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I'm not going to lie. I wasn't the biggest fan of Reed Krakoff's sophomore fall collection this fashion month. I'm a Reed Krakoff kind of girl - monotone, monochrome, 'intelligent luxury' and louche, laidback elegance - but I just wasn't feeling all that velvet. Those asymmetrical, short (short? no way) hems, and the weird boxy silhouettes. The bags and the shoes are great, this is the man who runs Coach after all I think we can give him credit for knowing how to make a bag, but where were the clothes? You know the ones! Those long, floor sweeping shearling coats that were so expensive they practically dripped money. The wrap skirts with big slits up the middle accessorised with lace up knee high boots, part naughty school girl, part nice secretary. That gorgeous neutral palette that comes with names like sand, french navy and moss. And Karlie Kloss, hair tucked behind those little ears of hers, cupid's bow mouth all glossy and forehead all sheeny, striding out in what would become one of the most persistent catwalk looks I have ever seen. Grey marle singlet, white wrap skirt, knee high boots and a beautifully cut dove grey cropped sleeveless pea coat with a big old fur collar.
This was an evening look, mind. An evening look! It was so relaxed, so casual, so easy-going. There was no effort whatsoever. And it all looked so real. That Karlie Kloss look, my god. I know that she's somewhat of a chameleon - Dior geisha girl one day, Gucci siren the next - but that look couldn't have been more perfect for her. As if she was born to wear it. She didn't look like a teenager from St Louis who loves to go to Ballet lessons and read the twilight series. She looked like a New York champagne bubble about town en route to her next charity event. Or a fashion maverick, sitting down for cocktails at a new bar. Or at the launch of a new art gallery. Or slipping sunglasses onto her head as she steps of a PJ (Private Jet, darling). So glamorous. And so slinky! And so cool! And so chic!
That first fall collection - his first collection full stop, actually - was a firecracker. It was exciting and full of promise and moved me to multiple exclamation marks and I couldn't stop thinking about it. This was simple without being boring, it was on trend (the fur! the long skirt! the boots!) without seeming to be paying lip service to a glossy magazine, it was chic without being merely 'classic', it had bucketloads and bucketloads of je ne sais quoi. Why is this so good? It's not particularly ground-breaking design. But you know that if you wore this walking into a gala every single head would turn to look at you. Why do I keep going on about how simple, well-cut, well-styled looks are the most fabulous? Because they are. When it comes to minimalism that makes a mark, it really doesn't get any better than this.
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