14 — Sunday, February 16, 1992 — North Shore News FASHION Cruisin’ California style - FASHION STATEMENTS “HEAD SOUTH for. style -this season. Look to California, culture and couture co-exist in’ a -fashion environment that ‘offers something for everyone. It has been said that there is a trend born,.or recycled, every minute in L.A. No longer known as the city with. a laid-back lifestyle, today L.A. is infused with new energy. Some of the U.S.’s- brightest young .trend makers have based themselves there, rather than mov- ing east to New York. And 2 new fashion vitality. is also at work at some of the oldest, most well es- tablished firms. As a result, there is a diverse creative group within California that’ has a distinct West Coast style. From Santa Monica to the Sunset Strip, designers sculpt .ar- chiiectural © clothing _ silhouettes, contoured sportswear and breezy casuals with figure-flaunting “California girl” flair. So what is the news from our stylish sister in the Southwest? @ Surfer gear firms have grown tired of the water and are looking to dry land for inspiration. @® Denim has become the fabric of choice for designers who are usually known for more sophisticated clothing. @ Conversely, favorite fun-loving jeans manufacturers are starting . _ to steer away from denim and into * dressier clothing. @ Well-known junior wear man- ufacturers have suddenly grown up, and geared themselves toward amature customer. @ L.A.’s hottest fashion designers have found an answer to the poor economy by creating low priced look-alikes, @ Designers to watch for south of the border are Jessica McClintock, Tina Hagen, Leon Max, Travilla, Kevan Hall, Nina Kolarck, Mark Eisen, Roberto Robledo, Sue - Wong, Helios, Van Buren, Holly Sharp and Leslie Hamel. In California, it’s so long to surfin’ skins and volley shorts. The biggest wave to hit the south is body-conscious street wear. Beyond the beach Looking beyond the beach, ac- tivewear manufacturers are now making sportswear that is more versatile, and appeals to a larger market. where cults, . COTTON/LINEN striped jacket, crisscross top and linen/viscose skinny pants by Christine Albers are shown on the left. Right is Esprit rayon sheath with tablecloth print. . Catsuits, long dressy bermudas, mini dresses, leggings and mat- ching camp shirts have a definite urban feel compared to the mer- chandise they are replacing. Well-known surf wear manu- facturer Surf Fetish has changed its name to Fetish Group, and has introduced a line called New Age, which is junior sportswear. Jimmy. ’Z, now owned by Ocean Pacific, started blending beach and street looks for its holiday line. And for spring it leans heavily toward the street look. It shows body-moulding separates in rayon stretch fabrics -and cotton/lycra in dark colors. Ocean Pacific is also leaving the sand for the streets in its new ‘lifestyle fashion,’’ which includes comfortable separates in muted shades. But the firm continues its O.P. Pro Surf line as well. Body Glove, another strong surf wear label, has also unveiled 2_ junior sportswear line for spring. Formerly known for its neoprene wetsuits that ‘‘fit like a glove,’ Body Glove now prefers catsuits, leggings, bicycling shorts, tops and dresses in stretch woven fabrics, cotton/lycra knits and chiffon. The label Mossimo began with neon beach wear and _ ladies swimming suits, and is now selling junior sportswear with minis, zip- pered dresses and catsuits in toned-down cream and black. New changes are also happening at California’s three largest junior sportswear manufacturers. Levi Strauss, Guess and Esprit have suddenly grown up in the ’90s. Guess, a jeans manufacturer, is looking at a more mature custom- er for the ‘90s. It recently in- troduced two new lines called Georges Marciano Petites which include more tailored career clothing. . Though the two new labels are dressier than Guess’ traditional lines, they also include denim. The fines were introduced by the em’s maturing designer Georges Marciano. He started in L.A. 10 years ago by trying to find a store that would sell his homemade jeans. Guess has grown from a young designer who finally convinced Bloomingdales to take 30 pairs of jeans on consignment (which were reported to have sold out in three hours) to a firm expected to make $550 million in sales in 1992. The Guess label will always re- main on jeans and casuals, too, however. Watch for the spring ads which feature models Naomi Campbell and Eva Herzigova on a beach sporting revealing waist-tied tops and short shorts by Guess in solids, checks and