Laurela Fashion Guide

Today, designer Christian Francis Roth celebrates his 40th birthday! Happy birthday from Laurela Fashion Blog! Born in New York City on February 12, 1969, Christian Francis Roth was a special student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, in 1986-87. Then in 1987-88, he continued his fashion studies at Parsons School of Design in New York, where he studied fashion design. Christian Francis Roth is currently married and has two daughters.  His career began first as an apprentice and later, as an employee of Koos Van den Akker.

He produced his first small collection in Van den Akker studio in 1988. His first full collection did not appear until 1990. He closed his couture business in 1995 and initated bridge designs with backing of Equal 4 Inc. the same year. His awards include the Council of Fashion Designers of America Perry Ellis award recieved in 1990. He has been also selected an Honoree of Cotton Inc. “Celebration of American Style” show.

Designer Christian Francis Roth (above)

For the last eight years, Christian Francis Roth has been primarily consulting and designing primarily under the names of other fashion brands.  Spring 2009 is going to the come-back season for Christian Francis, who is entering the fashion scene with his own new collection and brand, called “Francis”, that has been positioned between the upper-end contemporary and entry-level designer tiers during the September 2008 Fashion Week in New York.

Christian Francis Roth’s Spring 2009 spirited contemporary collection is emanates a feeling of fun sophistication that is rich in playful detailing, fresh color and offbeat charm. I particulaly like his Accost Polo dress, a preppy parody of shirts by such titans as Lacoste and Polo by Ralph Lauren. According to some rumors, the Accost dress might have been removed from production upon the advice of Christian Francis Roth’s legal councel. Funny as it may seem to a consumer, I think, I’d buy the dress, Lacoste and Ralph Lauren maynot be that receptive of a joke of an embroidered Lacoste alligator biting Ralph Lauren’s polo rider and worst of all all, both Lacoste and Ralph Lauren could conclude that as a legal challenge.

Accoste Dress from Francis Spring 2009 Collection (above)

Another item that caught my attention is a Kilp Pin Skirt adorned with prints of three oversized pins. This skirt reminds me of late eighties when oversized pins were in fashion. Women used to wear them in bunches, decorating with those pins every piece of their wadrobe, starting with laps of their jackets and ending with hats and bags. Nice skirt for size “0″ and size “2″ girls, maybe even size “4″. But I’d make the skirt longer, keep it above the knee length, but a bit longer, so that women with more sumtuous forms would feel comfortable going after that piece.

Kilt Pin Skirt from Francis Spring 2009 Collection (above)