Lady LUX

Kicking off Los Angeles Fashion Week in true style, Concept LA, a sponsor of LAFW, conceptualized the meaning of art and fashion by uniting the two inside the Ace Gallery on Wilshire Boulevard. Throughout the lobby and beside the runway, paintings, film and live photography adorned the walls, lending credence to the fact that fashion is wearable art.

Although notably smaller than its New York City, Paris, Milan and London counterparts, LAFW differs in that it showcases emerging local designers who are set to make their “cut” in the fashion world.

One designer in particular, Natasha Gindin, is definitely on the right track. Her Spring 2011 collection debuted at New York Fashion Week with rave reviews and this line—Fall/Winter 2011—is surely on its way to set a strong foundation for her imminent success.

“This collection is completely different than any I’ve done before. It’s about breaking boundaries and moving forward,” said Gindin of her new collection. Through creating unique designs from eco-friendly materials for her line LAVUK, she is showing fashion mavens throughout the world that fashion and sustainability can coexist.

LAVUK’s Fall/ Winter collection, titled “Infinity,” includes a total of 20 looks that took inspiration from two unrelated themes and synchronized them beautifully. The art deco inspiration was apparent in the sharp angles, crisp cuts and futuristic feel of the garments, whereas the Tibetan influence was clear in her palette choices: neutral earth tones infused with pops of bright red, orange, coral and purple.

Though no haute couture or red carpet wear strutted down the 30-foot runway, the casual yet sophisticated readywear clothes, perfect for the eco-conscious fashionista, certainly made a footprint in the hearts of onlookers.

With a clear understanding of the type of woman that her designs are made for, Gindin’s sleek, bold and fluid collection is intended for a particular type of consumer.

“I envision a woman that loves themselves, who isn’t scares of breaking away (from the norm) and who always takes charge,” said the Yugoslavia-born designer.

To further the cause of looking good and feeling good, designs are sweatshop free and made locally in Los Angeles with organic cotton, hemp, tencel and dead stock silk. With every garment purchased, a tree is planted through the nonprofit American Forests as part of the California Wildfire ReLeaf program.

Gindin’s collections have been captivating critics and consumers alike, and it’s a safe bet that her LAVUK is one of the more promising lines to emerge from the likes of the Los Angeles fashion scene. She is undoubtedly a designer to watch and wear.

To experience LAVUK, visit MyLavuk.

This article was contributed by Dani Smith. To read more from Dani, follow her adventures on Twitter at @Danilaexoxo.

Tagged in: fashion, spring, collection, clothes, los angeles fashion week, lafw, lavuk, natasha gindin, eco-friendly,

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