AnOnlyChild kicks off LA Fashion Week in its new format

By

Chenu Alexis

Published
Oct 6, 2022

Scheduled to open Los Angeles Fashion Week, the label created by Maxwell Osborne will present part two of its latest collection this Thursday night at Lighthouse Artspace. It follows the presentation of part one of the collection in New York at the end of September.

Before the LA show, FashionNetwork.com spoke with the designer. 

FashionNetwork.com: AnOnlyChild is inspired by your Jamaican roots. What connection do you have with this country; have you lived there? How did it inspire you in the creation of your brand?

Maxwell Osborne: My family is Jamaican and although I did not live there, I spent summers there when I was younger. A lot of it is not based on the look of the past but the idea of the playful joy they had when they had nothing. Entertaining themselves with whatever they can get their hands on.

FNW: AnOnlyChild was born during the COVID pandemic. Was this crisis context an easy time to be creative?

MO: Inspiration was lacking at that time being that I'm most inspired by traveling. During the pandemic, I was able to reflect about life and what was happening in the world and look inward. Making something from nothing out of nothing as AnOnlyChild.  

FNW: You will present the second chapter of your first collection at LAFW; what convinced you to accept to show in Los Angeles? 

MO: I’ve always been drawn to the rawness of LAFW. We’re frequently flying in between NYC and LA to source deadstock material, so there was already a connection but overall it felt natural and the right time to present. And so it makes sense to show our first collection on both sides, hence part two, the B-sides. 

FNW: Why did you choose the name "AnOnlyChild," what does it refer to?

MO: The brand name comes from my childhood of being an only child. Growing up, I had to make something out of nothing, such as entertaining myself and being preoccupied, which is the reason AnOnlyChild was started during a time of uncertainty. Making new textiles as all the mills and factories were closed. 

FNW: Can you give us a preview of what people will see at the show, tonight? 

MO: The New York show was called “It’s Getting Late'' and the Los Angeles show is called “It’s Getting Late, The B-Sides.” Like a record player, you have to flip it to the B-side to listen to the remaining tracks of the album. The collection is a continuation of what we showed at NYFW but a remix that still consists of silk dresses, tailored separates, strong suitings. However, there is “freshness” with new silhouettes and colorways for the West Coast. 

FNW: Is the choice to introduce more colors in parallel with a certain evolution of your mindset?

MO: Being that we work with deadstock fabrics the colors come to us… We create from what we find. 

FNW: How is the brand already distributed, and which markets are you targeting for sales? 

MO: When we launched, the collection was available through our e-commerce and in-stores exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue New York. We are expanding doors this season, yet we approach sales as a collaborative effort with our retail partners.