room, 10 looks for As Is’ Spring and Fall/ Winter 2011 seasons were on display.
As Is takes Native American graphics and Southwestern coloring and mixes them with jersey fabrics and asymmetric silhouettes. The runway show displayed maxidresses, leggings, capes, long vests and drop-crotch pants. For the Tiara Cafeacute; show, Shibata also introduced a couple of men’s looks—the first in As Is’ two-year history. Los Angeles–based label Elephants and Sirens made the accessories and makeup for the show.
The fashion show was a pre-party of sorts for a couple of events. On June 10, Shibata opened an As Is shop-in-shop at Slow, a veteran boutique on Los Angeles’ Melrose Avenue.
The fashion show was the first in what may be a series of runway shows that will be produced on the nights when the popular Downtown Los Angeles Art Walks take place, said Steeve Bohbot, president of Connected International Sales. He hopes to connect the Fashion District showrooms and bars to the Art Walk crowds, which typically stay around the Gallery Row streets of Spring and Main. “We want to get more people walking below Seventh Street during Art Walk,” Bohbot said.—Andrew Asch
