Jill Stuart’s trendy, youthful line is aimed squarely at the hip urban woman who is on first-name terms with the latest denim lines and the coolest DJs. Stuart started as a handbag designer before branching out into clothing, and although her designs may not be breaking new ground, she has a sharp sense of how to put her own spin on the current looks.
For spring, that meant a palette of colors that looked as though they’d been softened by time and wear—dusty rose, ivory, blue-gray and pale indigo. Stuart showed some nice takes on the boxy jackets and slim skirts that are in wide distribution this season, and there was a sweet nostalgia to some of the pieces, like a pink quilted satin jacket that looked like it was made from a comforter and a pretty black dress with a paper-bag neckline that would suit a modern Holly Golightly. But many of the styles evoked a more recent era. Oversize sweaters slipping off shoulders, low-riding pleated pants (paging Z. Cavaricci!) and cargo pants that ended in ribbed cuffs—all shown to a soundtrack that included Thomas Dolby and Dexy’s Midnight Runners—made the ’80s come back to life. For Stuart’s hip chick, that’s this year’s moment.
