Photo Diary: Behind And In Front Of Maison The Faux’s L.A. Presentation

One of our favorite New York brands, Maison the Faux, has taken on L.A., in all of its fake, plastic surgery, Hollywood glory. For their latest collection, the self-described “creative studio posing as a grand couture fashion house” by designers Joris Suk and Tess DeBoer, delivered a collection inspired by the beauty — and shallow artificiality — of the City of Angels.

In collaboration with production studio Maavven and choreographer Nina McNeely, the label presented “Smile Now, Cry Later,” an ode to the vapid nature of Hollywood and the way its players construct false realities and emotions. The presentation was completely meta, its own movie set in the heart of Hollywoodland, with actors — err models — playing out the idea of a fashion show, which, of course, in the often hollow nature of the fashion world, felt a lot like the real thing. But that’s always been part of Maison the Faux’s genius: their self-awareness when it comes to the triviality of the industry; their posing as a fashion brand that, through press and outstanding collections the last few seasons, has actually become one — and a pretty successful one at that.

This collection took frivolity to the next level. Silk and ruched dresses, over-the-stop silhouettes, mismatched houndstooth — it was totally fabulous, unapologetically overdone and sort of dated (in a period piece costume sort of way); but also effortless and undeniably modern. In the end, it had us smiling, but also crying — get it?