Concept Installations Hit Their Stride on Final Night

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Concept wrapped up on Sunday night, saving the best for last. At least, as far as the installations go. We saw ISM Mode at the last Concept, where the installation managed to upstage the clothing, but this time around, they got things just right. ISM Mode made great use of their space, creating unique little scenes to display their new offerings. The women's line balances retro touches and menswear inspirations to create a look that's feminine and fun. There were a couple of saucy dresses; we definitely wanted to see more. Kittinhawk went an artier route and opted to show a film in a room augmented with some crazy yarn installation. They had a model skittering through the hallway, and her outrageous makeup and headgear was so arresting, we forgot to check out the clothing. Whoops. We checked out their Tumblr for a better look at the line: from what we can tell, it's avant garde, Japanese-influenced fare with lots of ruching, draping and fabric proturbances.

But the night, of course, belonged to Skingraft (once again)?

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The presentation was simply models on risers, with a looped video of an animated logo in the background, accompanied by moody, ethereal music. Since the collection was fall/winter, it was all black, and it's best described as an ultra-luxe, romantic Mad Max motif. Everything was exceptionally dramatic, and there were a few pieces that used exotic animal skin to great effect -- particularly a men's fitted jacket made from snakeskin. Texture everywhere, from the leather to some knit pieces. We wanted to touch everything, but we know it's rude to fondle live people who are obligated to stand still. If you're of a mind to get up close and squeeze the Skingraft Charmin, they're having a party on Wednesday night (see RackedWire for details) at the store downtown.
· ISM Mode [Official Site]
· Kittinhawk [Official Site]
· Skingraft [Official Site]
· Rackedwire: Celebrate with Skingraft? [Racked LA]
· All LAFW coverage [Racked LA]