[All Images via MBFashionWeek.com]
Talk about the versatility and stamina of a classic American designer! Donna Karan, whose spring 2012 collection touted a heavy tribal theme, reverted to the ever classic shapes and silhouettes of a high aptitude for strong tailoring and the appreciation for the details in her “WoMAN” collection for fall 2012. “It’s the season of the suit” Karan declared in the program’s notes, and right out the gate, we saw exactly what she meant by the sharp suits and dresses that were at once well cut and sculptural, alluding to the multi-faceted definition of a woman, a question that she asks, “How do you define a woman?” in the beginning of the run of show.
Starting with her Casual Luxe collection and flowing into the formality of the signature line, Karan topped off the looks, literally, with smallish versions of trilby hats, keeping faces exposed and bare to emphasize the complexity of the clothes, a literal interpretation of the “a woman who embraces her many sides.” The show’s finale, walking to the sound of “I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston was both a triumphant and bittersweet wrap to the collection and homage to the singer.
–Julia DiNardo
