LA Fashion

LA Fashion Story

LA fashion Week started in the middle of the 20th century with "Press Week" and the invitation of fashion journalists to see collections from, and in, Southern California.

Since the late 1990s, LA fashion Week has been represented and coordinated by a loose consortium of L.A. fashion designers, journalists, and marketers interested in its success. Among the longest running Fashion Week exhibitions since that time is Gen Art, with its annual "Avant Guardians" and "Fresh Faces in Fashion" events, which are held in March and October respectively at venues throughout Los Angeles.

In 2002, IMG's fashion division, which produces Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, made its first foray west, with Mercedes-Benz Shows LA in downtown Los Angeles at The Standard

In 2002, IMG's fashion division, which produces Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, made its first foray west, with Mercedes-Benz Shows LA in downtown Los Angeles at The Standard hotel. Simultaneously, Davis Factor and Dean Factor produced Smashbox Fashion Week Los Angeles at Smashbox Studios in Culver City. Dozens of designers showed their collections to journalists, celebrities, family and friends at these two centralized venues, while others still chose to show their collections in unique off site venues such as nightclubs, private estates, train stations, churches and lofts. In 2003, IMG and Smashbox united under one banner to streamline services and venues, choosing the Factor-owned Smashbox Studios Culver City location over downtown Los Angeles venues. The relationship between IM




In October 2005, the LA Fashion Awards debuted to celebrate and honor the very best of California fashion. The annual Awards are timed at the closing of Fashion Week and the opening of Market Week in October, at the service of both retail store buyers and press. A nominating committee of more than forty of LA's top fashion journalists, merchandisers, stylists, designers and marketplace experts participate in the selection process. Among past winners are educator Rosemary Brantley; retailers Ron Herman, Fred Segal, Cameron Silver and Christos Garkinos; designers Trina Turk, Monique Lhuillier and Max Azria; fashion innovators Nony Tochterman of Petro Zillia, Rozae Nichols and Juan Carlos Obando; journalist Rose Apodaca; stylist Arianne Phillips; web publisher DailyCandy.

Find out the other guide on Fashion Designs.