L.A. Fashion Week / Gothic Soul Steals the Show

Those lamenting the dearth of inspired designs and citing lackluster presentation during the now complete Fashion Week missed Sunday's showing of L.A.-based designer, Sterling Capricio's atelier collection at the Celebrity Centre in Hollywood.

Los Angeles, April 9, 2003 - Looking something like a surreal, stylish, cirque de soleil, the garden reception preceding the evening show featured abstract and impressionist art, specially commissioned photographs by celebrity lens man, Tony Duran and 12-ft. twirly-girls; sparkly and smiling down from under striped umbrellas spinning brightly colored balls. At 8:20 pm, 500 guests paraded up the red carpet and through the just opened double doors of the glass Pavilion to find their seats.

With black and white footage of fashion clips harkening the 1940's projected on a giant screen as a backdrop and the alternating sounds of Frank Sinatra and Prince; Capricio presented 50 looks, complete from head to thigh-high, soft leather boots matching the shortest wrap-around leather miniskirts.

Big in Capricio's Fall 2003 collection and drawing applause throughout the show were coats; both short and full-length of cashmere, mohair and leather, each with the signature style the designer calls, Gothic Soul.

Drawing on inspiration from his days as a musician, Capricio combines an edgy, rock-n-roll feel with precision tailoring to create what he refers to as the juxtaposition of haute couture and street fashion. "It's the contradiction of perfection and letting go," and added, "the audience seemed to understand."

Michela Mariotti, who is a contributing fashion writer for a number of Italian magazines, certainly seemed to get the message. "I'm excited to see captured this wonderful originality and creativity in design paired with instinctual precision and European flair. It reminds me of old-school Paris."

Her husband, Italian artist Sergio Modigliani, accompanied Mariotti to the show. Italy's acclaimed "leg-artist," (The single subject of his paintings; women's legs.) Modigliani watched without blinking from his front row seat as the 6-ft. models graced the 32-ft. runway in Capricio's designs remarking, "He's very good."

In a departure from the soft, romantic styles usually whipped up for clients like Kate Hudson, Madonna, and Rene Zellweger; hard-to-get, celebrity hairstylist, David Babaie was inspired to go a bit edgier in complimenting Capricio's designs. "I looked at each girl as though this incredible sophistication and beauty began with the clothes, almost pushing itself up through her head with a glowing or halo effect." said Babaie.

Ironically, Capricio confided that the secret to the way his pieces drape so perfectly originates in his "top down," philosophy of design. "I begin designing as if I were looking at the garment from above, rather than from the front, back or sides." Vive la contradiction!    # # #

Images available: Sergio Di Cori Modigliani and Michela Mariotti, Sterling Capricio, show:

http://www.wireimage.com/

For additional available images or
more information contact:

Lisa McCann
lisamccann@mac.com
Tel. 310.467.3062