Blackburn + Sweetzer Has Moved

Louis Verdad’s Louver Collection; click to expand

Downtown LA Fashion Week’s MOCA presentation of Louis Verdad’s Louver collection and the vintage runway show presented by Cameron Silver, owner of the high-end vintage store Decades—he set the red carpet vintage movement in motion with the canary yellow Jean Dessès vintage gown for Renee Zellweger at the 2001 Oscars—couldn’t have been more opposite from each other: Verdad surprised with an edgy, all black (behold of two pieces) collection, while the Decades runway show enthralled with gowns of the past century in a color spectrum that included pink, red, green, blue, and yellow.

The visual feast this way—lots and lots of photos!

Louis Verdad’s Louver Collection; click to expand

Initially, Louis Verdad’s collection evoked the vision of a rock-chic gearing up for battle—lots of silver spikes were sticking out from garments, glossy black leather applications and helmet-like headgear—but at second glance it was apparent that his little black dresses, body hugging blazers, and sleek pants were made for today’s modern, sophisticated woman.

Louis Verdad’s Louver Collection; click to expand

Besides the striking spikes and the glitzy accessories, there were also romantic ruffles on a short-sleeved blouse, playful volume on a high-waisted mini skirt, as well as sultry black lace sleeves on a knee-length frock.

Louis Verdad’s Louver Collection; click to expand

He also picked up the emphasized shoulder trend of the season on a bolero jacket and subtly on a couple of dresses. The pieces were well constructed and the fabrics had a heaviness to them that was a breath of fresh air after some discrepancies in that department over the last few days.

Louis Verdad’s Louver Collection; click to expand

Louis Verdad’s Louver Collection; click to expand

Cameron Silver picked out a stunning collection of his evening attire that will no doubt make him first choice for future red carpet events for celebs such as Marisa Tomei and Nikki Hilton, both in the front row.

Decades Fashion Show; click to expand

Especially noteworthy were the bright colors of each garment, not a black or white in sight, that created an uplifting, playful mood and gave the presentation a contemporary undertone that complemented the vintage shapes of the gowns.

Decades Fashion Show; click to expand

Accessories were used very sparingly and the shoes were kept simple. The crowd was loving it, clapping and whistling throughout.

Decades Fashion Show; click to expand

Only those hoping to see more of Cameron Silver’s incredible styling abilities were left behind a little bit. His focus on red-carpet contenders didn’t leave room for fashion-forward experimenting.

Decades Fashion Show; click to expand

— Photos and text by Christina von Messling

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