It¿s a given that no matter which way the trend winds blow, DKNY will offer up a paean to the city that is such an innate part of its DNA. This season, Donna Karan set the stage with shifting projections of New York¿s twinkling skyline and a two-story neon sign that transported a bit of Times Square down to Greenwich Street. The standing-room-only setup, with the runway striped down the center like a street, had editors jockeying for prime viewing spots like a crowd gathered to watch the Macy¿s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Appearances were deceiving, though, because when the first look appeared—a salt-and-pepper tweed jacket over a printed-chiffon bow blouse topped with a beret—it was another fashion capital that popped into mind: the City of Light. The whole show had a Gallic inflection, with, for example, a wide-legged suit and heart-print blouse that tipped its hat to Yves Saint Laurent; or the charming, flippy little skirts with matching jackets in tweeds and jacquards (a wonderfully fresh way for a twentysomething to sport a suit). Though there was a hint of mean streets in a black shearling jacket and cargo pants, this was mostly a sweet affair. There were a few low points—like the baffling overly bright satin-and-jersey "scuba" dresses that closed the show—but overall, it was highly successful. As for the Paris-on-the-Hudson mood of ¿Le DKNY,¿ it was yet another affirmation that New York style is indeed international.
