NEW YORK —Kate Spade New York creative director Deborah Lloyd loves Manhattan. Her whimsical fall collection looks like something out of the quintessential 1990 New York movie, Metropolitan, in which a group of upper-crust preppies engage in sophisticated repartee at chic nightspots during debutante season.
With the help of stylist Brad Goreski (from the ill-fated new version of Fashion Police), Lloyd placed models on boxes throughout a large room that resembled an upscale New York hotel bar, with cartoon-etched wallpaper and a pianist tinkling the ivories of a baby grand piano while the fashion pressed milled about.
And, of course, accessories sparkled, with the tongue-in-chic theme that fans of Kate Spade have come to expect.
Pink cocktail dresses with black bows in the back and swing coats with jeweled buttons have a '50s retro attitude. There's also a fox theme (Lloyd said she was inspired by Roald Dahl, author of Fantastic Mr. Fox and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) in print dresses with a tiny critter peeking out amid the woods, faux fur accent pieces, and red-and-black capes, skirts and jackets fit for the hunter-and-jumper crowd.
And, of course, accessories sparkled, with the tongue-in-chic theme that fans of Kate Spade have come to expect.
Jeweled loafers, circular handbags in a furry owl design and a pink clutch with colored-candy-like buttons spelling out "Mix It Up" sent the message that fashion shouldn't be taken so seriously.
Thankfully, a tuxedoed waiter passed around brightly colored candies to the models so they could stay nourished if they got a little wobbly.
The Kate Spade New York fall collection has a foxy theme.
