Los Angeles’ most prestigious art fair – 8 great costume ideas

Does anyone know if Santa Monica has an airport? Neither did we. Apparently, it has been in use since 1917, making it one of the oldest airports in the United States of all time in continuous operation. Fascinating. But aside from the fact that it’s a quirky and interesting fact and part of aviation history, this little one-runway hub is the backdrop for one of Los Angeles’ most eclectic events, the Los Angeles Fritz Art Fair.

On a dreary, overcast day, the art fair began in the windy part of Santa Monica, with a line of YouTubers and black sedans carrying VIPs stretching out to wait at the entrance. Collectors, artists, curators and art curious people from all over the world gathered in two huge tents to see what’s next in the world of contemporary art and culture. A branch of Frieze magazine, Frieze’s founders conceptualized it as an international art fair, with its inaugural event held in London in 2003. Two decades later, the days-long exhibition has become one of the industry’s most important art events, with festivals in New York, London, Los Angeles and Seoul.

At this year’s Frieze Art Fair in Los Angeles, more than 120 galleries showcased their work: a touring band and accompanying dance team playing “Swag Surfin” (by performance artist Autumn Breon), small building-sized cuddly inflatables (from potter Alake Shilling), and a new exhibition of artworks by the artist. Alake Shilling) and a bronze tortilla in a Chevy van (an exhibition by artist Ruben Ochoa). In addition to these thought-provoking and memorable moments, there was some great fashion.
In general terms, the Global Art Fair is like Fashion Month – it’s a magnet that brings a wide variety of creative minds together in one place. However, it’s more of a traveling circus than Paris, Milan, London and New York Fashion Weeks, and much more low-key. At Frieze Art Fair, celebrities don’t sit in the front row waiting to be photographed, but walk around in hats and sunglasses trying to avoid them. But from the artists attending Frieze to the collectors and educators, there’s still a sense that people who love art also take fashion very seriously.

Buzzing around the Barker Hangar, we went from show to show to scout the scene for all the great styles. There were some major seasonal trends found in the crowd, but they also had a quirky side, which was a friendly reminder that the art world prefers to do things a little differently. For a darker day, fashion is definitely heating up – keep scrolling to see the most stylish moments from the Fritz Art Fair in Los Angeles.

Where can I buy a half blazer, half aviator jacket? Visual artist Liz Lee procured her nontraditional bowler hat from the theater department sale at CalArts, where she is also an MFA student. “I bought this for $1,” she recalls. “The program lets students make costumes for student contemporary dance performances and theater, so you get these whimsical skin-tight jumpsuits and cool period pieces.” The beauty of a reversible or double-faced jacket like this is underrated, and it could theoretically work in both casual and formal settings, but for Frieze, Lee wore it with the brand’s loose jeans in 69 and a cool wrap-around hue .

Red socks have long been a favorite trend among Who What Wear editors, but maybe it’s time to try another color. We’ve since learned from art director Zina Reed that this sculptural dress is from Zara. (We could have sworn it was going to be something like an archival Nina Ricci.) The equally bold grape purple leggings really elevated it into high fashion territory, so we’ll just have to keep track of the whole “fit”.

The Cecilie Bahnsen dress was made of a fabric so carefully crafted and recognizable that it would be instantly recognizable even from a mile away. So we weren’t surprised when Frieze co-curator Sonya Tamaddon revealed that her cobalt blue dress was the work of her “dear friend” Bahnsen. “I only wear ruffles at Cecilie. She makes it feel like armor,” she says. To add drama, the curators combined three major runway trends – sheer tights, big earrings and ballet flats.

If casual is the key word in the California dress code, then double denim is the suit of Los Angeles. Model Adrianna Bach, who lives in New York City, wore a dark wash Slvrlake denim suit with Celine sunglasses and a Bottega Veneta Mini Jodie bag. “I’ve worn this outfit for seven days straight,” she declared.

We met the art educator at the end of the first day of Frieze Art Fair as the sun began to set and the crowds slowly filed out of the exhibition grounds. The earrings and headband immediately stood out as a reminder that good accessories always spark conversation (and compliments).

Art collector Taoran Long had come from Beijing to attend Frieze Art Fair. Her visit marked her first time in Los Angeles as she sought out art from around the world for her collection. The collector loves casual staple pieces – New Balance sneakers, Margiela side-split jeans, and Lemaire blazers and bags. “You need to walk around all day to feel comfortable,” Long says. “I like things that are really unique.”

On the other side of the fashion coin, artistic people like to dress for themselves, regardless of what’s “in”. A case in point is Claude d’Avoine, creative director and head of design at Frieze London. During a day spent browsing the exhibits with fashion publicist Bradley Jacobs, d’Avoine wore custom-made floral pants with vintage accessories by a local designer.

One of the day’s more surprising observations: artsy people love cowboy hats. One of the most fantastic hats we came across belonged to visual artist Arielle Pytka. wearing custom python pants and piles of personalized silver rings (pieces she’s accumulated over the years), Pytka’s outfit stood out in a sea of The Row pieces and Gucci loafers. “I ride horses a lot and my father lived in Santa Fe for many years, so I’ve been exposed to a lot of Western culture,” she says. In addition to a Rick Owens sweater and a large buckle belt given to her by a friend, the artist completed her outfit in special cowboy boots by Pskaufman. “He’s a local designer in Los Angeles, and all of his boots are handmade. They’re fantastic,” she added.