Spring Fashion Issue: Travel as muse
Image | March 2014
Spring Fashion Issue: Travel as muse
(Photograph by Jonas Gustavsson and Peter Stigter)
We've dedicated our Spring Fashion Issue to the idea of travel as muse, starting with my report on the spring 2014 runways where collections by Chloé, Hermès, Joseph Altuzarra and others bring to mind a sense of adventure and escapism. And there's more: Check out the latest must-have accessories for any destination, including tropical silk flower-bedecked clutches, Moroccan-style slippers and graffiti-splashed jewelry. Discover the spring offerings of two new up-and-coming collections, Baja East and Jonathan Cohen, inspired by globe-trotting style. Catch up with L.A. fragrance artist Haley Alexander van Oosten, known for creating one-of-a-kind scent journeys for clients, who is releasing the first signature scent for her brand this month, and L.A. designer George Esquivel, the creative director of Tumi, who has rolled out a new line of supple leather luggage designed to tell the story of where it's been. And, finally, take a look at a selection of the gorgeous photos that RTH designer Rene Holguin and blogger/creative consultant Jay Caroll took on an inspiration trip to the experimental architectural community Arcosanti in Arizona. You'll be booking your next adventure in no time.
By Booth Moore
March 1, 2014
(Hermes)
Fashion that is going places
Beckoning warmth, longer days, the open road. Wasting time, getting lost, letting curiosity be your guide.
(Dsquared2)
Dressing for, or at least as if you're on, a tropical island getaway
You dream of a getaway to Tahiti (or perhaps it's just a day trip to Topanga). You conjure visions of sun and surf, swaying palms and fragrant blooms.
(Donna Karan)
Styles that capture the oasis effect
Burning sand dunes, piercing sun, big sky and endless horizons. Whether you are trekking from Marrakech to the Sahara on a camel or taking in the sunrise at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley, designers have got you (barely) covered.
(Fendi)
Clothes with streetwise spirit
Taking an urban excursion to the Museo Soumaya in Mexico City or a public art tour in downtown L.A.? Not only can you appreciate art but you can also wear it.
(Baja East)
Baja East: Where beach meets boulevard
Imagine a Baja hoodie, the ultimate in surfer slouch wear, done in the softest sand-colored suede; a baseball cap rendered in sleek snakeskin; or a pair of sweatpants made of the most cush cashmere, paired with a designer T-shirt emblazoned with the low-brow term, "drug rug."
(Tumi)
Luggage that tells a story
Every journey tells a story, whether it's a weekend road trip up Pacific Coast Highway or a yearlong, round-the-world jaunt. And Tumi hopes that with its new Santa Monica collection of bags and accessories, your luggage will tell a tale too.
(Spencer Ostrander)
An upscale take on surfwear
It wasn't Windansea Beach itself but a detour taken while trying to find a parking spot there that led to the mother lode of inspiration for Jonathan Cohen's spring collection.
(Art of Board)
New life for skateboards
It used to be that when a skateboard had shredded its last empty pool or hopped its last handrail, it took a one-way trip to the great halfpipe in the sky.
(Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times)
The raw power of nature
In today's creative scene, where art, fashion and design converge, Santa Monica fragrance designer Haley Alexander van Oosten is adding scent to the cultural mix. Collaborating with everyone from style maven/photographer Lisa Eisner and designer and artist David Wiseman to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Maxfield and Commune design, Van Oosten is making a name for herself by challenging traditional notions of fragrance.
(Cle de Peau Beaute)
Golden opportunities for a golden tan, golden makeup
The laid-back chic of the spring runway collections begs for a warm, sun-kissed beauty look. And there is an array of new products to help achieve that vacation-refreshed magic, even if your next getaway isn't on the horizon.
(Jay Carroll, One Trip Pass)
Desert dreams and inspiration
Opening the door of Rene Holguin's RTH store on La Cienega and stepping into the piñon incense-scented space is like stumbling upon the souvenir shop of your dreams.
(Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images)
Red carpet looks to match the stylish journey
We all know that celebrities spend much of their public lives going from one chauffeured car to the next. But at times what they turn up wearing on the red carpet makes you wonder if they know where they are or what season it is. A gossamer-thin gown in New York in January? Not OK. Neither is velvet in L.A. in springtime. Enter the art of site-specific dressing.
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