Gen Art's Fresh Faces in Fashion event returned to the Petersen Automotive Museum this season, presenting the Spring 2010 runway collections of  Leyendecker, Seneca Rising, MG Black Label menswear, Valerj Pobega and Rory Beca.

The most memorable among them was Pobega's "Bondage collection," which added a layer of Japanese bondage influence to her 1920s-meets-punk culture aesthetic, with deconstructed kimono dresses, silk charmeuse cocoon coats and irregular circle skirts, hand-dyed, stained and screen printed to look rust-flecked, rope-wrapped and ink-dripped.

Welcome to October in Los Angeles, where the concept of fashion week as it exists in cities like Milan, Paris, New York and London has been folded, spindled and mutilated into a month-long series of fashion-themed installations, events – and even a Halloween party -- punctuated by the occasional old-school runway show. Charitable causes abound, Hollywood studios are the new tents (while we aren't exactly taking credit for it, we did suggest just that in last year's Fantasy Fashion Week story) and there's more partnering up than a '70s key party.

As in past seasons, most remain invite-only affairs geared toward the media and buyers, although a few are selling tickets to the fashion-loving public.

Among the events:

October 13-16 Downtown Los Angeles Fashion Week

None other than Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa himself has thrown his weight behind this hybrid event -- a mix of presentations, runway shows and mixers -- back for a sophomore season. This time

around, it will include a handful of runway shows and presentations from the likes of Louis Verdad (showing his Louver Collection), Eduardo Lucero, and Oliver Tolentino, as well as a showcase of up-and-coming Israeli designers dubbed Mode Israel.

Just when you thought all the sales were over, a good one comes along.

L.A. designer Rory Beca is selling her spring/summer, fall/winter '08 samples for $20 apiece.  She does a sexy silk minidress that sounds out of place for January, but considering it’s 82 degrees outside, you can wear it now and during summer.

Happy shopping.

Rory Beca Sample Sale, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19.

850 S. Broadway, suite 604. Los Angeles, 90014

— Melissa Magsaysay