Imitation of Christ kicked off LA Fashion Week with a message of spiritual unity for the times.
“I had a vision a while ago of a blessing in every religion happening at the same time,” said designer Tara Subkoff.
A dance performance took over The Hole on La Brea Avenue on Wednesday night, with Eric Yahnker’s pop culture “Lost Angeles” show serving as the backdrop. Showcasing spring 2024, dancers flowed in movement around the space as prayers were delivered. There was a Muslim practitioner, rabbi, Christian minister, Tibetan Buddhist monk, Hindu swami, Sufi poet, shaman and Native American flute player.
“I wanted to have it be a performance that was an art performance as artwork,” continued Subkoff. “I really found everyone organically through spiritual communities that I’m involved with. I’ve known some of these people for a long, long time. So it was really beautiful to have it all come together. And it means so much to me that you all came out to support this during this particular devastating, heartbreaking, horrific time.”
She was referring to the horrors of the Israel-Hamas conflict, as the Gaza humanitarian crisis continues.
“At the beginning of the creation of this routine, or this experience, it was something completely different,” revealed dancer Jesse Fields.
The initial inspiration for the dance — which featured all ages, with Subkoff’s young daughter and her dance class peers — was centered on rebirth, finding life again after darkness.
“Things took a turn for the worse in the world, so we took a turn with what it was supposed to be about,” added choreographer Lauren Cannon. “It’s about coming together and being peaceful. And being in community. No matter what happens, we all don’t want violence. We all don’t want to be victims, right? And how do we all coexist in one world? Full of love, and start from love instead of pain.”
Rooted in the intersection of environmental activism and art, Imitation of Christ has been “upcycling” since 2000.
“Everything is sustainable,” Subkoff said of the pieces. “Everything is made from old things, with a lot of artwork and a lot of hand work put into it and a lot of heart.”
The crowd of watchers included Ukrainian-born, L.A.-based designer Lessja Verlingieri of Lever Couture, who showed her own collection on Friday, and actress-model Milla Jovovich.
“I just always love Tara’s creativity,” said Jovovich. “Imitation of Christ never fails to kind of astonish. She’s always just been so cutting edge with her philosophy about fashion. I mean, Tara’s been upcycling since before upcycling was a thing. Her choice of fabrics, her choice of content for the shows are always right in the moment of what’s happening. It was in the 90s — the coolest show to be part of in the world. And today as well. It felt like such a personal but yet universal message. That’s what I love about artists, is that they can take something so personal but make it relatable to so many people. Tara’s always been able to do that.”
Ciarra Pardo, president of LAFW and cofounder of N4XT Experiences, too, sang her praises.
“First of all, she’s a legend,” Pardo said of Subkoff, who over the years held fashion shows at a Lower East Side funeral parlor, and collaborated with Chloë Sevigny. Pardo stood alongside Floriana Annibali, creative director of Pardo’s jewelry brand Oya Labs — which released an 18-karat gold pendant with lab-grown diamonds in collaboration with Imitation of Christ.
“And we’re opening up with her, because she wouldn’t have it any other way,” Pardo went on. “And I love her for that. We actually added a day to our schedule. Our schedule was originally Oct. 19 to 22. She’s like, ‘Nope, I’m the opening.’ So now we have the 18th. But her message, I mean, this is basically every religion coming together in a big peace prayer. And it couldn’t be more timely. It couldn’t be more important for what we’re dealing with right now.”