New York Fashion Week – L’ Agence
Being from the (Spoiler Alert:) Best Coast…
I of course make it a point to hit the L.A. shows at New York Fashion Week. Observing fish out of familiar waters is my idea of phishing. Now, can I just start by saying that L.A. heat waves, sponsored by Fossil Fuels Inc., are a day at the beach compared to NYC’s sweltering humidity-infested streets starting when we landed at LaGuardia on Tuesday Sept 5? By Thursday Sept 7, for the L’Agence presentation at the cavernous golden Hammerstein ballroom in the garment center, it might have dropped 2 degrees – but it was still 92, with 92 percent humidity.
They call that “wet bulb” syndrome: your sweat has no way to evaporate, so damp becomes the dress code. Now, being a veteran of New York Fashion Week, I packed ONLY for fall, ignoring the forecasts of damp drenched doom (with or without rain). That’s what we pro’s do. So I was shocked/not shocked by all the half-naked NY influencer types there to gawk, in either micro skirts (belts, really, in skirt fabrics) or as-sheer-as-a-scrim dresses with undies on full view. Tel ya the truth, I was a bit embarrassed to be so clothed (peplum top, gingham leggings, no bra or panties peeping out). These NY PYT’s (what WWD euphemistically called Kardashian-wannabes before there were the contradictory “reality stars”) make baby chicks in L.A. look like they’re wearing burkas (albeit tight ones).
Now to the clothes: L’Agence, owned by J Brand jean’s Jeff Rudes, has always skewed young. since its inception in 2009 (brought to life by MMA Stylist Agency owner Margaret Maldonado, who fostered the careers of superstylists like Petra Flannery and Andrea Lieberman, who went on to create her own brand, ALC). The L’Agence signature look has always been the satin slip dress – short, long, spaghetti straps or sleeves) – and there were plenty of young lady observers of their spring 2024 presentation, with models on pedestals, lit by spotlights, still wearing them without undies showing – because they weren’t sporting any. Naked under your clothes is a thing now, too. The looks presented in this new collection included a number of pastel and springy tweed jackets, the inspiration being Chanel or Moschino, depending on how far back you want to go. There were also satin asymmetrical jackets, worn as dresses, off the shoulder. One red paisley suit was bedecked with gold chains, necklaces, earrings. Gold is the go-to here. Gold detail finishing on the pockets of the tweed patrol. My favorite look was a three-piece white flowy pair of palazzo pants with a white shell top, and ultra light long white cardigan – with many a gold chain hither and yon, spewed on neck, wrists, waists, pockets. Colorful suit jackets with shorts and high boots, a true L.A. hybrid look, to be worn avec Toyota Prius. There were painted-on skinny jeans (uh-oh: cue the 1990’s) tucked into high pointy boots. The requisite ripped jeans also made an appearance – denim wouldn’t work on Melrose otherwise. of And the brand’s requisite slip-style dresses with hew touches: a black one with lace, a silver Marilyn Monroe lame’ number, a light blue and white mermaid slip gown with matching blazer (and gold buttons) – you get the idea. The ultimate L.A. girl with a touch of 1990’s Chanel. Now that’s a hybrid. The tramp is a lady? Not quite. But the playful scamp look is a bit grown up now. For the moment.
Merle Ginsberg is a fashion writer and television personality who was one of the judges on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in the first two seasons of the show. She is also an award winning journalist and writer, and a NY Times bestselling author. She started her long media career in NY at the Village Voice, MTV and Rolling Stone. Then, moving to L.A., she wrote for People, Us, L.A. Times and W Magazine and Women’s Wear Daily, where she presided over the West Coast bureau for 12 years, also contributing to L.A. Magazine, Jane and Details. She also served as Senior Style Editor of The Hollywood Reporter.
