Richard Tyler — LA Fashion Week, 30 October 2003
A Los Angeles fashion week record from Thursday, 30 October 2003 — the Richard Tyler runway show, kept as the historical record.
Richard Tyler showed on Thursday, 30 October 2003, and the review opens by naming him the godfather of LA's fashion community — his sensual eveningwear recognized internationally as the red carpet uniform. The review carried below records Tyler separates, Richard Tyler Couture and a Rossetti-inspired bridal collection in front of a ravenous media pit, and it is kept complete as the record of the week's establishment show.
Illustrative image created for this guide — an artistic impression, not photographs from this show.
The Red Carpet Uniform
The front row the review names reads like the era's red-carpet register: Rita Wilson, Sheryl Crow, E!'s Giuliana with date Jerry O'Connell, and stylists Philip Block and Adrianne Phillips. On the runway, Tyler's expert tailoring shone through bibfront cargo pants, dressmaker ribbon details and diaphanous handkerchief hems, and Richard Tyler Couture delivered featherweight suiting and dresses with a masterful control of silk organza and beaded edges.
A Bridal Finale
Exquisite, fragile gowns followed in a kicked-up palette of sultry sherbets — the stuff of runway legend, in the reviewer's phrase — and a parade of Rossetti-inspired goddesses introduced the bridal collection to an audience perhaps too star-struck to notice matching tassel zipper pulls or nude gauze linings. The grand finale, a bridal couple in classic tuxedo and white organza maternity gown, effortlessly cemented his Hollywood legacy and created a true LA moment.
The Establishment Standard
Every fashion week needs a benchmark, and in October 2003 the benchmark was Tyler: the review measures the room, the tailoring and the bridal finale against the standard his name had set for the city. Later LA designers in this archive are quietly judged against the control of silk organza and beaded edges recorded here. Keeping the benchmark review whole keeps the scale by which the rest of the week was measured.
The Record
Long considered the godfather of LA's fashion community, Richard Tyler's sensual eveningwear is recognized internationally as the red carpet uniform and single-handedly benchmarks design prowess on the West Coast. At Thursday's runway show, a ravenous media pit gobbled up front row celebrity fodder like Rita Wilson, Sheryl Crow, E!'s Giuliana with date Jerry O'Connell, and stylists Philip Block and Adrianne Phillips
Opening with Tyler, a collection of men's and women's luxurious separates with youthful styling, the designer's expert tailoring shone thru with bibfront cargo pants, dressmaker ribbon details and diaphanous handkerchief hems. Richard Tyler Couture delivered featherweight suiting and dresses, showcasing a masterful control of silk organza and gorgeous beaded edges - precisely the couture touches that his loyal customers expect. Exquisite, fragile gowns followed in a kicked up palette of sultry sherbets, quite literally the stuff of runway legend. A parade of Rossetti-inspired goddesses introduced the bridal collection to an audience perhaps too start-struck to notice matching tassel zipper pulls or nude gauze linings that gave each gown its seamless shape. The grand finale - a bridal couple in classic tuxedo and white organza maternity gown - effortlessly cemented his Hollywood legacy and created a true LA moment.
Photos
Common Questions
Why is Richard Tyler called the godfather of LA fashion?
The review describes his sensual eveningwear as recognized internationally as the red carpet uniform, single-handedly benchmarking design prowess on the West Coast.
What did Tyler show on 30 October 2003?
Opening with Tyler, a collection of men's and women's luxurious separates with youthful styling, then Richard Tyler Couture featherweight suiting and dresses, exquisite fragile gowns in sultry sherbets, and a Rossetti-inspired bridal collection.
Who was in the front row?
The review names Rita Wilson, Sheryl Crow, E!'s Giuliana with date Jerry O'Connell, and stylists Philip Block and Adrianne Phillips among the front-row celebrity fodder.