Donna Karan’s DKNY show was titled ‘American Expressionist’ with its inspiration firmly rooted in US culture, from West Coast ease to East Coast edge. Karan showed in a vast warehouse space, with one entire side opened to the street, resulting in each model joining the runway from the sidewalk, emphasising the wearability of Karan’s younger line. This season Karan focused not just on her beloved New York but America as a whole, from the red, white and blue colour palette to the denim edged tailoring. Certainly, the fluidity of the dresses evoked Californian bohemia, whilst the brass button tailoring, the more sophisticated city point-of-view. On a day that remembered 9/11, Karan presented a fitting tribute to the American spirit.
Text: Caroline Newell
