Monday, February 14, 2011

Best of New York Fashion Week

DKNY FW11

by Grace Gordon

For Fall 2011, DKNY produced the most wearable collection we’ve seen at Fashion Week so far. Donna Karan created unified looks with lots of easygoing, polished pieces perfect for the modish dandy.

There are no high-concept ensembles that require a lot of time or complication to wear. Everything was straightforward and unfussy, but glamorous enough to create the itch to own. This collection is all polish and poise – think proper schoolgirl meets savvy city dweller.

We are looking forward to the moment this collection hits stores so we can get our hands on the soft, oversized cardigans, color-block coats, prim Peter Pan collar blouses, and striped sweaters. The color palette ranged from juicy oranges and pinks, to high-contrast white on black. Yet, it was shots of bold color, like tomato red skinny pants, that made the biggest impact.

This season, Donna Karan kept the silhouette trim and young with lines that skimmed close to the body. Yet, each piece emphasized enough slouch to make it casual and cool. Everything we saw in this show works well together, and there was not a single dull outfit in the bunch. This appealing collection revisits some of our favorite staple pieces like capes, sweaters and cardigans, each with impressive aplomb.