Summary: It’s no surprise that for their 20th anniversary collection, Kate Spade New York returned to their roots and their namesake, the teeming metropolis of New York. Creative director for the brand, Deborah Lloyd, and new celeb stylist Brad Goreski made sure the Fall 2013 presentation was awash in color, pattern and texture, set up against iconic New York symbols like yellow taxis and neon signs. The inspiration of NYC was as integral to the collection as the garments themselves, with Llyod noting the homage in the program of the, “Roaring skyscrapers and hall of academia that make up the magnificent skyline; the chaos of the taxi cabs, street signs, and bright lights of the streets below where the action never stops.” Indeed, the vibrant color palette echoed the blaring signs of Times Square while the checkered motif of the cabs could be found in a tweed skirt and color-blocked jacket. And as Lloyd goes on to remember the retro sense of glitterati that the 1970’s Andy Warhol New York embodied, the leopard print dresses (meant to echo the pattern of the famous Studio 54 banquettes), and bold feather fur coats echoed that as well.
But not all the collection hearkened back to days of yore. My particularly favorite parts were the over-sized bows that freshened up the collars of several blouses. That paired with the itty-bitty apple print and pink and red tweed resulted in a look that was both modern and decidedly Kate Spade. This is the signature look the brand has created after 20 years in the biz, and no one else can do it quite like them. And while many of the looks were indisputably their own, the brand did put a toe outside the signature aesthetic with a collaboration with artist Craig Redman, best know for his friendly monster-like Darcel Disappoints character. He recreated the cartoon prints in Lloyd’s likeness (along with her dog, Lulu), which splashed across sweaters and T-shirts alike. All in all the collection was a fun and comprehensive wrap up of how far the brand has come in the past two decades, while also providing a very vested look on where we can expect them to go from here.
Color Palette: NYC Citron, Empire Beige, Asphalt, Maraschino, Shocking Pink, Disco Purple, Blush pink
Fabrics and Textures: tweed, silk, satin, brocade, boucle, fur, wool, cotton, poplin, silk charmeuse, jersey, felt wool, sequins, taffeta, feathers
Key Looks: Fuchsia cardigan with sunglasses, Blush feather fur coat, NYC Citron bow blouse, Gold and Black brocade evening coat, Tangerine felted wool fedora, Apple print trousers, Cotton tuxedo print t-shirt, Leopard print ladycoat, Pink and red tweed coat, Craig Redman’s Pale Pink Darcel Disappoints sweater
-Alia Rajput
Images: WWD
