Los Angeles Fashion
Week takes place each March (for fall collections) and October
(for spring collections) in locations throughout the Los Angeles
Area.
History
Los Angeles Fashion Week started in the middle of the 20th
century with "Press Week" and the invitation of
fashion journalists to see collections from, and in, Southern
California.
Since the late
1990's, Los Angeles Fashion Week has been represented and
coordinated by a loose consortium of L.A. fashion designers,
journalists, and marketers interested in its success. Among
the longest running Fashion Week exhibitions since that time
is Gen Art, with its annual "Avant Guardians" and
"Fresh Faces in Fashion" events, which are held
in March and October respectively at venues throughout Los
Angeles.
In 2002, IMG's fashion
division, which produces Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York,
made its first foray west, with Mercedes-Benz Shows LA in downtown
Los Angeles at The Standard hotel. Simultaneously, Davis Factor
and Dean Factor produced Smashbox Fashion Week Los Angeles at
Smashbox Studios in Culver City. Dozens of designers showed their
collections to journalists, celebrities, family and friends at
these two centralized venues, while others still chose to show
their collections in unique off site venues such as nightclubs,
private estates, train stations, churches and lofts. In 2003,
IMG and Smashbox united under one banner to streamline services
and venues, choosing the Factor-owned Culver City location over
downtown Los Angeles venues.