Californication

 

From the streets of New York to the Paris ateliers, fashion is in a California state of mind. For proof, look at all the references to West Coast skate, surf, rave, grunge, and lowrider subcultures on the Spring ’14 runways. Hedi Slimane, who was fetishizing Los Angeles and its underground scenes long before he landed at Saint Laurent, is at least partly responsible for this mass migration, but Kate and Laura Mulleavy deserve credit, too. After taking us “back home to Santa Cruz” last season, the Rodarte sisters’ L.A.-inspired lineup was full of chola-girl plaid shirts styled with snapbacks, satin bras, studded suspenders, and fringed skirts. Tommy Hilfiger, meanwhile, transformed Pier 94 into an epic beachscape with a boardwalk runway that complemented his sun-kissed, sporty clothes; Humberto Leon and Carol Lim channeled SoCal street racing at Opening Ceremony; and Jeremy Laing described his Spring collection as “Malibu Beach Barbie goes to a rave.”