St. John steps out with creative classics
Fashion Desk

Wide leather belts and white fedoras marked St. John’s runway debut Thursday night as the venerable knitwear company showcased its spring 2006 styles to cap off L.A. Fashion Week. With a palette that ranged from crisp cream and khaki to toasty olive and black, the Southern California-based clothier offered mostly traditional looks, sprinkled with a few whimsical pieces.
Long known for its conservative styles, St. John seems to be embracing a fresh, more modern approach. Last month, the company announced a partnership with actress Angelina Jolie, who will star in the spring 2006 ad campaigns and front its new philanthropic efforts.
Thursday night’s show opened with the sleek knit suits and dresses that helped launch St. John in 1962. Simple lines are the hallmark of the company’s new collection — on pencil-straight skirts, classic blazers and timeless trenchcoats in taffeta and cotton.
Nearly every outfit was belted, providing a dose of color and definition at the waist in eye-popping yellow and bright spring green. Tuxedo-style cummerbunds acted as unconventional wide belts atop blazers, blouses and slim-fitting slacks. Pants sat high on the waist and tapered tightly at the ankle, cigarette style, or were cropped at calf-length and topped with knit bolero jackets.
Black made a strong statement in sheer, ruffle-front blouses, knit cocktail dresses and a sparkly corseted column gown. But there were colorful, innovative expressions too. Sundresses were reinterpreted with pockets in flowing, scarf-inspired florals. A candy-striped cardigan and tank-style dress in brown, pink and mint looked like a springtime sorbet.
A sheer crepe caftan — with swaths of olive, yellow and blue — made a sophisticated veil over a triangle bikini top and tiny cuffed shorts. There was even an asymmetrical, one-piece swimsuit in the mix.
St. John’s appearance at L.A. Fashion Week was further evidence of the Orange County-based company’s new direction. Thursday’s runway show was the first in the company’s 43-year history, said spokeswoman Regina Delgado.
It was also a first for L.A. Fashion Week, which has typically favored newer designers since its inception as Mercedes-Benz L.A. Fashion Week in 2002. The five-day spring 2006 event, which began Oct. 16, featured collections by 34 designers. Kevan Hall, who dressed “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman for the Emmys, opened the week with his Atlantis-themed designs.
Louis Verdad set the week’s Hollywood tone with spring and summer styles inspired by Barbara Stanwyck’s movie-star glamour. His fans include Paris Hilton, actress Gina Gershon and celebrity son Jack Osborne. Actress-turned-designer Jamie Pressly showcased her J’aime and Maddie Jeans lines on Wednesday, while former NBA star Rick Fox and actresses Lisa Rinna and Finola Hughes took in the St. John show.