Recap: Stello at LA Fashion Week

Stephanie and Michael Costello’s runway show for the spring 2016 collection of their Stello label—titled "Hotel California"—occurred on October 7 at Art Hearts Fashion at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood. Their show closed out the evening, and for good reason: while the show featured some amazing dresses and jackets, the spring collection of Stello also included startling social commentary and a myriad of revealing outfits.

The social commentary poked fun the manufactured quality of Hollywood and darker side of Hollywood. The spring collection featured some lighthearted moments, such as a model who came out with a telephone cord wrapped around her shoulders. Another model wore a sheer black floor-length dress with white Converse high-tops. One model, wearing a sequined turquoise jacket, walked down the runway snapping selfies on a black iPhone. 

What may have been the most playfully scathing moment of the evening, however, came when a model wearing a high-waisted red skirt, knee-length boots and a gold bra came down the runway sporting the infamous Donald Trump "Make America Great Again" hat. Upon reaching the end of the runway, the model tossed the hat away, perhaps inadvertently tossing away Trump’s message.

In addition to Hollywood commentary, the Stello collection also included a number of standout dresses. Dresses include a series of floor-length black and turquoise lace dresses, as well as a few shorter turquoise dresses. One dress in particular featured a black base with a turquoise floral pattern and a sweetheart neckline. 

Stello’s spring collection also includes a group of gold and black gowns with various side and chest cut-outs. Some of the shimmering gold and black gowns are short and skin-tight; others—like the one pictured here—are floor-length and flowing.

One series of outfits includes within the "Hotel California" collection include sparkling peach-colored rompers and dresses accented by gold accessories. One of the peach-colored dresses features long sleeves and a plunging neckline that reached above the model’s naval. 

The spring collection of Stello features more dresses than jackets, but one stand-out jacket from the spring Stello collection is a deep red textured jacket with a pattern that almost looks like layered scales. 

Common themes within the spring Stello collection include plunging V-necks, side cut-outs, and dresses accented by the color black. Many of the spring collection gowns and jackets feature some kind of shine: glitter, sequins, or other sparkling fabrics. Perhaps the most notable aspect of Stello’s spring looks were the sheer fabrics—such as lace—used throughout. The exposing fabrics are not strategically placed to hide the more private parts of the models; rather, in a bold move, the sheer fabrics are often purposely placed in revealing areas, causing the models to bare their chests to the audience. 

Michael Costello, the founder of the Stello label, is a former contestant from the eighth season of Project Runway. Currently, Costello designs gowns for celebrities appearing at awards shows such as the Grammy’s and the Oscars. The label, formerly known as MT Costello, was recently rebranded and is currently run by his cousin Stephanie. Los Angeles Fashion Week was founded in 2002. Fashion Week in October features the upcoming spring collections from various designers.