When pressed about Los Angeles Fashion Week four years back, fashion and culture writer Robin Givhan noted that influential industry insiders were "not going to LA" for the local showcases. In an interview on the Madeleine Brand Show, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist said that worthy talents should shell out the money to stage a show at Fashion Week in New York, where attendees like big-name buyers and fashion press are firmly established.
Givhan's got a point: Despite their best efforts, independent producers have yet to pull off LAFW as one cohesive happening. From Fashion Week LA (which joined forces with the sadly now-defunct LA Fashion Council a few years back) to mayor-approved Style Fashion Week to LAFashionWeek.com, the event is essentially several overlapping showcases scattered throughout March and October.
Fast-forward to 2017 when New York-based designers like Rachel Comey and Tommy Hilfiger are legitimizing the City of Angels' fashion capital status by ditching NYFW — but they're not showing at at LAFW. Similar to the way Louis Vuitton highlighted SoCal as a stylish destination for its resort '16 show, our sunny hometown will star alongside designer's ready-to-wear collections come this spring.
Below, we've rounded up the designers who are invading the Golden State for their upcoming runway shows; stay tuned as we'll update this list if and when more talents make the west coast switch.
Tom Ford
As Women's Wear Daily writes, the film director and fashion designer will show in LA this February; however, the exact date and location have yet to be announced. In 2015, Ford took over Milk Studios during Oscars weekend; we're wondering if he'll follow suit this time around when the Academy Awards take place Sunday, February 26.
Rachel Zoe
The Los Angeles-based stylist and designer tells WWD that she's "always been about a more intimate vibe, not a massive event," which is why her next show will take place over a dinner presentation in her hometown. No word yet on where and when, but expect A-lister attendees like Nicole Richie, Jessica Alba, and stylish sisters Sara and Erin Foster among the mix of supper guests.
Rebecca Minkoff
The California-bred, New York-based designer will send models down the trolley tracks of popular shopping haunt The Grove for her third see-now-buy-now show, according to WWD. Minkoff also plans on opening a pop-up shop at the outdoor center in February.
When: Saturday, February 4, 2017 at sunset
Rachel Comey
The cool-girl designer will bring her artful silhouettes to contemporary gallery Hauser Wirth & Schimmel in Downtown's Arts District, where she's expected to draw an equally rad lineup of famous and fashionable fans.
When: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Tommy Hilfiger
For his next see-now-buy-now show starring Gigi Hadid, Hilfiger is forgoing the traditionally snowy New York Fashion Week for the sun and sands of Venice, notes WWD. Similar to his fall 2016 show (which took place at New York's Pier 16), the west coast event will include the designer's instantly-shoppable spring 2017 show and a second Tommy x Gigi capsule.
This time around, the collaborators tapped fashion fans to join the design process: shoppers voted on their favorite pieces via social media last October, and the winning Hilfiger x Hadid looks will be revealed on the seaside runway next month.
When: Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at 5pm
Dior
Creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri's first Cruise collection for Dior will be shown in Los Angeles this May, but a location has yet to be announced. The luxury fashion house had cancelled previous plans to stage its Cruise '16 show under Raf Simons due to the "unexpected availability of a high-profile location."
When: May 2017
Homepage image: @rachelzoe
