Denim Show

Black and gray denim looks ruled at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, with premium denim designers such as Antik, Yanuk and Taverniti sending models out in faded, whiskered and thrashed jeans accented with shiny hardware.

At nearly all shows, pockets showed up in unexpected places – down the thighs and at the back of the knees. Zippers popped up on back pockets, diagonally across front pockets and at the ankles.

Antik, known for its intricately stitched back-pocket designs, continues its hot denim status in L.A. and O.C. Bright, red plaid tops were mixed with mostly grayish denim.

Yanuk is trying to get a leg up on the massive denim market with an edgier and bleakly futuristic collection of soft gray denim and corseted, dresslike tops.

Up-and-comer Taverniti (by the son of Yanuk designer Ben Taverniti) offered up denim full of hardware touches and considerable stitchwork.