BARE blog: LA Fashion Week :: A Yeti’s Journey On Heels- Brian Lichtenberg

Brian Lichtenberg’s Fall ’09 collection was a highly anticipated show, crowds of people filed into the fifth floor down town LA’s Liberty Building at a punctual 9:30 p.m. The success of Brian’s geometric patchwork, florescent body suits and unprecedented aesthetic has drawn celebrity clients from Katty Perry and MIA to Sam Sparro and Santogold. As the word of people settled in the light went off, eerie music began playing and a model’s tall silhouette flashed two beams of red light at the audience. A dramatic opening to a theatrical show.

The first outfit, a hooded jacket made of fur patches, with a chocolate cowled minidress and “hairy” sky high heels to match, was the beginning of a space trip to Lichtenberg’s own interpretation of Star Wars and futurism.

The use of patchwork was still very present in this collection, but was executed with a different finesse. Some of the black and white prints showed geometric patches of lines, dots and other shapes that collided on the models in a simple yet innovative way.

All the dark earth tones juxtaposed with the metallic shimmering fabrics told a story of exploration. A search for the primal instinct in Brian’s clothing. On two occasions, models entered the runway wearing two massive horns lined with dangling hair, one sported a matching fur vest, patched leggings and those hairy heels while the other was dressed in a body suit made of soft brown variations.

People did not have to know a Star Wars plot line to know that these models were warriors, dressed by the elements. Earth, wind and a lot of fire. Models wearing simple asymmetric mini dresses in black and brown, eventually made their way down the runway, a balance to the over the top chewbacca (the Star Wars version of Big foot) inspired creations. The simplicity of some of the garments was enjoyable, and a subtle suggestion that Brian’s intentions may lie between wearable art and consumerism.

Lichtenberg’s use of skintight fabrics, and sexy cutouts also made the clothes seem more wearable. A long sleeve, hooded mini dress with exaggerated shoulders glimmered down the runway reminding everyone about the consumer potential of his clothes. Lichtenberg’s aesthetic could be regarded as unconventional or artsy, but its his understanding of sex appeal, sensuality and geometry that make his shows exciting and innovative.

The male models were dressed in more casual skinny jeans, tank and slasher tops, made popular by the Rodarte girls. A pair of black jeans were detailed with a criss-cross of shoe laces running from the knees and meeting a pair of black military boots. The men’s clothes had an 80’s flare, the studded bicker vest included, that exuded their own perspective on feminism.

A couple of other details of the show that stood out were the leather patch worked shin guards attached to a pair of heels accented with reflectors similar to those on a disco ball, a pair of gold harem pants, a necklace with a collection of triangular mirror pieces and of course the crowd favorite Gremlin skirt.

As the exhibition came to a close observers were left with a sense of evolution and progression, a change maybe to Lichtenberg’s own aesthetic.