Duke: L.A. Must Claim Fashion Status Alongside 'Big 3'

Monday, October 15, 2007

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 15, 2007 (KABC-TV) -- New York, Milan, and Paris are the big three when it comes to fashion. And while L.A. Fashion Week used to be called an upstart, some say it's finally coming into its own. With Fashion Week officially underway, there are hopes that Los Angeles will finally be considered a designer destination.

Heiress Nicky Hilton kicked off fashion week with her latest collection for her Chick line. It's clear living in Los Angeles has influenced her design -- the clothes personify a Southern California lifestyle.

"I mean New York is the fashion capital of the world, and I'm not denying that," said Hilton. "But L.A. has come a long way. It has. Now they have great designers showcasing here, and it's cool."

L.A.'s Fashion Week has always felt the pressure of being compared to the big three. Fashion is big business -- lots of money goes into staging the glitzy, elaborate, week-long shows. So some wonder -- if L.A. is going to be a contender, what will make it stand out?

Designer Sue Wong says L.A. has something other cities don't -- star power.

"We have Hollywood here, we have Hollywood style, we have, you know, the glamorous attitude of the movie stars," said Wong. "So we have something that other cities don't have

Wong hopes her support of L.A. will encourage other designers to do the same.

"We do have our special cachet here. We have the sunshine, we have the color, you know we have the maverick energy out here," said Wong. "People do turn to us globally for trends."

Randolph Duke -- ABC7's own fashion expert and celebrity favorite -- chose L.A. to stage his first runway show in seven years. He got rave reviews for what he called his glam-organic collection, and for bringing the fashion focus back to L.A.

Duke says L.A. needs to claim fashion capital status.

"I think the thing to do in L.A. is to stop saying we're not a fashion capital and be a fashion capital," said Duke. "So let's just do it. Let's just rock and be a fashion capital -- we are a fashion capital."

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