Accessories darling Devi Kroell returned to Milk Studios to present her second season of ready-to-wear. "It's for the chic, busy woman," said the designer. "She goes to the office and then she goes out." Kroell set the jewel-toned collection, fittingly, against a gleaming gold runway. Though she chose a slightly muted palette (in order to avoid ostentation, she explained), color was really the story here, particularly with two belted furs—one a gold vest, the other a teal coat—that immediately grabbed the eye. The same was true for day-to-night silk dresses in ruby, wine, and teal, which borrowed their accordion pleats and origami-esque knots from the traditional dirndl of Kroell's native Austria. The fascinatingly off combination of a gray tuxedo jacket over a forest green shirt and gold pants showed a smart and original color sense. Even more so than Spring, Fall offered a rather uptown brand of chic. It's a look that veers toward preciousness, as in the case of a little chocolate tweed jacket paired with a gold silk skirt, worn with a chain handbag. There was far more energy and news in the terrific wide-leg pants—still sophisticated but with an undertone of rock 'n' roll in the slightly flared leg. Perhaps you call those day-to-night-to-morning.
