Runway Report: LA Takes NYC, Part 3

The last set of shows this week seemed to reference a more subdued form of glamour than the earlier ones - not as much sparkle, more practical fabrics, yet still referencing the Old Hollywood silhouettes of the '40s that seem to have been the main focus for most designers. From Jenni Kayne's little black dresses to Rami's little jade ones, the ladylike look is apparently here to stay for fall...

1. Tadeshi Shoji

If you read Us Weekly at all, Shoji's name probably sounds familiar - he's best known for his sexy, slinky red carpet wear. So it came as a bit of a surprise to me that there was hardly an evening gown in sight in his fall collection. Shirtdresses in shades of chocolate brown and grey were mixed in with canary-yellow chiffon blouses and emerald silk sheaths, items that would look more at home at a board meeting than at the Kodak. Not to say I didn't like it, however - his tailoring is always spot on, and I loved the way he played with splashes of color, like these yellow leather gloves against the grey wool dress.

2. Jenni Kayne

It's not that I have anything against Jenni Kayne - she definitely has a way with the basics, proving season after season that she can make a solid pair of pants, shift dress and fitted jacket. But for me, there's nothing that particularly stands out about her work - I mean, you can walk into any Banana Republic or Nordstrom and find equally solid pants, shift dresses and fitted jackets any day of the week. I'm probably not alone when I say that I'll choose to save a bit of money on the basics to put towards one of her contemporaries who are doing something a little more spectacular, like..

3. Rami Kashou

If Rami doesn't end up winning for this collection, I'll be more than a little shocked. I've been a huge fan of his since before he appeared on Project Runway, and this collection embodies the reason why. Every little pleat and drape of every piece appears to have been scrutinized, with a result more polished and flattering than quite a few of the New York veterans we've seen this week.

4. Sweet P

Even though there were a few promising pieces in Sweet P's collection, I was a little perplexed by the fact that there was no continuity whatsoever between all of its different elements. Jumping from a punky flannel cocktail dress to a minimalistic sheath jacket to a richly embellished silk frock was confusing, at best - had she stuck to just one of these themes, her collection would have made a much stronger statement.