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"  As someone who recently moved from New York to L.A., designer Erin Fetherston has a theory as to why West Coast women take more fashion risks: cars. &amp;quot;When you&amp;#039;re driving, you don&amp;#039;t have to think, This will be really good when I get to where I&amp;#039;m going, but can I wear it on the subway?&amp;quot; she says, with her trademark giggle. Fetherston&amp;#039;s had plenty of time to ponder such geographical sartorialisms, what with all the bicoastal red-eye flights she&amp;#039;s been taking. She&amp;#039;s juggling her eponymous ready-to-wear line in Manhattan with her new job as creative consultant for Juicy Couture, where the 29-year-old now oversees women&amp;#039;s apparel and accessories. Initially, Fetherston, who specializes in romantic, floaty dresses in silky European fabrics, seemed an unexpected choice for Juicy, the company that turned velour tracksuits into a multimillion-dollar business. But with her debut collection for holiday, the bleached blond has quickly proved herself the right woman for the job. Her very first design for the label was a plunging floor-length gown with a draped back in golden velour. &amp;quot;I wanted to respect what the brand was already about,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;I could relate to the core DNA values: free-spirited, casual clothing with a sense of fantasy, imagination, and whimsy, which, in a way, isn&amp;#039;t so different from my own line.&amp;quot;  The final 11-piece, &amp;#039;30s-inspired collection features other sumptuous velour dresses, such as a short version of that first gown in colors like Berry Noir and African Sun. There&amp;#039;s also a velvet empire-waist babydoll with a bow across the bust, a velvet jacket with rhinestone embellishment on the pockets and collar, and a velour dolman-sleeve jacket with sateen lapels and encrusted buttons. Playing up Juicy&amp;#039;s leisurewear signature, Fetherston has included a washed-silk jumpsuit and drawstring trousers. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s taking something that&amp;#039;s supereasy and elevating it with a glamorous aesthetic,&amp;quot; says Fetherston. &amp;quot;Plus, I think you have so much more fun at a party when you&amp;#039;re comfortable.&amp;quot;  To road test how well she did, the designer agreed to style her favorite pieces as she would wear them around town. At her rented Los Feliz home, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Jr., Fetherston shimmied into a jersey T-shirt with a jewel-print necklace and a silk crepe skirt. &amp;quot;Everything is seriously cute,&amp;quot; she says, with a charming show of pride, then adds, &amp;quot;I didn&amp;#039;t even bother changing between locations, just chillin&amp;#039; in the van in my halter dress with elastic through the back.&amp;quot; Let&amp;#039;s call it car-culture chic. Click here for a slideshow of Erin Fetherston&amp;#039;s favorite L.A. haunts &amp;amp;gt; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/fashion/a11442/california-dreamin-514336/?src=global_footer>