Smithsonian Channel to Premiere L.A. FROCK STARS Feat. Doris Raymond, 3/7

The doyenne of Hollywood vintage, Doris Raymond, and her Los Angeles store The Way We Wore(R), are the focus of the new Smithsonian Channel original series L.A. FROCK STARS, premiering Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Raymond is prized for her tenacity in finding hidden gems and for her encyclopedic knowledge of designer fashion. The Way We Wore(R) is a destination for Hollywood's modern-day glitterati as well as high-profile stylists to the stars.

L.A. FROCK STARS offers an inside look at the quest for the perfect dress. Raymond and her colorful staff, Sarah, Shelly Lyn, Jascmeen and Kyle, assist an endless stream of clients, all with unique needs, from Dita Von Teese and Debi Mazar to Linda Ramone and a host of others.

Raymond, an expert in the history of vintage clothing, has been Buying and Selling vintage clothing for over thirty years. Her boutique sells women's fashions from the 1900's to the '80's, ranging from high profile designers to the world's most iconic fashion figures such as Versace, Chanel, Halston, Dior and more. Raymond has also supplied wardrobe for numerous film and teleVision Productions, including Titanic, Boardwalk Empire, Casino and W.E.

L.A. FROCK STARS premiere episodes:

EPISODE 1: VINTAGE IS THE NEW BLACK - Premieres Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - Vintage is the new black in Hollywood during the 2012 Award Season, and Doris Raymond and her team of vintage fashion specialists stock up for the anticipated demand on their unique high fashion boutique. Burlesque artist Dita Von Teese, a strong devotee of vintage couture, stops by the store to try out a number of stunning dresses and explains her fascination with vintage couture. Also, costume designer Lou Eyrich comes in to The Way We Wore to buy some threads for an upcoming episode of the series, Glee.

EPISODE 2: AWARDS SEASON - Premieres Thursday, March 14 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - The Way We Wore(R) is inundated with celebrities and their stylists seeking unique and glamorous dresses to wear on the red carpet. Doris's exquisite selection of vintage clothing is well known by Hollywood's glitterati, but Doris faces fierce competition from the world's top designers to dress the stars during awards season. The store helps out a desperate stylist for an up and coming star whose gowns from Italy have been stuck in customs, while Linda Ramone, wife of the late Johnny Ramone, looks for the perfect dress for the Grammy Awards. Doris's '80s-mad in-store stylist Jacsmeen Bush helps the girlfriend of an Oscar nominated filmmaker choose a dress for the ceremony, while Doris scrambles to accommodate last minute requests from The Stylists for two of the music industry's biggest names.

EPISODE 3: L.A. FROCK STARS: QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL - Premieres Thursday, March 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - To find the Holy Grail, the ultimate vintage piece, Doris and store manager Sarah Bergman travel to Texas, the home of incredible vintage treasure troves. They visit Vintage Martini where many red carpet dresses can be found and then the Antique Elegance Show, where the theme is 1940s big band era. Their big score is found in a back room at the show where they uncover an original Christian Dior jacket from the late '40s designed by the man himself. A valuable and rare item, the dealer found it rolled up in the bottom of a closet. The piece, which would inspire any major designer could retail for $10,000, a true Holy Grail of vintage fashion.

EPISODE 4: IF THIS DRESS COULD TALK - Premieres Thursday, March 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - Sharon Stanley, a vocalist with The Glenn Miller Orchestra, stops by The Way We Wore(R) to sell some of her vintage designer gowns. Sharon has worn these gowns on stage, and she shares some of these memories with Doris. In-store stylist Kyle Blackmon helps up-and-coming singer/songwriter Alexandra Starlight find the perfect glittering costume for her upcoming performance at South By Southwest (SXSW). Doris and store manager Sarah Bergman go to an estate sale, where they uncover some unusual garments including a daring '60s mini wedding dress.

EPISODE 5: THE BUSINESS OF VINTAGE - Premieres Thursday, April 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - Stylist and editor and chief of the influential JCreport.com Jason Campbell arrives in the store with Shauna Mei founder and CEO of the online shopping destination AHAlife.com, looking for a party dress for Shauna. Doris wows them with pieces from Versace, Fabrice and Oleg Cassini. Gregory Westbrook and Nick Fouquet, co-founders of the super tendy Westbrook Hats, arrive in the store looking for inspiration for their next collection. Jascmeen pulls out a selection of hats so Doris can show different types of hat making techniques. Sharing knowledge about the history of fashion is a big driver for Doris. Shelly Lyn, who has an excellent eye for '50s vintage, pulls a selection of dresses for actress Debi Mazar (Entourage, Dancing With The Stars) who finds the perfect sassy number to celebrate her 10th wedding anniversary.

EPISODE 6: VINTAGE FASHION HUNTER - Premieres Thursday, April 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT - Jen Rade, considered one of the great stylists in Los Angeles, is in the store looking for something in black velvet for a client. To feed the many designers and stylists who flock to her vintage design store, Doris has honed her vintage fashion hunting skill and a key destination every year is New York City's Augusta Auction - one of the few U.S. auction houses that specializes in vintage clothing, rare textiles and costume jewelry. Doris also has a show room in New York and it's time to show her sales assistant Kyle, whose dream is to make it big as a stylist in New York, her own little East Coast Empire.

NHNZ co-produced L.A. FROCK STARS with Smithsonian Channel and BBC Worldwide. NHNZ Executive Producer is Judith Curran. Executive Producers for Smithsonian Channel are David Royle and Charles Poe.

Smithsonian Channel is owned by Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution. Its programs are largely inspired by the assets of the world's largest museum complex. Smithsonian Channel features award-winning original documentaries, series, and groundbreaking programs highlighting America's historical, cultural and scientific heritage. Smithsonian Channel brings the American Experience home in high definition and Dolby Digital 5.1 and is available to customers of DirecTV, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cablevision, Verizon, AT&T, and more. Learn more at www.smithsonianchannel.com.

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