Fashion week looking better thanks to new emphasis: L.A. event's shift from quantity to quality gets some good reactions.

THE tweaks and tightening undertaken by organizers of L.A. Fashion Week to counter its flagging industry profile appear to have done the trick.

"I thought the energy of L.A. was really spot-on," said Michael Houghton, who launched his denim and T-shirt line, DeHoghton, at a Roxy event. Although fewer denim lines were featured this season, he said, "I'm thinking it just got wiser and wasn't as sloppy."

Stressing quality over quantity paid off, if the reviews are an indicator. Fewer designers, tighter admission requirements, and more celebrities were among the changes that greeted attendees of the two-week event, based at Culver City's Smashbox Studios.

Other designers and buyers echoed the high marks from Houghton.

No official attendance numbers were available, but it's believed that at least as many guests as last year turned out. Several satellite events popped up around the city, showcasing fledgling labels and some out-of-town designers.

Houghton said L.A. was a good choice for the DeHoghton launch because of the city's reputation for top denim lines and its history of rock and roll. Several of his best vendors, Fred Segal, Planet Blue and Madison, are also here in town.

"We love L.A. and we love the market out there," Houghton said. "We had a lot of Alisters come down and express their support for the line and we all had a great time."

Houghton performed with his band Michael H. and the Bashers, which includes Andy Hilfiger (son of the apparel magnate, Tommy), and two members of Guns N' Roses. ZZ Top and Scott Weiland, who fronts Velvet Revolver, also performed.

The L.A. Fashion Gift and Home Market began at the end of the week, with the Directives West Fashion show. Executives at clothing brand Single, which mounted a runway show at Smashbox last season, opted this time for Directors West. He was able to hit a broad range of buyers looking for fall merchandise, from high-end boutiques like Ron Herman to major department stores such as Macy's.

"We just felt that we wanted to be a part of Fashion Week," said Sandy Richman, principal of Directives West. "There are a lot of retailers that don't attend the shows."

Fashion shows continued throughout the market, which ended March 27. Yana K and Carilyn Vaile shows followed Single.

"It opened up doors for us to a major department store that we would have never had exposure to, if it wasn't for our show at the California Market Center," said Yana Khromova of Yana K. Retailers also dubbed it a success.

"I found many new and interesting resources at this market," said Philippe Derey, owner of a self-titled store in Malibu. "I've noticed great changes and this building is really hot right now."

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa even promised to establish a fashion advisory council, in an effort to meet the growing demands of the local industry.

Staff reporter Emily Bryson York can be reached at [phone], ext. 235, or at [e-mail].