L.A. Collections Hit a High Note : Sophistication, Self-Assurance--and Pants--Surface as California Designers Unveil Their Spring ’89 Styles
In a word: Pants. That was the overwhelming look at this week’s marathon fashion shows featuring about 80 California designers.
Spring ’89 collections presented by the California Mart were not only loaded with trousers (the fuller and more high-waisted, the better), they were filled with the most self-assured, sophisticated clothes to date from local designers.
It was also the most sophisticated Mart show yet, with three days of high-powered events staged around the city: in the Mart theater and under a white tent across the street; pool side at the Sheraton Grande; in the Pacific Design Center, and at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for the black-tie finale, where Karl Logan received the California Designer Award and Katayone Adeli for Laundry took the Rising Star Award.
The nonstop, high-caliber performance was intended to wow a record 250 members of the press and 24 distinguished retailers. Finishing up his second day of viewing, Robert Sakowitz, president of Sakowitz Inc., Houston, called the shows “extremely professional and yet casual enough so you don’t feel stressed out. It’s all very comfortable, but you’re seeing a lot.”
The collection of Geary Roark for Kamisato was notable for unusual details. Roark showed print jumpsuits paired with solid linen jackets as well as linen dresses and suits in shamrock green or coral, decorated with scroll inserts and worn with matching scroll-covered shoes and bags.
Except for neon-laden swim-and-surf wear, including the new Italian Club line by Aldo Gianne, bright colors were a rarity. The low-keyed spring palette from California is loaded with black, navy, white, unusual neutrals (honey, sage, taupe) and traditional fall colors such as burgundy and rust.
Designs from Rated R by Biya combined soft fabrics and shades (beige and gray stripes, for example) in jumpsuits, pantsuits and shorts suits. The look was comfortable but far from casual.
Emil Ruttenberg, in his collections for men and women, had a similar air of relaxed sophistication in suits and separates made from memorable fabrics, including a navy-blue pin stripe used for tongue-in-cheek executive dressing.
Career clothes got a boost from designers such as Joan Martin, whose black-and-white nautical dresses were paired with jackets. And Mark Eisen’s Chanel-inspired jackets worn with skirts or over dresses were attractive alternatives to standard executive fare.
“A nice mix of career versus casual,” said Sheila Kamensky, fashion merchandising director for the 28 Atlanta-based Rich’s stores, after seeing a number of collections. “As always, the clothes have a fresh, relaxed mood. But this season, they’re also feminine, which is very much what we’re pushing for.”
Accessories ranged from scarfs and hats (serious or zany) down to very constructed handbags, crochet gloves and anklets, feminine white oxfords and thick-soled Mary-Janes (at their best in red suede). The accessories were notable and noticed, especially by Kamensky, who said she would be insisting her buyers “look at the accessories out here. I feel California is untapped in that area.”
The Rising Star designers, a group of new young talents, provided more fresh looks. Laundry’s Adeli showed a six-dart, shapely ivory jacket combined with navy pin-dot pants. Kristin Hoffman for Kristin J. turned the ‘60s flower-power concept into an updated rose-print tunic and Capri pants, while Maggie Barry and Steven Walker for Van Buren made sure everyone got the point: Their black leather jacket, worn over a tight white dress, was labeled “Flower Power” in the back.
Overall, the collections were filled “with keen individuality,” according to New York-based Bernie Ozer, vice president of the Associated Merchandise Corp. Getting down to specifics, he mentioned the work of Karl Logan, Glenn Williams and Geary Roark. As for Leon Max, he’s “probably the most innovative knitter in the world.” Karen Kane’s “career casual suits sell.” Joan Martin “is exceptionally good.” And the thought of Nancy Johnson’s lilac-and-sea-foam garden-party designs brought out the romantic in him: “They’re like Tennessee waltz dresses. They make a woman feel instantly pretty.”
