Jessica's Blog

 

If there was one thing the recent fall fashion shows at Fashion Island and Laguna Design Center did, it was to make us long for the temperatures to drop by 10 degrees – no, make that 20 degrees – so we could start wearing those dark hues, those layers, oh, and those must-have boots. Only a swimwear runway show in Manhattan on a frigid January day would have topped that.

 

Ready or not (we are), fall styles have arrived in Orange County, and nothing – not even mother nature herself, who seems to be having hot flashes – is going to delay or stop the onslaught of cool weather clothing on the local runways this month through October.

 

Among the more than half a dozen shows so far, the presentation by Anastasia boutique earlier this month at the Laguna Design Center is a standout for its precise perspective. The Laguna Beach store that’s known for being faithful to the original vanguards of the avant-garde showcased a tightly edited selection of mostly black ensembles from Issey Miyake, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh and Vivienne Westwood. Anastasia’s aesthetic was unmistakable: clothing as wearable and minimalist sculpture, with the curves, asymmetrical hems and folds evoking the undulation of a Frank Gehry building. These are clothes that you wear when you want to walk into a room and make a statement about defying the herd mentality in fashion.

(Image: light pink homecoming dresses )

 

The show was part of a series of fall events called OC Fashion Week (not to be confused with Fashion Week that takes place in New York, Paris, Milan, London and Los Angeles).

 

Meanwhile, Fashion Island’s “An Evening of Glamour” last Sept. 13 demonstrated, at least on the women’s side, how to put together fall the Southern California way – not with chunky, heavy pieces, but with darker colors (Tahari), or the arresting long-sleeved winter white dress (Halston Heritage) and light layering.

 

The shopping center’s ongoing Style Week OC series includes a partnership with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for an annual student design competition that culminates with a “Project Runway”-esque finale. (Full disclosure: This writer was one of the judges this year and last.) With Celebrity Cruises as the inspiration and modern luxury as the theme, Paul Hernandez topped three other students for his strapless, fitted dress handpainted a la Hernann Nitsch. It featured an amoeba-like neckline and long skirt that snapped off and converted into a cape. You can imagine the audience’s gasp of surprise and delight after the model whipped off the floor-length skirt and wrapped it around her shoulders.

More Info on fashion: http://www.graziadress.com/homecoming-dresses-2013-2014