Coco Kliks: Sultry & Sexy Montevideo Nights
By Heide Winkenwerder
Photos by Javier Mateo

LOS ANGELES, Mar 29, 2004/FW/--- Designer Coco Kliks, who is making her debut on the Los Angeles, runway went back to the 1940s with its wartime restrictions and gave it a South American flavor for a warm, sultry and sexy look.

‘It’s tailored, sweet and trim silhouettes featuring rich embellishments, expert hand-finishing and luxurious fabrics,” is how the designer described her Fall 2004 collection.

And she did not disappoint her audience that included actress Bai Ling who was sitting front row.

Opening the show with a striped green and red Montevideo blazer and pants, it was a trip down memory lane of the World War II era in South America, with an attitude of ‘We can do it gals’ and a desire for opulence while under the worst possible circumstances.

The silhouette is slim; the overall look is simple, using the least possible amount of fabric necessary (remember, a war is going on and almost all the resources were going to the war effort). Trims such as old lace were used for adornment. Buttons were antiques, recycled from happier times. The clothes were colorful, a sign for a desire to ward off the sad thoughts of the times.

Coco Kliks captured the essence of the era beautifully. And to her credit, the collection did not look dated. It is contemporary with its low-rise pants that were either wide legged or Capri-length.

The body-hugging blazers showed off the models curves, while the deep V-neckline and peek-a-boo short-cropped blouses gave it a hint of sensuality.

The designer showed only 25 looks, but she made use of all of them to show her creativity and mastery of techniques when it comes to designing clothes.

Coco Kliks

Coco Kliks

Coco Kliks

Coco Kliks