GenArt Showcases Fresh Faces with AGAIN, Mansoor Scott, More

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We're at the final stretch, folks. After nearly two weeks' worth of LA Fashion Week happenings, last night GenArt closed the show with its 15th annual Fresh Faces in Fashion event, held at the Sofitel's Riviera 31 lounge.

Unlike past years, the organization known for debuting designers like Rodarte and Vena Cava ditched the runway for a presentation format, which offered a welcomed intimate feel. LAFW fave AGAIN kicked things off for us, presenting a set of looks that designer Amber Kekich-Purling tells Racked were inspired by "patterns and silhouettes I would wear as a '60s housewife mixed with some '60s model-off-duty. We just really had fun with the patterns and textures of the fabrics."

Moving along to Mila Hermanovski, the former Project Runway star went "Aerial" for spring 2014. She reveals that the theme was sourced from "beautifully surreal and abstract imagery of aerial and satellite photography." A master at geometric layering and proportion play, Hermanovski nailed the season's relaxed luxury vibe. Favorites included stone-hued silk harem pants (stay away, Bieber) and asymmetrical leggings.

San Francisco label Mansoor Scott offered styles that salute the Bay's "Nature in the City" experience. "The textiles become the canvas to represent the natural landscape in a modern way," designers Sabah Mansoor Husain and Bethany Scott Meuleners explain. "The sunlight breaking through the fog and trees manifest through laser cut leather and knit mesh details while floral prints and laces are a more literal interpretation." Fellow West Coast talent Maria Korovilas crowned Mansoor Scott's top-buttoned, sheer-sleeved floral number her favorite look of the night.

Capping the festivities was SF native Joseph Singh, who's an alum of both FIDM and Parsons, and currently working with Olivier Theyskens at Theyskens' Theory. (No big deal.) He traveled from his new home in New York to present a moody collection inspired by his grandfather's funeral. He tells us that it "represents letting go and symbolizes the idea of moving forward in life and design. I took the interior details from his casket, which was pleated and pushed that idea forward by re-imagining traditional techniques, adding dimension to the pleats and creating more interest." The result was a dark yet beautiful tribute filled with avant-garde outerwear.
· GenArt [Official Site]
· All LAFW Spring 2014 Coverage [Racked]
· Crowds, Front Row Fighting and Fashion: A Report from GenArt [Racked]