Cult Gaia transforms Los Angeles into Saint Tropez

By

Chenu Alexis

Published
Nov 16, 2023

Launched in 2012, Cult Gaia, the brand founded by Jasmin Larian Hekmat, held its first official fashion show in Los Angeles on November 14. After the cancellation of a first date scheduled for November 2, the event was finally held under the dome of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, a perfect setting to present its 'Under the Sun' resort fashion show.

Immersed under the Los Angeles sky, and in an all-yellow set-up inspired by Saint Tropez, 200 guests including a large community of influencers, as well as actresses Marta Pozzan, Jenna Dewan, Shay Mitchell, model Chrissy Teigen and her husband John Legend, and stylist Maeve Reilly, attended the show.
 
On the resort collection menu, Hekmat lined up her usual silhouettes, including evening gowns in lamé, dresses with trains, frills, bangs and feathers in a palette of yellows and lime greens, corals and ocean blues, as well as made-of-crochet dresses or embroidered with flower petal motifs, and a few swimsuits. Nothing new under the sun, except maybe the models of voluminous raffia dresses. 

"The Resort ‘24 collection draws inspiration from the warm, blissful feeling of being under the sun and the color of joy and creation, yellow,” said Hekmat. "The collection is a playful blend of color, shape, and texture inspired by the natural elements found on the beaches and walls of Saint Tropez. Our muse glows under the sun by day and glistens under the moon by night, living 'la vie en Gaia'."

On stage, each model was accompanied by an accessory, including the bags that made the brand famous. Among them, the famous 'ark bag', a semi-circle shaped bag crafted of bamboo and now the subject of much controversy. Embroiled in a lawsuit with the Steve Madden brand accusing it of copying its model, Hekmat had recently failed to have its design recognized as a trademark, the judges seeing it more as an inspiration from a traditional Japanese bag. 

Despite the controversy, the Cult Gaia brand eventually expanded rapidly, launching its ready-to-wear line in 2017, and opening a boutique in West Hollywood in place of Kelly Wearstler's former store.