Fashion Week Dispatch: Louis Verdad (L.A.)

Although Louis Verdad claimed Frida Kahlo as a muse for his fall collection shown on Sunday (a rousing finale to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week), the designer didn’t stray too far from his signature ’40s silhouette and menswear-inspired suiting. Kahlo’s vividly colored aesthetic was evident in a satiny, turquoise, tunic-like top and a rich, burgundy dress with sheer ruffled layers (not to mention the models’ bold, defined makeup), but they were balanced by wool pants and tweed jackets in light charcoals and chocolates. Rachel Griffiths, Anna Wintour, Garcelle Beauvais and L.A.’s fash pack crowded the front row to support one of the city’s designing darlings. And by the time the last model sashayed down the runway, even the usually poker-faced Wintour couldn’t help but grin.