Ruffian designers Brian Wolk and Claude Morais packed up the car for Los Angeles a year and a half ago, part of the wave of westward-leaning New Yorkers. Last night, they presented their second collection for their new eponymous label, Wolk Morais, in West Hollywood, and the show was a testament to how quickly they’ve taken to their adopted home and put down roots. Elizabeth Stewart, who dresses Cate Blanchett, Amanda Seyfried, Julia Roberts, and other celebs, styled the show, and her teenaged kids and their friends not only modeled in it, but also inspired the clothes.
Back in New York City, Wolk and Morais used to be known for ladylike flounces and frills, and couture-level fabrications. They’ve rejiggered the formula at their new label, with raw denim, utility jumpsuits, and sweatshirts, and an occasional pair of tights for the guys who walked the show. This is the right move for them. Fashion is headed in a looser, less-fancy direction at the moment, for one, and for another, the raw denim looked really good, especially a jumper-dress worn over a silk blouse. Elsewhere, Wolk and Morais had fun with print, creating a digitized floral that turned up small and large on everything from those hoodie sweatshirts to cocktail numbers and event dresses. They didn’t leave their dressy instincts entirely behind when they left New York. That makes sense, too. There are too many starlets and red carpets to count in their new hometown. With Stewart for a “fairy godmother,” as they call her, some of those up-and-coming actresses, and perhaps some very-well-established ones, too, could find their way into Wolk Morais’s frocks. From there, it’s not far into stores.
