Jill Stuart makes clothes for uptown girls who go downtown to shop. For fall, the designer took a retro turn, delving into the lighthearted romanticism of Biba, the quintessential '60s London boutique. The show opened with a drop-waisted coat over a flared skirt, a silhouette borrowed from childrenswear, which set the tone for the baby-doll inspired looks that followed—including pinafore, tunic and Empire line dresses.
"I returned to my roots for this collection," Stuart said. "I did the sweet, ladylike and pretty looks I love." Among these were a very grown-up fur chubby (worn by Angie Schmit) and a number of short, snappy coats—rendered in everything from tweed to solid wool to dressy Jacquard—that could be worn to class by a coed or to dinner at eight.
