My brand LAVSH represents an individual’s endless possibilities and the abundance of life, not solely in a material context, but a constant quest for balance in all aspects of the human experience; mentally, physically, and spiritually.
- ALFRED LAPE
Alfred Lape’s work is distinct and progressive. Lape has worked with and designed for some of the most influential artists in the world today like the Black Eyed Peas, Jamie Foxx, Ne-Yo, Kid Cudi, Chris Brown, Keri Hilson, SuperCr3w, and many others. Pieces from Lape’s brand LAVSH have been requested and worn at worldwide media covered events, such as the American Music Awards, Clive Davis Grammy party, BET awards, as well as appeared in many music videos, and featured editorial.
Alfred Lape was born in Seattle, Washington in March of 1983. As a child, his mother, Nanette, exposed him to the arts; he excelled in drawing, and among many other interests, was classically trained in the piano. From a young age Lape was always drawn to and enjoyed expressing himself through fashion and style. After the death of their father, Lape and his young brother Eric were raised by their mother, who became a single parent. This and other emotional and financial adversities fueled him to work hard to allow his mother to retire early some day. Lape attended the University of Washington majoring in history and was on a path to pursue a career in the medical field, but ultimately followed his passion and vision for fashion design.
Lape’s story is that of a classic self-made man. He neither attended design school nor does he have a degree in business, but those and many other obstacles did not stop him from achieving his dream of becoming a fashion designer. He is self taught; from the creation of sketches, to pattern making, cutting of the fabric and constructing the final product. He refined his skills through his mentor Jacque Goldsmith, who helped develop his knowledge of design, tailoring, and the industry of fashion at large. Before Lape created garments, he began by crocheting hats, a skill which he learned from his grandmother.
In 2007 at the age of 23, Lape started his brand LAVSH independently without a financial backer. LAVSH is a fashion line that blends a dapper, tailored aesthetic, with a street edge. For his first collection in May of 2007, Lape flew to New York in search of inspiration, new experiences, as well as to find new fabrics to work with. That summer, from July to August, Lape spent 3 months single-handedly creating 60 pieces that included men’s jackets, collared shirts, pants, and sweaters. Lape sold his creations from this first collection to local boutiques in Seattle and through his online retail store.
In June of 2009, Lape relocated his operations to Los Angeles, California, where his studio is currently based. Lape has recently started to create his first women’s line and is currently working on his next men’s and women’s collection for SPRING 2011. In March 3, 2010, Lape was asked to speak at University of California Irvine, where he was selected to represent alongside with professional young Filipino American business owners in the fashion industry. He also hopes to continue to develop his online retail presence through LAVSHLV.COM.
