Byfield House
Designer Carmichael Byfield is bringing a little something different to Art Hearts LAFW. The collection gives audiences a touch of sophistication, style and excellence with bold splashes of prints. The Carmichael collection is a new and edgy twist on dapper and 1950s swing styles. His men wore variations of the two-piece suit, collared shirt and trousers, while the ladies were styled in flowing knee-length dresses. As I sat and watched, I was absolutely thrilled with everything that came out on the runway. The suit is predominantly white with black and teal graphic prints. Byfield is also transitioning and has men in teal trousers and a lace, long-line button-down top that helps keep up with current trends. The men were styled with a tremendous structured bag by Carat 23. Also really great to see is the colour blocking on some of the suits. Byfield will have a white jacket bodice with graphics while keeping the sleeves black, and vice versa. A very cool way to keep the show flowing and not bore the audience. The women wear contrasting berry colours like purple, gray and black. All of their dresses had the same silhouette and were created from lovely printed silk that rocked so gracefully as the models walked down the runway. To stick with a fun and crowd pleasing print, these dresses are printed in a playful striped, hoop, and zig zag pattern.
Mr Triple X
Designer Erik Rosete not only helped run Art Hearts LA Fashion Week backstage this year, but he is also made a splash with his designs. Appearing not once but twice on two separate days, Mister Triple X had everybody talking. Her first collection was Swim’s 2016 collection entitled Vortex. A vortex just like the one we saw. Rosete wore a really sexy cut swimsuit, a barely-there bikini and short board shorts. The setting for the swimming part of the show was perfect. Following his brand logo, Erik styled his female model with bunny ears and high heels. The prints shown are far from plain with black and white optical illusions and pop art images. Black and white stripes are also a repeating pattern on men’s and ladies’s swimsuits.
The second show is a fun, ready-to-wear collection that provides bold cocktail wear styles. The title of this collection is One Rose. Erik had the runway lined with a single rose to go together with the title. This collection is geared toward the nightlife crowd, where cocktail attire includes lots of leathers and bold prints. Erik styled his men in eye-catching mosaic blocks in trousers and shorts and no shirts, only leather straps and ties accessorized by Ammanii. The girls wore short ruffled cocktail dresses and a few in a longer tea length, but to maintain an edge appeal, they were embellished with leather panels, straps or strappy bow panels. Overall, both shows are very upbeat, original, and stay true to the designer’s aesthetic and style.
Michael Ngo Couture
If you have ever wanted to see what it is like to go to a show inspired by the film, Robo Cop, this is the show to see. Michael Ngo literally kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The show consists of police like uniforms for men and ladies. The men wore variations of the short two-piece set, metallic pants, and matching jacket, in addition to a mesh-cut neoprene bomber jacket. For women, there are one piece body swim like suits, high waisted two piece sets and also metallic pants and tops to match. The metallic is bold, bright, and reflective and you cannot take your eyes off it. The lines on every outfit are super clean, and the styling is incredible. Michael designed the patent leather armor, hat, and belt to complement his men’s and ladies’s looks and to maintain uniformity, the shows consisted of silver, cobalt, white and black. The show was upbeat with upbeat music, strong beats, and models scurrying down the runway to keep your heart rate high. Two of my favourite women’s looks are the all-white short suit and blazer entirely covered in all the white stones and shutting the show Michael features an all-black sequined dress with a deep, plunging v-neck and robust padded shoulders.
