Los Angeles has struggled to define itself after the brutal exodus of IMG and breakup of long time forced partners IMG/Smash box for “LA Fashion week”.
Several seasons of power struggles and inner fighting between local fashionistas to gain control of some sort of semblance of a fashion center were disastrous.
While Box Eight was producing and poorly executing fashion shows, other venues all over town were popping up to stake their claim as “LA Fashion week”.
As a native and pro- LA fashion veteran I found it to be exhausting and very uninspiring with no clear direction in site.
What clearly has not worked was trying to put on a Bryant Park Fashion week in Los Angeles.
I really feel that the organizers of Box Eight got it right this time by giving the local fashion community what we needed all along: a hip, well-organized event to showcase new talent that had Los Angeles roots and culture.
Here is what went right- they did not try and produce a bunch of poorly executed runway shows. Instead they took inspiration from the editorial production end of their expertise and gave attendees four different photo-shoot instillations going on throughout the evening in different locations throughout the venue.
Each instillation had its own theme for that particular designer. It felt interactive inspiring and approachable and very hip. Every label participating had a local fashion photographer who was shooting models dressed in the designers clothing.
The hair was fantastic and carefully executed and tailored to each designer but all the collaboration of one man and his team Michael M Haase who worked on the artistry team of Unite haircare.
The makeup was equally divine and creative keyed by Garett Gervais of Dior Beauty and his makeup team, also matching the theme of each designer.
Overall I give Box Eight a standing ovation for a well organized smash event that incorporated LA culture and presented our homegrown fashion in a hip, laid back light that was not trying to be “something else”.
To correct a huge error in your reporting for the Fashion Refocus at Box 8 on March 20, 2010,Please correct this mistake. Michael Haase did not launch Unite. Unite was created by Andrew Dale a career hairdresser, and Michael Haase worked with the Unite Artistic team in attendance for the event that day. Unfortunately there was no contact information to reach you with this. Thank you