Prices on summer clothes slashed by Memorial Day. Pre-Fall collections in stores by early June. Shoppers can't help but be confused, and more and more, designers are right behind them. Donna Karan's retort to the mixed-up seasons? "I wanted these clothes to be seasonless," she said at her informal show this morning.
In contrast to a Spring outing that felt heavy at times—too much print, too many embellishments—Karan's Pre-Fall offering was pared back to just the essentials. The color palette was strictly white, black, putty, and gold. The clothing straightforward. For the most part, it came down to just three classic items: jacket, blouse, and wrap skirt. Proving that she meant business when she said seasonless, fabrics for those pieces ranged from buttery suede and leather to easy jerseys and airy, needle-punched linens. Karan saved the artisanal details so signature to her brand for the evening looks. It meant that glorified T-shirt dresses and tank gowns had a real wow factor despite their rather simple shapes. A strapless black jersey column splashed with a gold brushstroke print, and a floor-length sleeveless sheath with a sheer inset up one side will turn heads on the red carpet.
