“What makes my experiences growing up in Los Angeles different from how the world perceives it?” After asking himself this question, Mike Amiri settled on his conclusion. “It’s so much bigger than skinny jeans and rockers, even though that’s part of it.” Spending his formative years in both Hollywood and Beverly Hills proved fertile ground, as this latest collection delivers a hyper-local, culture mash-up of rock and prep that distinctly nods to the ’90s. “I wanted it to have a personal depth,” he added.
Say what you will of originality (partially objective) and taste (wholly subjective), Amiri’s collections result from good intentions and close-to-home grit. Production is now more than 90 percent L.A.-based with the brand actually investing in and supporting its factories. His design team, the core group among his 65-person atelier, employs treatments that can only be done by hand: mending, stitching, stencils, tie-dye, marker drawings. These don’t come through in the photos or even in the show, which occupied the same venue as Off-White earlier this week, and likewise, inexplicably, blocked out an outstanding view of the Eiffel Tower.
Like Gucci’s ultra-successful formula, much of the character here comes from reincarnating vintage treasures as glossy status symbols. You might think a collection comprised of such disparate glam grunge ideas—distressed, paint-splattered denim; reworked flannels; blinged-out perfectos; Lakers tribute gear; embroidered and oversize cashmere sweaters—comes together at the styling end stage, but Amiri says he sketches a handful of actual looks and then the rest just snowballs. Among this lineup, the skate pants in striped organza paired with a white tuxedo jacket and slip-ons seemed the purest expression of his wild, West Coast style.
