Kate Spade’s autumn collection for fall 2015 hit stores a few weeks ago, and Deborah Lloyd, Spade’s chief creative officer, spared no expense. Spade’s new look draws inspiration from Roald Dahl’s charming childhood sentiments of free spirit and fun while also delivering a message.
Plaid, fur on hats, cuffs, bags and large bows uncomfortably close to the neckline serve as the common themes throughout the collection. I do love most of the collection, but there are a few looks that don’t make me say, “yaaass!” like the rest.
A Kate Spade original rarely fails to impress, and this collection certainly followed that trend. This outfit in particular, with a short red skirt and a fur shawl, works wonders for the model. The skirt’s highly contrasting horizontal plaid is strikingly different from the vertical pleats of the blouse sleeves, the fur pads on the shoulders radiate “Soviet chic” and the black collar is simple but accentuates the length of the neck.
I’ve found the incorporation of fur and fur lined elements in the outfits this year appealing. With fur, the line between “pom-pom head” and elegant chapeau is painfully thin, but the fur Spade brought us this time generates striking images that make a powerful first impression.
Spade always incorporates an elegant bow somewhere into her lines, but this year the company went slightly overboard. The bow in this outfit, photographed by Vogue, appears too big to be placed so close to the model’s throat. The placement of the bow distracts from her face, drawing attention to the accessory rather than the model. Similar issues arise a number of other looks in the same collection.
Overall, Kate Spade’s fall 2015 line pleased and pleasantly surprised many. The incorporation of plaid and fur shoulder pads is interesting because these two elements tend to masculinize women’s clothing. Spade normally emphasizes very feminine silhouettes and delicacy in her clothing, but in this case the fur pieces served to enhance their ensembles’ appearances.
The only thing this line needs to change is the size of the bows, so they don’t overtake the model’s face. Any student looking for cutting edge additions to their fall wardrobe should get down to Kate Spade in Georgetown to check out their new fall collection.
