Items from the trunk show.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE POLLY
The Conlins of Toronto were in the front row for the LeonLeon runway show on Saturday night at Fashion Week El Paseo, and they were the first patrons to the designer’s trunk show on Sunday.
“I saw it as soon as it rounded the corner onto the stage,” said Fred Conlin, referring to a white chiffon two-piece outfit that continued to speak to them as it sashayed down the runway. Anne Conlin, newly emerged and beaming after getting a closer look at the garment and having a personal consultation with designer Leon Klaassen Bos, nodded in agreement. “So excited! Ooh la la!”
The intimacy and delight of the pop-up shop purchase process played out numerous times over five-plus hours. A steady stream of admirers, couples, solo women and men, mothers and daughters, and small groups of friends flowed through. There were typically four or five people in the chandelier-topped tent, 18 people at the busiest point.
Feather jacket from the Saturday runway show.
The visitors went through the racks, examining the blouses and smoking jackets and jersey dresses and fine couture. The magic was the ability to feel the cotton and silk and other materials so carefully selected by Klaassen Bos that had delighted them on the runway the night before. Not everyone was there to buy, but they all wished they were.
The full process for the Conlins took about two hours, as Anne also tried on other things. But her heart was set on the two-piece. She loved the exquisite feel of the chiffon on her skin when she put it on in the dressing room. She saw in the mirror how it melded to her body, the sheer portions of the material revealing just the right pop of skin. She appreciated the steady attention from LeonLeon art director Tomas Brozek. The conversation with Klaasen Bos was particularly meaningful. He talked about the sensitivity of chiffon and its demand for personal attention.
“It’s such an expensive material and working with the fabric can be difficult,” Anne said. A former seamstress, she examined the stitching and other details involved in the handcrafted garment. She also liked the price point, noting it would be much higher at a Paris fashion event and elsewhere.
Accessories.
Most importantly, it was the nods of approval from Fred, her husband of 29 years, who had known, first, that the outfit would be perfect for her.
Charissa Farley-Hay came to the LeonLeon pop-up with a group of friends who knew the Fashion Week El Paseo space well. “Every year, I buy something at the trunk show — or two or three. Or they do,” she shared, nodding at her cohorts, who were actively perusing racks. “It’s our tradition.”
She purchased a sheer navy organza tuxedo-style button-down blouse. “It has elements of men’s styling, oversized, but very fine, feminine fabric,” Farley-Hay said, marveling at the creation.
Farley-Hay called herself an “original Diva,” meaning she had been purchasing the Diva Package almost since Fashion Week El Paseo began 17 years ago. This year, the package included two front row seats to every night, valet parking, and access to the VIP lounge, along with other exclusive events leading up to the first night.
“It’s like a marathon,” she said. “I’ll rest when it’s over.”
Guests.
The Conlins were first-time buyers of the Diva Package. “We’re buying an experience, not just an outfit,” said Fred. Fashion Week El Paseo had exceeded their expectations just halfway through the week. That was before Klaassen Bos saw them seated before the start of the next fashion show and stopped to say hello. They plan to return next year.
Klaasen Bos said Monday morning that the energy from the pop-up show was “still palpable” to him. “It’s the sense of touch! The people were admiring the clothes and the workmanship up close.”
Many people asked when LeonLeon would return. “It was a great compliment for the work we put in to create this magical evening,” he said. “We will be back.”
Fashion Week continues at The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert through March 21. For more information on the pop-up shops (which are free and open to the public), the Diva Packages, or to purchase tickets for a runway show, visit fashionweekelpaseo.com.