"We were looking at some fabulous advertising from the late seventies and early eighties for Virginia Slims and Charlie," said Michael Kors before his show. "There was something about those women; they were very sexy, but sporty at the same time." Kind of like the Kors woman. Come springtime, she'll need clothes for tennis at the club, lunch and a meeting in the city, cocktails, cruises, and galas, too. And today, on his runway, Kors had plenty of suggestions: He started with Lilly Pulitzer pastels, in stripes or Impressionist florals for the court and the beach, and tossed in a few of his beloved caftans before the show was over, this season in an oversize black-on-white flower print designed to complement white maillots with gold-chain straps. For the office, there were chic navy suitings and this season's must-have safari jacket paired with wide-leg trousers. After dark, his girls will have a few options: gold sequins, drapey black jersey, or fruity chiffons—as in guava, apricot, and apple.
With Olivia Newton-John's Xanadu on the speakers, the show could have become kitsch, but Kors leavened the frivolity with a healthy respect for classic cuts and silhouettes—and don't forget paper-thin cashmere, the building block of a smart spring wardrobe. In the battle between opulence and simplicity, Kors—when he's on solid form like this—wins.
