Tracy Reese
Tracy Reese kept to her feminine, flirty aesthetic, this time proposing her trademark dresses in subdued tones of blush and khaki mixed with pastel blue, aqua, buff, lemon and ivory. Cotton, silk, sheer chiffon and linen found homes on alluringly soft tops with asymmetrical hems, dresses with gathered shoulders, straight-fit, strapless dresses, and generous gowns cinched at the waist. A few new welcome accessories for Spring 2012 included floppy hats cocked to the side and the parasol. Reese also imagined super short, playful rompers, that despite their abbreviated hems still managed to look tasteful and fresh.
DKNY
A New York City taxi was the background for Donna Karen’s chic, contemporary DKNY Spring 2012 collection. The focal point was this season’s wide-brimmed floppy hats, which coordinated effortlessly with loose-draped shirtdresses, white and black career separates, and bold suits. Punches of stripes, tweeds and florals in cobalt and red punched up the white and black color palette, as did smatterings of dotted abstract prints mixing pink, green, and black. While the alluringly airy silk dresses in red, white and lipstick were definite draws, we couldn’t help falling in love with the printed pencil skirts and seasonless jackets.
Derek Lam
Sharp tailoring was the call for Derek Lam’s Spring 2012 foray, with exceedingly creased white-cuffed black pants, shirts buttoned up to the hilt, and body-forming blazers. Expertly cut leather dresses and tops framed the body, while coral trenches offered exacting looks, and precise pencil skirts balanced loose knits. While the yellow blouses, eyelet skirts, and California-inspired patterned pieces were refreshing given this season’s overdose of silk and chiffon, Lam truly turned it up with accessories: turquoise and black snakeskin bags, strappy and webbed sandals, and boxy clutches. A V-neck, marigold, form-skimming dress with a reed-thin gold belt would look great on any variation of brown skin.