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THE good news? Fuchsia fringed pasties are apparently "in" for fall, as seen on the runway at Agent Provacateur's lusty, busty lingerie show.
The bad news? After a promising start, L.A. Fashion Week went a bit wacky on Monday and Tuesday, with a handful of shows that were more about spectacle than substance -- models dancing on pointe in satin princess dresses at Lourdes, a priest poseur walking the Alan Del Rosario runway blessing guests, a rocking guitar solo for Antik that seemed to roll on forever ... you get the picture.
There were exceptions -- beginning with Kara Saun, who proved that there is no substitute for a thoughtful concept. The "Project Runway" runner-up chose a few design elements -- obi belts, butterfly sleeves and keyhole cutouts edged in pleats -- and, like a pro, carried them all the way through her focused evening wear collection. There were a number of cocktail dresses that were sexy yet refreshingly covered-up, one in a peacock blue hammered silk with cap sleeves and a pleated keyhole cutout, another in navy with a mock turtleneck, a pleated yoke and three-quarter-length sleeves.
Saun's fabrics and fit were spot-on. Red lace can be a fickle mistress, but she handled it beautifully, working it into an elegant gown, lined in nude silk, with a wide waistband and a tiered chiffon skirt. But the real showstopper was in red satin with a fitted bodice and pleated layers falling to the floor like rose petals. Sure, Saun could have had a few more ideas, some of her dresses were overdone, and the explanation for the collection was over-the-top. ("My scissor will be my sword"?) Still, it was an auspicious start.
With so many gowns on the runways, Erik Hart's Morphine Generation collection was a breath of fresh air. Funky capes,...