“Jennifer Hudson’s coming to sing afterward. I hope you’re p—ed off, cranky and tired by the time she gets here,” Michael Kors said by way of greeting, unable to resist a quip about Monday night’s CFDA Awards. He then transitioned seamlessly to the matter at hand, his resort collection.
As a matter of clarity, Kors prefers the handle “destination” to resort. Destination, he said, can mean hot weather, cold weather or, “I’ve got a party in town.” And by his lights, form follows function — he’s got it all covered. Yet rather than eclectic mayhem, Kors delivered his multipurpose clothes within razor-sharp parameters: clean lines, graphic patterns and a witty take on matching items — striped sweater-and-bag duo, anyone?
Kors kept his silhouettes characteristically classic, whether in neatly cut dresses or precision separates. Which is not to say he played it safe. There’s no safety — but plenty of wow — in a black-and-white chevron mink coat and matching backpack. Ditto his new trouser: out-to-there dotted palazzo pants, worn with a horizontal striped sweater and nifty maritime jacket. He had pragmatic fun by tricking the eye — dresses looked like separates and vice versa. His customer may “want to look layered, but she doesn’t want to pack layers,” he reasoned. She does have a penchant for pattern, which he rendered in numerous ways: the causal glam of a sweater in navy cashmere and gold cashmere stripes worn with a sailor skirt; a Sixties-ish black dress with silver eyelash fringe; a long, large-dot guipure column — the perfect, casual sexy take-away gown.
It all made for a particular take on tony panache — ultrapolished, but with the unfettered attitude that pleasant destinations require.