by Molly Apple & Amy Mazius

Amy (1990): Club kid turned designer turned went-somewhere-for-awhile turned designer again? Richie Rich showed at LAFW night one as Richerette: an experience which can only be described as transportive to another dimension.

Molly (1996): An iconic queer man who has chased fun and happiness in what many experience as a soul-sucking negative black hole of the high fashion world, instead found levity and pride showcasing his new collection Richerette at LAFW powered by Art Hearts Fashion. Richie Rich’s club kid days may be before my time, but my teetering millennial-genz sensibilities told me the campy nature of his work couldn’t be ignored.

Amy (1990): Was he the Jacquemus of his day who didn’t find the right backer or was Heatherette just a nice moment of putting it girls and outsiders in crop tops and party dresses? Hundreds of celeb-studded Getty Images would suggest a comeback just like Pretties, Diesel, and Chrome Hearts.

Molly (1996): Richie redefined street casting when a model walked out in the final look with a lit cigarette. As she strut past with smoke billowing behind her, I couldn’t help but wonder, who decides what is trash, and what is treasure?

Amy (1990): Scored to Donna summers and assorted disco tracks - the 20+ minute show featured a smattering of apparel rather than complete looks. There were a few outstanding pieces - like an oversized veil and a sheer beaded blouse that worked and clearly had been worked on. Others - a pair sport shorts layered with ripped fishnets - seemed like they were repurposed dumpster finds from the LA garment district.

Molly (1996): Who needs the New Guard Group or LVMH to approve when you have the support of your immediate community cheering on the sidelines of your reinvention? While the last thing we need is more stuff, Richerette’s new work told a story of his past, from a Hello Kitty bag, to a ruffled splattered veil, Heatherette seeped through but a subversive twist was crystal clear - expression is sometimes more important than any extremely wearable, perfectly tailored garment.

Amy (1990): The highlight was the casting - well, 70% of it. In the early Heatherette days, mixing hunks and punks worked well. Today, obviously streetcast models - mostly worked. I kept wondering if Julia Fox would come out or someone’s uncle. An honorary mention: there were a few looks that celebrated The Gut. I appreciated that a Party Belly might be the hot new accessory for fall.

Molly (1996): The dad bod was definitely dad-bodding, but juxtaposed next to some fierce walkers who didn’t let their six inch stilettos get in the way of showcasing their own personalities at the end of the runway. There were Sk8ter bois and boss bitches, a true eclectic mix that proved you can be everything all at once. You can be y2k princess, disco diva, slave to the rave, or prom queen, when you don’t take yourself too seriously, fashion takes on a new identity.

Amy (1990): Growing up, Heatherette was everything Jeremy Scott and D Squared wanted to be. This show juxtaposed HARD in my mind to a Jeremy Scott show I saw in New York - the runway was made of white stuffed animal fur, the makeup was just as glittery and Sailor Moon, and the looks just as camp. The high production level and glossy appearance of Industry was impressive. But as I sat in this historic building in LA, a city with less prestige associated with its fashion (despite the Fashion District producing most of Made in America touted goods) - the linty carpet and shining faces of true blue friends and fans made my heart full in a new way. It wasn’t about the clothes - the expression is sometimes more important than an impeccably sewn garment or a cohesive collection. This night was about queer joy and a designer who is 30+ years into chasing a passion. Maybe the aforementioned designers can make a wearable collection, but do we really need to be buying more anyways?

P.S: Gone are the days of Mercedes Benz fashion week and the tents and lincoln center. We don’t know her anymore. However, the graphic tees of yore still stand true today. I just hope Richertte puts C*NTY on his next round of shirts.

P.P.S.

Other images i’m just unwell over that scream Meme Lord:

Molly (1996): growing up, I looked towards the famous Mall of America for fashion inspo, which led me to Betsy Johnson’s off-the-rack hits in TJMaxx - cheetah, tulle, pink, and statement florals were (and secretly still are) my jam. Much like OG Betsy, the eclectic mix of prints and fabrics displayed on Richerette’s LAFW runway brought me back viscerally to this child-like wonder and iconic raggamuffin aesthetic.

Me as a raggamuffin dress-up obsessed girly (Right):

Not only is fairy-tale core making a comeback, but it’s making a subverted re-emergence with a chaotic twist. The glam on Richerette’s LAFW runway was giving - sticky. Of course glitter was highly involved, along with heavily used hairspray, metal barettes, but also some fluffy hair flips.