Forbidden Fashion: A Collection of Criminal Couture

When Ann Closs-Farley put together Forbidden Fashion: A Collection of Criminal Couture, she issued a challenged to her fellow Los Angeles designers. Instead of assembling the typical pricey and extremely designer pieces common to any runway show, she demanded a different set of criteria be met: Everything had to be created from “found, recycled or stolen materials.”

When the lights dimmed for the series of shows, models bearing everything from comic book accessorized suits to dresses made of playing cards and Dixie cups took to the catwalk with ease. The shows were a success, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and occasionally bringing them to laughter. Following the production, ChinaShop sat down with Closs-Farley to discuss her vision for the show, unusual ensembles, and what goes through her head while models walk the runway.

What was your inspiration for the line?

I wanted to create a fundraiser Fashion Show for The Bootleg Theater using their offbeat name. I thought it would create a sexy line of clothes. I also didn’t want the participating designers to have to spend any money in building these clothes that we would auction off. They so generously were offering their time and talents. So, I added a twist to the fashion construction challenge by asking the designers to make their designs from found, recycled or stolen items. I thought it would give the show this black market feel and create a desire for a “hot property” purchase with our audience. I also, wanted to create a show where we can support and celebrate our local design talents by bringing them together in one space to share their talents with the community in a joyous evening. It was built to be fun for everyone involved.

What would you say was the underlying theme to the fashion show at The Bootleg?

I built three tracks for the show and pooled the dresses into 20 dresses for each track. Here is how I broke it down:

1) Track 1: Guilty Pleasure
2) Track 2: Illegal
3) Track 3: Fatal

Bootleg: pitch-dark, black-market, shameful, dim, blackened, inglorious, grim, calamitous, fatal, fateful, black, dark, sinister, opprobrious, bootleg, disgraceful, smutty, contraband, pitch- black, smuggled, ignominious, disastrous, bleak, mordant

You’re known for your unusual pieces… what are some of the more unusual designs / materials that you’ve used in creating your ensembles?

My favorite material this year was the business checks I used for the men’s suit and the 1950′s woman’s evening dress, purse and hat. I saved those checks from the early 90′s. I started a jewelry business that failed and I thought to myself that one day I was going to make a dress out of them. So, when I was thinking about what I wanted to make, I thought of my sister who recently did some time in the slammer for check fraud. She is a very artistic soul. I thought I’d dedicate these outfits in her honor. I thought that was genuine Criminal Couture. I sealed the check in clear packing tape and created a fabric with the 20 feet by 4 feet of checks taped together, patterned the dress, and whipped it out. I laughed so hard when it was finished. I think my sister would be impressed. I can’t wait to show her the pictures.

I also, loved the Dixie cups I put on the New Years Eve dress. I called it “Drunk Dixie”. I always see these girls at parties and I thought it would be funny to just put the finger on the nose with this one. It cracked me up every night when the model went out in this one. The audience just laughed so hard. I always like to have a sense of humor with my clothes. I love to make people laugh with clothes.

Who are your fashion icons?

I have so many designer inspirations in both fashion and costume design. Here are my designer icons…

Edith Head, Sandy Powell, Colleen Atwood, Alexander McQueen, Bob Mackey, Oscar De La Renta, Gianni Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel, Valentino Garavani, Christian Dior, Elsa Schiaparelli, and oh so many more…

What is the biggest fashion risk you’ve ever personally taken?

I wore wigs everyday for six years. I loved it. No one questioned it, and I learned no one looks for it either. It was the most freeing and glamorous six years of my life. I love hair!!! I stopped because my second child freaked out everyday I put one on. Now she says “When you going bring back the FUN?” I started going through my endless collection and wearing them out again.

What is going through your mind when you’re watching models wear your pieces down a runway?

I love it that these models feel beautiful and confident about wearing these clothes with such strong themes. It becomes them and then they sell the shear energy of the piece… It is the most you can hope for with clothes.

What can we expect from you for 2012?

This year I want to explore fashion in politics for the election year – fashion in politics past and present – and how to push the voting envelope towards the future. The question being: “Can politics be sexy?”