To Live and Die in L.A.

Let's face it, L.A. Fashion Week will never live up to the standards set forth by its big sister, New York Fashion Week. The clothes, designers and celebrities at the L.A. event are basically the tattered hand-me-downs New York wants nothing to do with.

But like any rebellious younger sibling struggling to get out from underneath a shadow, L.A. Fashion Week still manages to get our attention. So what if they do it with porn stars (Jenna Jameson and Mary Carey made frequent cameos), reality show drama ("The Hills" cameras never stopped filming) and a never-ending supply of neon-colored cocktails (open bar started at 4:30 p.m.)?

The lineup of featured designers showing fall collections this year drew more notice for its absences than anything else. Kevan Hall and Sue Wong, two Los Angeles-based designers with successful lines, both pulled out of the show in the 11th hour. Although each cited personal reasons, industry insiders suspected it was the lack of accomplished names on the bill that motivated their decisions.

The shows of fashion fledglings, such as Alexis LaMontagna and Lauren Conrad, lent weight to that theory. Before LaMontagna's show, replete with shoddy fabrics and poor construction, the designer mentioned backstage a couple things she "should have done" but didn't. More consideration to marketability and hunting celebrity endorsements made the list.

While the Lauren Conrad Collection paid closer attention to fit, the line as a whole left the fashion hungry feeling like they only nibbled the appetizers at Applebee's but got stuck with a bill from Guy Savoy. Basic jersey garments make a poor argument when they sell at triple-digit price points. Still, her show (attended by several of her "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" co-stars) managed to garner concern from the fire marshal since it was the first to inspire a media frenzy.

One celebrity who turned out a more impressive show with an equally significant turnout was Nicky Hilton. Her equestrian theme for Nicholai showed riding hats, slim silhouettes, tailored vests and accents of siren red competing for the spotlight with older sister Paris, who sat front row. Judging from the photos and headlines generated from the show, Paris won.

Other standout shows that offered a strong rebuttal to L.A. Fashion Week critics included Falguni & Shane Peacock, Julia Clancey and Imasu by Kelly Nishimoto. Falguni & Shane Peacock's show teetered dangerously close to resort wear, but the duo from India proved the prince and princess of prints. They also relish the embellishments, implementing feathers, jewels and innovative construction to provide exotic designs such as one cocktail dress that appeared to be covered in deflated balloons.

Julia Clancey showed a line that would appeal to the grown up girly-girl. Ruffle tiers, wing sleeves, bold bows, dramatic capes and beautiful beading sashayed down the English designer's runway, closing to the tune of Queen's "We are the Champions."

The week's starting show, Imasu by Kelly Nishimoto, got things off to a promising start with lush velvet fabrics and intricate weaving techniques. A few of her designs, such as a dress that looked straight out of a jester's closet, guaranteed occupancy on both best- and worst-dressed lists.

Some shows exercised creativity, only in all the wrong places. Whitley Kros, designed by Sophia Banks and Marissa Ribisi (Giovanni's twin sister and Beck's wife), tells the story of a well-developed fictional character (Kros) who is the by-product of Banks' and Ribisi's imaginations. Each season they put Kros into the context of a series of events, which the collection is supposed to reflect. For Fall '08 Kros traveled to Berlin and Paris, watched "Working Girl" on the way there and listened to Nirvana on her iPod.

The collection made it clear that the designers spent more time on the concept than the clothes, many of which resembled thrift store finds. Much like L.A. Fashion Week itself, the show was more hype than haute.

beauty bits

While media, buyers, stylists and your regular fashion plates vie for a seat in the audience, mayhem ensues backstage at the fashion shows. Hair and makeup teams take their turns primping and prodding models to create just the right look. Take a look at the backstage beauty action.

• Imasu by Kelly Nishimoto: According to makeup director Gregory Arlt for MAC Cosmetics, the biggest challenges at any fashion week are lighting and space. "I'm talking liquid eyeliner," he clarified. Arlt and his team created a "naughty but nice" look for Nishimoto that consisted of a stain on lips and cheeks and shimmery eyes.

• Whitley Kros: GHD hair director Omar Lopez rotated use of a 1-inch and 1/2-inch styler, which look like small flat irons, to curl models hair. Then, he and his team sprayed hair with Sea Spray and finished with a "glass blowing" technique that consists of teasing hair from the ends to the roots. And there you had the "homage to early Courtney Love."

• Lauren Conrad Collection: "We decided to do Paris with Hollywood glam," said Amy Nadine for Mark. cosmetics. The look consisted of a deep garnet lip, wing eyeliner, gold shadow and a strip of false lashes.

• The Green Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show: Aveda makeup pro Lisa O'Connor created a natural look for this eco-friendly show. "You could do this look in your car," she said of the Aveda cheek, lip and eye cream used on models. To finish them off, O'Connor brushed a stroke of moss green eye shadow on models' eyelids.

• Pussycat Dolls by Robin Antin: Designer Robin Antin's brother, Jonathan Antin, created a look for this show that said "morning after." Using his own Silky Dirt product to generate second day oils, Jonathan took models from super straight to "full body waves -- no curls!"

Smashbox makeup director Lori Taylor used Jet Set liner on the lash line, "piled on Blackout eye shadow" on top of that and brushed on a true red from the Wicked Lovely Collection.

• Ashley Paige: On this swimwear runway, Taylor aimed for a Clara Bow look. A cupid bow lip with the color Enchanting, a soft, taupe eye, thick, straight brows and no cheek color completed the look here.

Contact fashion reporter Xazmin Garza at xgarza@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0477.