ERICA DAVIES SEWS OPPOSITES TOGETHER.

Byline: ENID PORTUGUEZ

>LA.COM 

After succeeding Phillip Lim as designer of L.A.-based clothing line Development, Erica Davies has quickly become one of fashion's exciting up-and-comers.

The Welsh designer's structured yet feminine take on Development's contemporary pieces reveal her multidimensional approach to fashion, while the dresses from her eponymous collection exude glamour that's fit for strolls down both Malibu's shores and Hollywood's red carpets. We chatted with her about her influences and what it has been like to produce her first runway show.

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

My design aesthetic is very structured, yet it's also very free. The lines are very sharp, but it's also got a girlish quality to it. It's a combination of hard meets soft. It's always like a double play with the garments, whereas a lot of people mix softness with softness. My designs are all opposites.

Does Los Angeles influence your designs?

The actual day-to-day life in L.A., not really. The outskirts of L.A. do inspire me. If I'm a little bogged down, I drive to Death Valley and the other open spaces. However, I do like the inconsistency and the unexpectedness of L.A. as a city.

What's the main difference between your collections at Development and your own Erica Davies collection?

The price points are different. The Erica Davies collection is a lot more intricate and detailed. It's a lot easier to design because it's only dresses, both cocktail and long gowns. It's very specific -- I really like that women can pick a dress up and wear it with flip-flops yet also wear it with heels at night. Development is more open to a wider market and includes many more pieces -- like tops, jackets, pants -- along with dresses.

You're showing at New York Fashion Week for the first time. What will be the show's theme?

The theme for the show is digipop vs. tribal. The whole aspect of digipop comes from the computerized print. Then I brought in tribal print and colors, which mostly came from a tribe that I came in contact with in the Himalayas.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Erica Davies