kaopaoshu

People pretend they do, and you always see “wearable art” advertised in one of those glossy mags you get in a hotel, but the truth is, clothing is usually either wearable or sculptural/artistic, and not both. And if it is truly sculptural, that usually means it makes you look like you’re wearing a big, expensive garbage bag.

This dress — and other designs — by LA-based Sarajevan emigré, Naida Begeta, are exceptions.

From her line Kao Pao Shu:

Last night, I went to a party at Begeta’s design studio in Santa Monica. My friend Laurie Pike, fashion editor of LA Magazine, wrote about Begeta’s line, Kung Pao Shu a few months ago. I was so struck by the jacket in the photo that I did something I haven’t done in years — tore the page out of the magazine, and ended up sending the designer a fan letter (via e-mail), which is probably how I ended up getting invited to the party. (Parties I go to typically have people yelling at each other about politics at them.)

The designer is very un-LA, really sweet, and even admired my outfit. (I was just wearing my usual — evening dress skirt, cropped leather jacket bought for $19.99 off eBay, huge tacky glass “gem” earrings in chartreuse and a matching scarf with a little bit of sculpture to it…how I dress every day to go out and write in a cafe, pick up the mail, etc.)

I’m working like mad on my next two books, and when I get an advance for my next one, I’m going to get one of her jackets, and one of her extraordinary ribbon-sculpture bags. Here are a few jackets on her site. Like the one Naida is wearing in the LA Mag shot, I like the ribbon’yones that fit close to the body. In satin, especially. Yum.

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