Los Angeles Fashion Weekend will again head to Hollywood, Calif., March 19 to 21, with designers, celebrities, stylists, media and retail buyers from around the world coming together in the name of West Coast fashion.
The three-day event at Sunset Gower Studios will host runway shows from local designers and contemporary lines, including A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz, Ani, Buffalo by David Bitton, Civil Society, Dolce Vita, Division E, Lacoste, Pure, Raw 7, Report Signature and Zanerobe. And while Los Angeles might not have the international fashion faire of New York or Milan, L.A. Fashion Weekend this season will be twice what it was, says Mikey Koffman, the event's founder and producer.
"We've doubled our size; we've doubled our seating capacity; we've doubled our nights; and we're doubling up on our designers. We've grown to into twice as big of an event just since last season (six months ago), so I'm really excited about that," says Koffman.
Evening shows will host up to 500 people in a 10,000-sqaue-foot space, and "bigger sponsors" are also onboard, says Koffman, including Smashbox and Coca-Cola.
"Contemporary fashion is born in Los Angeles, and spread around the world. People may think of the beach and palm trees when they think of LA, but we invented the designer denim category in the last decade and that is still a global trend," says Koffman, founder of The Gallery Los Angeles, a full-service event production and marketing company. "International designers are continually influenced by the style and lifestyle of LA, and Los Angeles Fashion Weekend is growing into an event that commands attention from around the world."
The E! and Style networks will be on hand to capture the runway action, and while "you never know (which celebrities will attend) until the day before," says Koffman, she's reached out to the casts of Melrose Place, The Hills and other TV shows.
Also new this season, Los Angeles Fashion Weekend will host the Green Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show sponsored by the Green Youth Movement (greenyouthmovement.org), showcasing eco-friendly clothing from national designers.
"We have some amazing designers like Emily Factor, the little sister of Smashbox owners Dean and Davis Factor, Lizzie Parker and a new beautiful dress line Puridee, which is almost like wedding dress gown line so I'm really excited about that show," says Koffman.
Proceeds from Green Initiative will go to the nonprofit Green Youth Movement, which educates youth about sustainable lifestyles.
And Koffman will maintain the green theme after Fashion Weekend ends.
"A week after the show, we're going to offset our carbon footprint from that show and work with the city of Los Angeles on the Million Trees project (milliontreesla.org), which is a tree-planting organization to raise global awareness for the need for sustainable living," says Koffman.
As for what she'll be wearing for the big event, the fashion guru plans to don her usually uniform, "I'll probably wear jeans, a T-shirt and Chucks," she laughs. Very LA.
The Lineup
L.A. Fashion Weekend at Sunset Gower Studios
6040 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif., 90028
Friday, March 19: Doors open 6:30 p.m., show starts 8 p.m., onsite after party until 11 p.m.
Saturday, March 20: Doors open 12:30 p.m., The Green Initiative Fashion Show 2 p.m.
Saturday, March 20: Doors open 6:30 p.m., Sunset Gower Studios 8 p.m., onsite after party until 11 p.m.
Sunday, March 21" Doors open 6:30 p.m., Civil Society, Division E, Zanerobe and Buffalo 8 p.m., onsite after party until 11 p.m.