It started on April 2003, when 7th on Sixth started producing Los Angeles Fashion Week. During that time, Smashbox Studios was holding its own fashion shows. The two shows were still separate during the Spring 2004 season. Held on the last week of October 2003, it was marked by a real-life drama, with forest fires in California raging that left at least 12 people dead.

From the looks of it, Los Angeles was fighting against all odds to become a fashion capital – two competing organizers and Mother Nature itself were obstacles that needed to be faced.

A breakthrough came during the Fall 2004 season, when 7th on Sixth and Smashbox Studios joined forces to create ‘Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios.’ With the synergy created between the two organizers, things started to look bright.

But, there were other challenges that face the fledging Los Angeles fashion week. First was how to attract designers to show in L.A. Though design talents abound in the West Coast, very few people take the shows seriously. To the eyes of many, the Los Angeles season was a ‘scene to be seen’ instead of an industry event wherein new collections are being previewed.

Fashion groupies, which by the way are present even in the recognized international fashion capitals, seem to be concentrated in Los Angeles. Though the venues are always full, there are actually very few journalists and buyers present. And that is disheartening to an emerging designer whose main reason for holding a catwalk show is to get press coverage and meet retail buyers.

But, that too, will come to pass. Every season, there are less and less fashion groupies attending the shows, while more press people, retail buyers and clients come.

Now, on its third year, Los Angeles is finally starting to come out of its shell. With anchor designers like Kevan Hall, Sue Wong, Louis Verdad and hopefully Bradley Bayou previewing their collections, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios is starting to have character that is uniquely L.A.

There are also mainstays like Ya-Ya, Elsie Katz, Deborah Lindquist, Samora, Octavio Carlin, Buffalo, Juan Carlos Obando, Kelly Nishimoto, Iron and Meghan.

There are also freshmen designers like Joseph Domingo, Lourdes, Moda Management, Kara Saun, Agent Provocateur, Alan Del Rosario, Uriel Saenz, Taverneti, Voom and David Meister.

The city might still be looking for ‘LA aesthetics’ but that will come also as the city’s fashion season become entrenched with the fashion psyche.