Vol.76 2011 Spring/Summer Collection 4
Donna Karan had a spectacular debut in mid 80's. Since then, she has been the
“Dream Brand” for working women. Her motto, “for a woman by a woman”
explains who she is and how close she is to the women
she dresses.
Her Spring/Summer 2011 collection was at the Stephan Weiss Studio,
the space used by her late husband, a sculptor, who died of cancer several
years ago. You can read more about the beginning of her business and
her husband, in my book, “Manager, Taki Tomio: The Man Who Created
Donna Karan”.
I wrote this book because I love the style of Donna Karan who understands
a woman’s body and emotions, and I sympathized with her life as a woman.
Next to the Studio is the shop of Urban Zen. The free, easy clothes,
accessories and work of African artists, reflect the spirit of Donna Karan
as a designer.
I think the Stephan Weiss Studio, Urban Zen and the programs and events
held there on Greenwich Street, are very important and close to Donna
Karan’s heart.
Now let’s take a look at the clothes:
In the DKNY collection, there were unique styles – a dress, scarf and top
– made from a scarf, the DKNY Heritage Scarf. Vivid, youthful DKNY,
is indispensable for urban working women as everyday wear.
When I wear a DKNY dress, I feel that my work and private life will
be enriched.
Youthful DKNY dresses on Emi Sugiyama, Director of Public Relations,
left, lovely Marie, center, and IA, right.
The Donna Karan New York collection is based on pale tints of vanilla,
beige, wild honey. Her almost-crushed and gathered silk satin jacket or
transparent mousseline de soie evening gown with overlapping bias-cut
strips that moves like an exotic bird’s plumage, are glamorous and luxurious.
I may feel that I am a good woman if I could wear her dress nicely.
This collection’s theme is “Raw Romantic”. Although “raw” is seldom
used to describe fashion, Donna Karan uses it here to convey a woman’s
natural instinct for feather-weight fabrics that move and envelope the
body with every step.
Her collection convinced me that her message this season was, “each dress
has been an emotional object of desire and has been created to express
the freedom of each individual moment”.