lifestyle MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015 Street vibe at True Religion, Givenchy in NYC

NBA star offers street style at true religion

ttention fellas: NBA star and fash- ion trendsetter Russell Westbrook Awants to help you get dressed for the holidays. The 26-year-old, who was named campaign creative director for True Religion, previewed items from the brand’s Men’s Holiday 2015 campaign Saturday during New York Fashion Week. “It’s a blessing. I think when you get that title of being creative director some people take it for granted, and people in the fashion world truly under- stand what that means and for me that’s a huge step, and something I’m trying to do in the long run,” Westbrook said in an interview at the True Religion store in the Soho district of Manhattan. Westbrook, the Oklahoma City Thunder player who launched a line at Barney’s last year, said at True Religion, “my job is to come in with some more street style, different things that I see on a day-to-day basis from my peers.”In This photo shows a comparison to his Westbrook-XO- Fashion from the Uwi Twins Spring preview of Russell Barneys New York collection, Westbrook 2016 collection is modeled. Westbrook’s Holiday says the True collection is “more me 2015 collaboration coming up and kind of doing my own cream and khaki for day, with blush and with True Religion thing.” Pieces from the line included a sunset tones for evening. “I was drawn as campaign cre- trendy leather jacket, washed out denim to the culture and lifestyle of Morocco, ative director at shirts and oversized T-shirts. Intel technology to change the shape of particularly the annual traditional of True Religion Soho Fans stood outside the New York the garment depending on various ele- Feast of the Throne celebration in on Saturday in New store waiting for the celebrity - who has ments such as the body temperature. Marrakesh, for which notables dress York. — AP photos attended shows during Fashion Week - Fashion designers Levi and Reuben head to toe in beautifully draped linens,” and cheered once he arrived. Outside of Uwi, survivors of the 1994 genocide in Siriano said in his notes. sports, Westbrook’s colorful style has Rwanda, said they looked to Africa for He also drew inspiration from natural made headlines, and he’s become a sta- inspiration for their latest collection, elements of the country and such things In this June 6, 2015 file photo, Russell ple on the fashion scene, visiting fash- which debuted Friday at New York as the colors in Moroccan wedding Westbrook attends the 2015 Spike TV’s ion week in Paris and Milan. “Growing Fashion Week. blankets, along with the lattice details of Guys Choice Awards at Sony Studios in up, I would never think I would be doing The brothers, 27 and known as The its architecture, particularly mosques. Culver City, Calif. anything like this, in a store like this, so Uwi Twins, unveiled “I Left My Heart In “I’ve never been, so I wanted it to be my it’s a blessing to be able to see all differ- Africa!” at Gotham Hall and said they dream and fantasy of what it would be ent kids and parents and everybody returned to the continent after 17 like through my idea of this woman here - so it’s good,” he said. Westbrook is years to design their clean and sim- traveling to Morocco,” Siriano said also celebrating in his personal life: He plistic ready-to wear 2016 spring-sum- Saturday in a backstage interview married his college sweetheart last mer collection. “It was a huge contrast before the show. “So she’s dressed for month. “It’s a great, major experience. from the last time we were there. We packing and traveling and figuring out Still living that moment, so it’s still were very fortunate enough to be in a what to bring, and then she’s there in great,” he said, smiling excitedly. position where we had a lot of oppor- Fez or Marrakesh.” tunities ahead of us and so, when we Siriano included touches of royal Celebrating strength at Chromat were designing the collection, we def- gold with metallic lattice laser cuts and Call it a futuristic fantasy. initely felt very blessed and very hum- organza, and layers of cascading tulle. Architecture, flesh-baring designs and bled,” Levi said backstage after the Fringe danced under the bright lights technology ruled the runway at presentation. on flouncy skirts and dresses. While try- Chromat’s show on Friday evening. “The The brothers relocated to Vancouver, ing to appeal to the younger downtown collection was inspired by how we can Canada, after escaping Rwanda. They crowd, Siriano can’t lose the older, ele- use to power the body and kicked off the fashion show Friday with gant woman who dresses grandly for how we can make the body stronger traditional African dancers working the evening, “because she’s the one who Model walks down the run- through clothes,” said designer Becca runway and two drummers playing live- pays the bills,” he said. “But we can do way during the Chromat McCharen, who is also an architect. The ly and loudly. Models confidently wore both, I think.” — AP fashion show. show certainly had an intense feel as trendy designs that ranged from fitted models of all sizes strutted the catwalk black and white T-shirts to bright pink in the line’s signature pieces which shorts to semi-loose blazers. The high- include bikinis, dresses, sportswear and lights: a soft pink blazer paired with pink structured cages. “We want to design shorts with large black lines on each clothes that a woman can run 10 blocks side, and a black and white shirt with a in. That’s always the goal: To make peo- splash on pink over the shoulders. Some ple feel strong and that they can do any- models wore shirts with the twins’ faces thing,” McCharen said backstage after as kids blended with the year 1987, the show. “It’s always been strong, pow- when Levi and Reuben were born. erful women in every field and every Their overall goal is to give young body size, every gender spectrum.” artists opportunities to live out their Chromat certainly has a powerful dreams - like they have done. “This field has an A-list of celebs who support brand is about inspiring the underdog the label. Beyonce, and and with this collection, yeah it is are all fans. Black, red, blue inspired by Africa, but it’s also for any- and white dominated the collection one who feels like they’re down,” which also featured pieces that used Reuben said. “Look at us - we’ve been down multiple times. You can get back up.”

MOROCCO drama at Christian Siriano The designer put on a show of drama inspired by the imperial cities of Morocco with no set at all. His usual space with a stark concrete floor was left alone to let his spring/summer collec- tion stand under the lights as he rolled out crisp, elegant looks featuring sandy

The Christian Siriano Spring 2016 collection is modeled during Fashion Week.