As mentioned here at FashionWindows.com before, the city’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios now have anchor designers – Bradley Bayou, Kevan Hall, Louis Verdad and Sue Wong.

And every season, there are regulars like Samora and Iron, among the labels that preview their collection every season. There is also the complement of freshmen designers, with San Francisco-based Joseph Domingo making his debut on the Los Angeles runway for Fall 2006.

Los Angeles has taken giant strides to be recognized as a fashion capital since its inception a few years ago; yet in terms of the international fashion scene, it is still very small. But, that will come to pass as the city becomes more popular as a launching pad for emerging designers.

Historically, New York City is a harbinger of things to the come in the U.S., on the political, social and popular culture aspects of the nation. Los Angeles, on the other hand reflects the ‘current’ pop culture.

Located on each coasts of the U.S., both cities are considered melting pots. For both, the diversity of its population makes them very strong. To quote Spock from Star Trek, ‘Infinite diversity results to infinite combinations.’

So, while New York is the hotbed of American designers’ innovations when it comes to fashion, Los Angeles tries to fill the need of what is currently needed, not necessarily what is popular.

Case in point, a party I attended tonight here in Los Angeles. No, it is not a fashion party. Rather, it is a party by ‘regular’ Los Angelenos – middle class, suburban residents who hold 9 to 5 jobs.

They fit within the general U.S. demographics: 2.5 cars in the garage, 2 children, a single-detached unit house in a housing development. They are the usual mix of professionals – office workers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, engineers, telecommuters, home-based business owners, and entrepreneurs. Some of them are stay-at-home moms.

The party is their ‘monthly social gathering,’ a time to relax with friends and neighbors. I was invited because most of them have been my friends since childhood. With my twice-a-year visit to Los Angeles, I was automatically invited every time I was in town.

So, in this microcosm, my journalist’s eyes noticed that they (my friends) are actually the market base of fashion. They can definitely afford to buy the high-end items from Louis Vuitton and shop at Target or Wal-Mart at the same time.

Their tastes are as diverse as what their pocketbooks can afford. And that is the beauty of the American fashion scene, the reason why New York will continue to thrive and Los Angeles will be recognized as one of the fashion capitals in the near future.