Prepare to immerse yourself in all of founder Justin Merino’s favorite things at the experiential event’s sophomore edition
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
Photographer Matthew Rolston — the L.A. native tapped by Andy Warhol to create arrestingly beautiful images of actors and musicians for Interview magazine — knows his way around a glamour shot. His luminous early images of Madonna, Prince, Bono, Drew Barrymore, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Joan Didion and so many more perched in meticulously created sets reminiscent of Hollywood’s Golden Age, will soon be on view in an untethered virtual reality retrospective experience — just one of a myriad of inspiring offerings at this year’s L.A. Fashion Festival, to be held at Phylm Studios Sept. 20-21.
“This is a passion project”
The two-day event, the brainchild of founder Justin Merino, also includes a host of film screenings, beauty panels, and workshops focused on retail and technology. “This is a passion project,” says Merino of the open-to-the-public festival (now in its second year), explaining that his aim is to bring together fashion-focused creatives who live in a vast metropolitan area that’s become American’s largest apparel manufacturing center.
Over 90 fashion films made the cut at this year’s LAFF, in addition to the eight-minute VR retrospective of Rolston’s work narrated by the artist himself. Not-to-be missed entries include Au Philia, about a woman navigating water pollution in 2084; Z Zegna, featuring tennis champ Alexander Zverev playing against a machine; and a film by Daniel Peddle called Romancing Reality 3.1 Philip Lim about three men’s morning routines.
Additionally, on Friday, Sept. 20, Institute of Art and Olfaction founder Saskia Wilson-Brown leads an afternoon perfume workshop, while an evening panel delves into the humanizing elements of brick-and-mortar retail. On Saturday, Sept. 21, model and social entrepreneur Angela Lindvall joins Kayren Pace to awaken senses with a morning meditative sound bath session while an evening performance by singer Lola Lennox (fresh from soundtrack vocals on the BBC film Serengeti) caps off the end-of-festival awards ceremony and closing soiree.
Phylm Studios, 2230 S. Main Street, L.A.
Feature image: A digital GIF exhibition by SHOW US YOUR TYPE and L.A. FASHION FESTIVAL showed the city some love at the 2018 event.
Sept. 17, 2019
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