Kate Spade makes no excuses for sticking to what it knows best.
The preppy brand delivered a trademark dose of cheeky playfulness and popping color at its garden-party themed presentation, which took inspiration from the notion of fresh starts, taking chances and being open to the possibility of achieving the impossible.
As always with the fun and flirty label, the clothes took somewhat of a backseat to the collection’s suite of animal and nature-influenced handbags, perfect for ensuring plenty of street style attention when you’re brunching in the Lower East Side next summer.
Standouts included a safari green watering can bag, a quirky miniature snail clutch and a range of under-the-sea creations, such as a crab wicker bag and cute frog number.
While this year’s dedication to 12 months of travel has so far produced a range of covetable novelty purses and clutches – including September’s must-have Chinese takeout bag – next year’s nod to ‘Escaping the Ordinary’ is sure to feature another suite of kitsch-yet-chic arm candy.
The color theme focused on poppy and graphic-grass green, crisp white, black, mushroom, hyacinth and geranium – perfect for covering up any leftovers from flexing your green thumb.
Kate Spade’s clothing offering featured floral two-piece sets teaming cropped tops with midi skirts, while bucket hats and oversized white shades ensured the look would facilitate an easy transition from the boardroom to a lazy Friday evening in the Hamptons.
The collection’s focus on leisure allowed the label to make a departure from its traditional focus on form and fit and showcased a range of pieces with a more relaxed silhouette, focusing on plays on proportion with a distinct athletic influence.
Sporty sandals and PVC visors were paired with seventies-inspired tennis dresses, while a sweatshirt and miniskirt duo was emblazoned with a reflective pool motif, ensuring a perfect slam dunk at any spring sundowner.
The New York-based brand continues to grow from strength-to-strength as it rapidly expands its global store footprint. In August, the company’s shares jumped to a 52-week high after the company reported a near-50 percent surge in second-quarter revenue, prompting the label to lift both its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization and direct-to-consumer comparable sales growth forecasts for the full year.
Guests at the presentation mingled while perched on freshly-cut grass over glasses of champagne in a Chelsea gallery space, giving the event an authentic secret garden party feel.
In the fast-paced world of New York Fashion Week, the Kate Spade presentation provided a sanctuary in which to celebrate the art of being girly through a fun and colorful range of handbags and looks.
And there’s nothing ‘ordinary’ about that.