plaids. Esprit has been undergoing sev- eral changes since owner Susie Tompkins gained total control of the firm and began its re- organization. Though it is known for its junior. sportswear, the manufac- turer is expanding to include a more mature market. Esprit is launching its newest line called Susie Tompkins Collec- tion in March. This collection is considered to be sophisticated misses sportswear that is geared to women 25 years and older. To compensate for the expan- sion, Esprit will be offering fewer styles in its junior sportswear lines. The junior lines will still in- clude some great fabrics and styles, however, such as its sum- mer tea party pattern. It features a tablecloth print with large teapots, cups and bowls of fruit which is cut into fitted sheath dresses, shorts, skirts, and camp shirts. Dressier denim Levi Strauss, California’s larg- est apparel’ manufacturer, has also introduced a more mature division to its clothing. Levis’ Travellers is the new line which will be tested this spring. it features traditional knitted separates and woven fabrics in sportswear which is aimed at women 35 years and older. The line will be expanded further in fall °92. The firm will continue to manufacture jeans and denim separates which will also be ex- panded to include more styles for spring. Denim is no longer just the fabric of jeans in California. ft shows up on sexy halter dresses, sophisticated suits and swing-y jackets. What started last spring has exploded in '92, revealing a dressier side of denim that can be worn anywhere. This spring, blue denim jackets get ornate buttons, and are trim- med in yellow and orange checked gingham by Los Angeles based _Tina Hagen. They match gathered mini skirts in the same gingham. A white and blue large checked denim coat is A-line and flies out at the back by Mark Eisen from Los Angeles. It is shown with a white T-shirt and blue spandex leggings. © A halter dress in indigo denim gets zipper details along seams, around.the collar and zips down the front by Roberto Robledo of San Francisco. -These designers are available at I. Magnin, Bloomingdales, Robin- . sons, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue in California. . Secondary lines ‘The response to the denim craze, either towards it or away from it, has- not been the only: .- in - ‘developing important factor new designer lines in California. In response to the poor economy, and in an effort to broaden their own fashion mar- ket, California’s designers are now selling lower priced collections. |. Well respected loca! designers -° such as Sue Wong, Christine. < Alters, Leon Max, Kevan Hall, ..~ Nina Kolarek and Travilla”.are.~.. rushing to introduce secondary - lines. with prices as much as 50%. less than the designers’ . regular collections. And these clothes are. ° out-selling the designers’ top label fashions. - , . Many designers have now real- _ ized that their higher - priced ° designs are fashion ‘‘experi- - ments,’”” and not necessarily at- tainable clothing for the. majority of curtomers. ; They sell their new lines to bet- ter department stores and bouti- ques in California such as Bullock’s, Robinsons, Nordstrum, * I. Magnin, and The Broadway. ' A. California-based designer who has not been hit by the poor economy and is expanding simply because of her success is Jessica McClintock. i : a This San .Francisco designer is. - cpening new retail outlets and is introducing a new fragrance. : It is a mén’s fragrance called” Scott McClintock. and will be sold: . in stores this spring. McClintock .~ is currently “adding ‘three - new . Signature stores in the U.S. to her established seven stores. -)(. . - Her wonderful: white-on-white -brocade halter dresses. for spring °92 with large faux pearls and lace strung down -the back are worth mentioning. Jessica McClintock is available at Leslie Jane in West Vancouver. . a : Up-and-coming | designers ‘ are also making an impact in Califor- nia’s fashion scene. One of the best stores to find their clothing is the San Francisco chain called Bebe. This 20-year-old firm hielped to taunch labels such as Esprit, Guess and Leon Max, and is now aggressively expanding its _ stores to promote the’ area’s newest designers. * It currently has over a dozen” stores in California and is aiming - to open 20 stores in 1993. | Bebe is aimed at ‘women who see themselves differently from the masses, and are at the same time sophisticated and professional.” Bebe currently features young California designers Helios, Nina Kolarek, Van Buren, Holly Sharp and Leslie Hamel. the .