Daily Front Row

2008 May 19

Calvin Klein Collection - Resort 2009

Comments | | Print

Calvin Klein Resort 2009
View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Francisco Costa wasn’t kidding when he said he was serious about turning Calvin Klein Collection into one of the top American designer businesses. The resort show, staged Monday morning at CKI’s West 39th Street headquarters, was, in a word, sublime.

“Reptiles! Pythons! Very cleaned up, but very organic,” Costa said following the 22-look runway show attended by editors, socials--and Ashley Olsen, a house friend. 

Indeed, from the very first look--a pearl/stone colored python print ribbed crewneck dress--Costa had a hit on his hands. With hair slicked back and makeup kept near bare, fabric manipulation was the theme here. Never straying from the core roots of the streamlined minimalism of the Calvin Klein brand, Costa reflected on the current times and delivered an edgy, sculptural, and organic collection that sought influences in Japanese motifs.  Precise folds, tucks, and creases illustrated Costa’s movement motif, if not at times reminiscent of Roland Mouret’s tailored hand, all set to a soundtrack that included “The Millennium Question” by Ian Simmons and “Dead Mouse Blues” by Jonny Trunk.

“Basically we put all the fabrics through a flattening process,” Costa said. “A lot of the shapes got changed, were made them smaller and, again, organic as it was flattened. Wherever the pleat went, it stayed.” The results were a sponge-like fabric that combined with wisps of fabric folds to give a fresh new interpretation of the LBD. A beige silk charmeuse molded sleeve dress moved like a live art installation. The outfits finished off with daunting, but sexy stiletto sandals in patent leather and patent leather/Lucite combos.

Accessory-wise, thin and wide resin belts are the season’s new obi.