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Michael Kors Goes Architectural, Takes on Transparency

Michael Kors’ usual pretty and refined lady-like look morphed into a point-counterpoint about soft and hard – architecture and draping - in his Spring 2010 collection, which he showed on Wednesday, Sept. 16 in New York. Mixed with an austere color palette of cool pastels, the result was a new downtown direction for Kors, generally known for sophisticated sportswear for the uptown set.

Kors opened with a sharply cut white leather shift dress with diagonal zips, a look you might imagine on a lunar-bound motorcycle gang of stewardesses. The mod flight attendant theme continued throughout, with dresses featuring cut-outs and clear plastic inlays, asymmetrical origami sleeves and patent leather straps. For evening, he covered them with black or silver sequins – very Diana Ross a la The Supremes.

Kors, perhaps taking a cue from Japanese avant-garde designers like Yohji Yamamoto or Rei Kawakubo, also reinvented cashmere sweaters by detaching the collar and hem or adding an extra arm that wrapped around the body like a scarf. He often paired the kimono-like wrap sweaters with crinkled “techno” taffeta skirts, which looked comfortable, albeit somewhat dowdy.

Lest things get too robotic and serious, Kors sprinkled his 61 looks with a few draped jersey dresses, perhaps his peace offering for those customers not inclined towards a severe shoulder or stiff leather pants. Yet even when he’s channeling edgy, he does it with accessible polish.

Besides the pastel colors – cool mint green, the palest sky blue and lavender - there were abstract watercolor prints, bleached splatters and a Dalmatian-esque black and white spotted sequined shift.

Accessories, normally a big focus for Kors for spring with all manners of weekender-sized bags, limited his offerings on this runway to some oversized Lucite sphere necklaces, Lucite cuffs and small square clutch bags.

Kors’ show in the Bryant Park tents typically have the circus-like atmosphere one associates with New York fashion week, and his show on Wednesday was no different – Michael Douglas was in the audience, launching a typical paparazzi fury.

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