"All you writers in the room need to come up with a new word. 'Pre' [as in pre-fall] is disgusting," Michael Kors announced at the beginning of a showroom presentation of his new collection today. As quick with crisp, neat basics as he is with quips, the designer turned out a sharply graphic, city-sleek lineup in a strong palette of white, black, red, and electric blue. For day, there was a "Faye Dunaway in Network" black leather shirtdress and a black shift with subtle blue trim at the shoulders and waistline. The latter was "for the woman who swears she's gonna wear color" but has a closet full of black.
On the more casual side: tapered and cropped pants worn with easy ribbed sweaters "to collect in every color" and striped T-shirts in the finest cashmere. Kors didn't offer a lot of evening options, but he was certain a red chiffon jersey number gathered at the bodice with a contrasting leather harness would be big in Hollywood: "It didn't walk down a runway, so it's not overexposed." On the accessories front, he showed "front-row boots" in knee-high print palomino ponyskin, harness bags that can be worn three ways "for everyone who's dividends didn't come through," and "Anne Slater sunglasses" with blue lenses. About the only thing he didn't deliver: a new name for this awkwardly titled season.
