Daily Front Row

2011 February 17

New York Fall 2011: Calvin Klein Collection

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Calvin Klein Fall 2011
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(NEW YORK) Calvin Klein Collection
Following a Spring collection that had the front-row asking Malcolm Carfrae when, exactly, they could buy that racerback dress (or that long-sleeved tunic, or those opaque white silk pants), Francisco Costa showed a brilliantly wearable Fall collection that showed off what he does best. That would be fabric (wool fleece, parchment leather, bonded alpaca and cashmere flannel) and silhouette (dropped shoulders, broad-back jackets, cigarette sleeves and pants). The palette, dominated by desert and perhaps even prairie-inspired shades of sandstone, wheat, and slate,  was equally palpable. The colors, especially the greys, were so precisely calibrated to achieve both saturated and washed-out vibes simultaneously. Meaning—neither aggressive nor forgettable, they express the quiet confidence of a designer at the top of his game. Athletic elements such as baseball collars added an unexpected sporty touch to the outerwear. Equally strong: the white calfskin clunkers with a rubber sole. Golden jacquards, especially on a swingy mod shift worn by Lara (of course), added extra potency to the most poetic collection we've seen in New York.