944 Magazine

POP AND CIRCUMSTANCE - Up Close And Personal With LA's Most Unconventional Designers

by Sarah Pachelli

Photo by Carl Lindstrom

January 2010

** excerpt from article below

Maya Yogev, designer of the three-year-old line Grai, was a one-time student of the always-captivating

Rick Owens, whose influence cannot be overlooked. Acknowledging 'the macabre in every story,"

Yogev says she juxtaposes feminine shapes with atypical fabrics, drawing inspiration from turn-of-the-century

costumery. "In the beginning, my intention was to create a specific capsule collection of jackets and coats,"

she says. "But after two seasons, I suddenly realized there was not enough of my favorite material: leather.

It has since evolved into a full collection, which just felt like the natural progression for both the brand and

me. Of course, there will always be plenty of leather."

Beyond the lure of sunshine and loved ones, Yogev recognizes Los Angeles as the hub of celebrity.

"People want what [celebrites] have, and designing here is great because everything is readily available

 to them and their stylists, [which] creates more demand," she says. This air of pragmatism punctuates

Yogev's collections -- she designs off the fixed fashion grid, but still respects the necessity of wearability.

"I don't consider myself unorthodox by any means, but that is my opinion," she continues. "Somebody

else may think otherwise, especially in LA, since there are [only] a handful of us doing something that

doesn't... belong. I feel there is a practicality in what I create, although sometimes I crave to make things

that don't make sense. I need to... think of sales right now. There will be a time for me to make costumes

for my selfish pleasures."

Regardless of her systematic approach, Yogev's clothes continually reject LA's informal fashion attitude,

proving elegance can be accessible. Perhaps that's where the nexus of LA's avant-garde resides: somewhere

between subversion and submission.