NEW YORK — Carolina Herrera has gone back to nature. Her lovely spring collection, in stores now, was a colorful salute to flowers based on a single tulip. For fall, she is turning her attention to an interpretation of water is its many forms.
In her last runway show at Lincoln Center before fashion week moves to a new location, Herrera opened with supermodel Karlie Kloss in a long-sleeve jacquard cocktail dress in a water print pattern of swirling blue, black and silver. Kloss also closed the show in an evening gown of similar colors in a cloud pattern with a deep ocean blue off-the-shoulder top.
It's a thoroughly modern look, showing that at age 76, Herrera certainly isn't wedded to her past but keeps experimenting.
While both of these looks were literally faithful to her water theme, Herrera also featured more abstract touches, in an ivory sleeveless column gown with a single squiggly wave print in deep red and pastel blue cascading from collar to hemline and an "illusion blue" felt day dress with alligator applique that looks like a bend in the river.
The wavy styles also include an unadorned pastel blue gown with layers of ruffles that cascade as the model moves, a heavily embellished gown in fluttery tulle, an organza skirt and top in a muddy ripple pattern and a white gown in a jacquard fabric that resembles water bubbles.
While Herrera features her trademark ball gowns nipped at the waist with a big skirt, my favorite from this collection is a completely different look and one cut much closer to the body — it's a sleeveless ivory techno jersey top and long pastel blue and silver skirt with a single ruffle along the side (No. 3 photo shown above).
It's a thoroughly modern look, showing that at age 76, Herrera certainly isn't wedded to her past but keeps experimenting. Isn't the fashion world still lucky to have her?
Carolina Herrera silk cloud jacquard gown with deep ocean silk faille top.
