Apparel | Monday, November 05, 2007

0 Comments

AND THE WINNER IS . . . Supima takes center stage at the L.A. Fashion Awards

By Greg Wang

LOS ANGELES — Even for L.A., last week’s Fashion Awards were a wild ride.

Due to what could be diplomatically called “a technical glitch,” the third annual awards ceremony held on October 26 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A. (a neighborhood better known to some of us as the West Coast’s counterpart to the Garment District), did not quite proceed according to plan.

Although the evening included runway presentations by all the nominees for the Fashion Innovator award, its format was heavily dependant on video vignettes—about 20 in all— illustrating the “back story” behind every nominee.

The problem with that was that, despite being held in the film capital of the world, none of the videos were ready by 8 p.m. when the ceremony was set to start.

Whereupon nominees and the rest of the audience repaired to the open bar, which was underwritten by Absolut 100 Vodka, one of the event’s sponsors, and enhanced by freebie hors d’oeuvres from top L.A. eateries like Tiara Café, Pane e Vino, Cobras & Matadors, and Royale on Wilshire.

Close to 8:45 p.m.—enough time for everyone to down a 100-proof cocktail or two or three—the videos were good to go and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa got the show underway.

Underlining the importance of premium denim to the L.A. fashion scene—and the importance of Supima to premium denim—the inaugural Supima Denim Designer Award was up first.

The nominees: GoldSign, 7 for All Mankind, Oligo Tissew, Paige
Premium, and J Brand.

Unlike the relatively sedate doings of the CFDA on the East Coast, each denim nominee seemed to have brought along its own impassioned and uninhibited cheering section. And in the supreme accolade for any stand-up performer, Supima Marketing VP Buxton Midyette’s introductory remarks were heckled by a somewhat-the-worse-for-drink reporter.

In a surprise upset (since GoldSign had been heavily favored to win), the denim prize went to J Brand, whose cofounders Susie Crippen and Jeff Rude were on hand to accept.

After that though, huge chunks of the audience began to make a mass exodus to their planned dinners and parties, making Supima award the only fully attended event of the evening.

(Although we did note that the Mayor dutifully stayed until the very end and then pressed the flesh at the official afterparty at Mode, a fashion-themed venue that’s so exclusive it’s still not open to the public.)

Despite all that, J Brand had some great company.

The other awards were: The Fashion Retailer of the Year Award won by Fred Segal. The Marketing Excellence Award won by Guess by Marciano. The Inspiration Award won by Bravo’s “Project Runway.” The Fashion Communication Award won by DailyCandy. The Moss Adams Fashion Innovator Award won by Juan Carlos Obando. And, last but not least, the Wells Fargo Century Fashion Achievement Award, which went to BCBG’s Max Azria.

The evening’s biggest winner? (Aside from Absolut Vodka.)

Supima!