New York Fashion Week: Joyce Hits Celeb-Laden Geren Ford!

Welcome writer/editor Joyce Artinian to LA-Story.com. She came on board to help expand the NYFW coverage.
When LA-Story .com’s Stevie asked me to cover the Geren Ford spring 2009 show as well as other Fashion Week shows and events I said, “Sign me up!” Geren Ford was a great first assignment and a number of things differentiated it from the rest of the shows I attended throughout the week–and in a good way.
The collection was presented on Wednesday evening, September 3, 2008 at the Bowery Hotel on the Lower East Side (L.E.S.), well before most of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week shows were set to kick off on Friday, September 5th and typically in Midtown’s Bryant Park tents.

Bowery Hotel Space Set-up
The advantages? Getting a head start on my fashion fix, less crowds and chaos, plus getting to go to a neighborhood that I love and don’t have a good enough excuse to hang out in as often as I’d like. The L.E.S. is edgier and less business districty, plus the Bowery Hotel was absolutely beautiful in décor, etc. befitting a stylish event such as this. Frankly, the tents are far from glamorous, in comparison and otherwise–don’t let those televised runway shows fool you!

I was curious to know why the collection is named “Geren Ford” but the designer’s name is Geren Lockhart and found out from a fellow attendee that Lockhart is supposedly her mother’s maiden name, which she has chosen to go by.

Bold Color
Lockhart has a most interesting bio as well. The daughter of artists, her father was accepted in the Whitney Museum, as a result moving the family back and forth between Northern California and New York’s SoHo neighborhood, where Lockhart grew up in the “bohemian art scene of the 1970’s and 80’s.” She worked in advertising and eventually went on to study fashion design, first at Parsons in 2001 then at the Otis School of Design in Los Angeles.

Accessories
Her label aims to capture the mood of “sitting on a chaise lounge in a swanky Parisian hotel” and “is meant to be worn during those cinematic moments in life.”

The Geren Ford Show
Lockhart also created a mini collection for Urban Outfitters in May 2008 under the label “HAWKS by Geren Ford”. . Her main collection is carried by high end retailers worldwide including Barneys, Nordstrom and even Harvey Nichols in London. Celeb fans include Charlize Theron and Sarah Jessica Parker to name a few.

Mixed Up
For her spring 2009 collection, Lockhart gave an atypical, non-runway presentation which was inspired by the installations of Los Angeles based contemporary artist Vanessa Beecroft, with models standing on pedestals like statues–except that they were striking poses.

Dip-Dye/Tie-Dye
This current collection was described as more colorful than those she’s done in the past. She also incorporated “texture and woven fabrics” to capture the mood of travel adventures in exotic locales such as Capri, Buenos Aires and Sydney.
Check out the pics (above and below) to get an idea of the bold color combos, prints (even dip dye!), silky fabrics and fun accessories she used to convey this mood.

Scarf Crazy
You may have noticed the scarves that keep popping up–the dog illustration featured on them is taken from her father’s artwork! Incidentally, the same scarf was included in the gift bag–quite a premium if you ask me! As for the jewelry, it was provided by BYLU.
During the installation, I got to chat a bit with Diana Manzanares, Makeup Artist for Smashbox Cosmetics>.
“We went for a fresh, hipster, street chic look,” said Manzanares. Orange was the dominant color and they used bronzer as a contrast to that as well of lots of Smashbox’s Bionic mascara which was also included in the amazing gift bag.,
She also let me know that the big, teased up hair was done courtesy of Cutler Salon which is based in SoHo–Lockhart’s old stomping ground. I must say that the makeup, hair and beautiful pieces in the collection came together very nicely.,
Finally, as I was headed out of hotel I had quite the celeb spotting–Tilda Swinton hanging out in the lobby. Like I said, I love this neighborhood.
www.gerenford.com
www.smashbox.com
www.bylu-nyc.com
www.joyceartinian.com
Photos by Joyce Artinian
More Fashion Week coverage to come…
Thank you to Joyce Artinian for a stellar piece on Geren Ford. Now.. I wonder what’s hot for Fall 2008?
Stevie Wilson