Jonathan Simkhai moved his design studio to Los Angeles over the summer, so it was only a matter of time before the California landscape began seeping into his work. For pre-fall, the designer wanted to capture the distinct feeling of the City of Angels, juxtaposing the soft—drawing calming elements from the surrounding mountains and beaches—with the tough—referencing the more frenetic energy of Hollywood. “I always gravitate towards sculpture, and the dichotomy of something hard versus something soft,” he said.
The opening look captured this tension between the sweet and the edgy. Simkhai created a white sleeveless top made out of strips of chiffon meant to resemble floating feathers. Paired with sleek dress pants, it was romantic yet modern, and a more unexpected approach to formal attire. The same goes for a leather bomber jacket that he appliquéd with molded leather flowers along the shoulders. Even more simple fabrics, like the jersey of a cream gown, felt elevated, thanks to the ruching and built-in cape he added to it.
Dresses remain a huge part of Simkhai’s business, so he worked on putting a new stamp on signature cocktail attire, too. A white V-neck mini dress had strips of black lace and knit tank dresses had sheer panels along the skirt. For evening, a wool-cotton suit was paired with a leather bra top. He also designed a white embroidered cotton-faille top and skirt, the cut-outs creating dimensional flowers, and a strapless white crepe gown embellished with paillettes and crystals on top.
Simkhai envisions such statement frocks having a moment on Hollywood red carpets, and they’d certainly be welcome. Premieres and awards shows often veer too extravagant and over-the-top. “We wanted to keep it more clean and minimal,” he said.
