This weekend designer and red- carpet staple Tom Ford raised eyebrows when he brought his New York Fashion Week (NYFW) runway show to LA.
Taking place the same weekend as the Oscars, Ford’s gamble seemed to pay off, with a star-studded front row that included Jennifer Lopez, Renée Zellweger, Miley Cyrus, Jason Momoa, Jon Hamm, and Jeff Bezos.
This season’s collection was an extension of his previous one – which had also caused a stir.
At NYFW last September, he held a private show on a disused platform of the Bowery subway stop in New York. Grungy and dystopian, the show was inspired by a famous photograph of Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgewick coming out of manhole in the middle of the road, capturing New York’s grit and glamor.
Yesterday that grit was repackaged in a manner Ford described in a press release as “very LA.” To the designer, this meant cotton hoods cut at the arms with frayed seams; asymmetrical silk skirts with prints inspired by a ’70s acid trip; velvet suits in electric colors with large lapels and shape-flattering hems.
LA native and Ford-favorite Bella Hadid strutted in knee-high blue tiger print boots, while Binx Walton donned a structured blazer, label-heavy cotton tee, and flair leg mixed-denim jeans.
Capturing the informal, earthy, sensual and what Ford described as the “slightly stoned” fabric of the city’s inhabitants, these were looks you might see at the weekend in bohemian Venice Beach or at a buzzing club on Sunset Strip.
In place of last season’s punk haircuts and minimal jewelry, this year’s models sported neat, pulled back buns accented with tropical-inspired flower clips and large feathered earrings dipped in silver and copper.
Careful to satisfy his red carpet clients, the designer also presented an assortment of lacey, body-baring numbers that could easily move from the awards stage to the boudoir. Standouts included a chainmail-inspired gown with cut-outs along the breasts and hips, accented with black velvet bows, as well as a lacey white one-armed gown with an optional veil.
Whatever Ford’s next move is, it appears it’s putting the stars of LA first.