Style Fashion Week L.A.
Maybe because it was Friday the 13th or maybe it was coincidence, but night two of the fournight run of Style Fashion Week LA this month at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood proved to be a mash-up of horrific musical performances mixed with an assortment of fashion looks. The lineup for the evening included Moods of Norway, Something by Sonjia and Mario De La Torre.
Moods of Norway kicked off the shows with the collection “In a Killer Mood,” which featured men’s and women’s looks that transported us to a James Bondlike world with models as spies. It had a strong retro feel with women’s slinky silk jumpsuits and floral motifs along with fitted plaid suits, leather jackets and suspenders for the men.
Next up was Something by Sonjia, one of the best collections of the night. Sonjia Williams is a Boston native and former “Project Runway” and “Project Runway All Stars” contestant. She’s one of the few designers to show a fall/winter 2017 collection, “Architexture,” which was inspired by her fascination with the clean lines and geometry of architecture and the interesting textures and tactile nature of fabrics. Her collection had an assortment of chunky/structural sweaters, high-waisted skirts, flowy dresses, scarves and gold platform sandals paired with black socks and black beanies.
“I make strong pieces, not timid pieces,” Williams said. “My woman knows who she is and is not afraid to be that person.”
Two memorable looks were the oversized shearling vest and a coat dress that the designer said is so stiff with padding it can stand up on its own like a suit of armor.
Closing out the show was De La Torre, who presented an allwhite collection named “City of Angels,” with a range of different silhouettes. Fitted see-through cocktail dresses, evening dresses, A-line skirts paired with crop tops and bodysuits were some of the standout looks. The monochromatic white collection proved to be a nice palette cleanser that left us thinking maybe the City of Angels could use a little more of De La Torre’s angels.