Wolk Morais debuted its fifth runway collection on May 21 in Los Angeles, and for Brian Wolk and Claude Morais—the designers behind the young label—the show was an ode to the city, or as the duo affectionately calls it, “the promise land.”

The terrain—particularly Melrose Avenue—its people and their cultures all served as inspiration for the pair’s new 29-piece collection. “It’s in the air,” Morais said backstage. “We like to take neighborhoods and explore. Last year we were exploring Fairfax, this year we took it to Melrose. L.A. is such a diverse city of places.”

“We live near Melrose and we walk there on the weekends,” added Wolf. “It’s always cool to see what the kids are wearing and what they’re adapting from the ’80s, ’90s and the ’00s. What’s fresh for them is fresh for us. We live through their experiencing these decades for the first time.”

Longtime stylist Elizabeth Stewart, who counts Cate Blanchett, Frieda Pinto, and Julia Roberts among her clientele, has been with Wolk Morais since its inception. “I started in editorial,” she said while putting finishing touches on a model. “That’s why I love working with these guys. It’s like the old days for me.”

Stewart is also known to make omelets for the duo at her L.A. home. “It’s a friendship,” said Wolk. “It’s her vision of young designers of fashion in L.A. She understands what we’re trying to do and she helps us make it come true.”

For their runway show, this manifested in the form of a glamorous yet punk-like interpretation on the parameters of the restaurant’s Japanese garden, described by Wolk as “the most gorgeous movie set you could possibly imagine that we didn’t have to build ourselves.”

Chain suspenders, monochrome tones and metallic reigned. Bucking convention, male models’ suits were adorned with feminine touches, including a black feathered boa and women were dressed in traditional male tailoring.

“I was sitting next to someone who told me that they made the menswear and womenswear the same,” said actress Isabelle Fuhrman. “Apparently buttons on men’s and women’s shirts button from opposites sides. They buttoned them on the same side, which was pretty cool.” Elaborating, she added, “people wearing Wolk Morais are the cool girls and cool guys that know their style, they do things their way.”

After taking their bow, Wolk, Morais, Stewart, and a coterie of the guest list made their way inside the restaurant for endless sushi, drinks, and a playlist curated by George Kotsiopoulos that lasted well into the night.

By: Ericka Franklin

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