Raquel Allegra kicked off the last night of LA Fashion Week at BOXeight with a collection we are tempted to call ethereal, if the grungy-gothy-rock vibe wasn't quite so prevalent.
Airy, flowy, asymmetrical dresses and tunics were feminine and edgy at the same time. The color palette: Black, gray, brown, beige and white, with a splash of yellow in a couple of the tie-dye pieces, which, thankfully, did not come across as something left over from the '80s, but were printed in a way that reminded us of seashells and rib cages. Of special note is the way the designer uses transparency: spiderweb-like, delicate, fragile constructions as insets or a complete back of a dress give the pieces a sensuality without making them unwearable.
The concept did not translate quite as modern to the men’s collection; it definitely takes a guy with a rocker sensibility to pull off the look. Overall, the ease and unobtrusiveness, yet distinct point of view of this collection (for the women at least) captured a lot of what LA fashion could and should be, and distinguishes it from the rest of the world.
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