| Name:
Joel Knoernschild
Menswear Designer
Early start: Before he studied art history in Florence, Joel Knoernschild curated art shows and cool-hunted for Hurley, the surf and skate apparel brand cofounded by his father. Past forward: KZO, Knoernschild’s new “casual-meets-cosmopolitan” line of menswear and accessories, is named after his maternal grandfather, Kazuo. The Z in the logo resembles the one in the entrance sign at Manzanar, where Knoernschild’s kin were interned during WWII. But the clothes aren’t throwbacks. “You’ll find hidden iPod pockets and headphone jacks in our jackets,” he says. Sneaky seams: Basics contain elements Knoernschild calls “plot twists”: Trousers sport discreet French darts that nip the extra fabric at the knee; triangle-shaped pocket closures can be tucked in or worn out. Party program: Knoernschild hosts performance art events at the company’s downtown headquarters and runs his label like an art collective. For each collection he creates a scrapbook of inspiration, a soundtrack, and a video, which a Tokyo-based quartet of designers translates into clothing patterns. Now showing: The spring collection is available at Douglas Fir, 8311 W. 3rd St., L.A., 323-651-5445.