Dark, Brooding and Brilliant

When American painter Grant Wood divined the idea for American Gothic, he asked his sister, Nan, and his dentist to pose as the steely, agrarian subjects of his 1930 masterpiece—easily one of the most iconic images of the 20th century. As the co-founders of Style Section L.A., none of us has any sisters, nor a photogenic dentist. But nevertheless, we were inspired to create a photographic homage featuring our favorite hometown tastemakers from diverse creative disciplines (and not at all suited for the greasy pages of Us Weekly). Produced by contributor Alexis Johnson and photographed by Joseph Llanes, the series is a look at the tide-changers who inspire us to call Los Angeles home. Welcome to Style Section L.A.

The Designers/Trendsetters

Melissa Coker

Short-skirted and often bespangled in sequins, designer Melissa Coker is currently hard at work on the fall 2010 collection for her two-year-old collection, Wren. There are the research trips to Japan and Paris, the casting for her latest lookbook (holiday 2009 featured MTV’s Alexa Chung and The Like’s Tennessee Thomas), the appearance this week at the Vogue Alumni House for Fashion’s Night Out and the pending collaboration with filmmaker Alia Raza, who earlier this year directed indie queen Chloë Sevigny. Glancing at Coker’s schedule, it’s a relief to know that not all niche labels have ground to a halt in recessionary times (she may have Keira Knightley and other superstar fans to thank for that).

“I tend to be quite myopic in what I like," Coker says. "If I could, I would wear the same thing every day, just rotating the color.” For fall, the Silver Lake denizen says her must-haves include “my Wren tarnished-sequin skirt, colorful cardigans for adding a pop to every outfit, Swiss-dot sheer tights and anything from the new Philip Lim shoe collection.”  

An avid shopper of all-things-vintage (“My favorite is the Long Beach Flea Market—it’s so much better than the Rose Bowl”), Coker also commends Ivanhoe Books for “an amazing selection of art and fashion books, old and new,” as well as Echo Park’s Flounce “for gorgeous Victorian and ‘20s vintage dresses.” True to her girly-yet-rumpled aesthetic, Coker admits, “If I could be covered in shine every day, I certainly would.” —Alexis Johnson

Giuseppe Valentini

As half of the design team behind Lova, the throwback 60s men’s line that references sun-soaked holidays on the Amalfi Coast, á la The Talented Mr. Ripley, Giuseppe Valentini doesn’t do schlub. And the timing appears right for a kempt sentiment, with local guys suiting up more than ever for hip L.A. institutions like Teddy’s, Bardot, Roger Room and The Varnish. Along with partner Daniel Murphy, the oft-slim-cut-suited Australian whose style knowledge and marketing background has helped to catapult the line both locally and abroad, Valentini is working to define L.A.’s de rigueur after-dark uniform. Grab your bowtie: An October launch party for Lova’s Fall 2009 is currently in the works. —A.J.