Fashion insiders have watched Jenni Kayne evolve as a designer since launching her eponymous line in 2003. The lovely Los Angeles based-designer presented her new collection offsite in a midtown penthouse open loft space last week. Many emerging and veteran designers alike choose to escape the circus of the Bryant Park Tents, where they can show in a more controlled setting with artful installations or an intimate environment that evokes a certain ambiance and warmth that better serves a collection’s back story. In a series of vignettes, the models posed before a packed house in 22 ensembles on an elevated platform; the collection featured smart looks for day and evening—like snapshots from a young woman’s life—at work, at play, meeting her gal pals for lunch, and a handsome gentleman suitor for dinner and drinks!
The collection showed some of the week’s top trends—layered lengths, whether high-waisted skirts or cropped jackets; abstract prints, such as geometrics or the ikat; and a bold use of color, especially with amethyst, peacock, and marigold! Never one to shy away from glamour by day, there was sprinkling of brilliance and a great manipulation of textures with a sequined pencil skirt, laminated treatments, silver jacquards, frosted linens, and foiled herringbones. Fabrics and skins ranged from satin, silk, and chiffon to lightweight wools, crinkled jersey, and ostrich.
My favorite ensembles included: the royal ikat silk chiffon tie gown; a marled charcoal sequin square tank dress; the silver foil jacquard pinched dress with a chocolate ostrich belt; a yellow ikat silk chiffon button tab waist gown; the geo print cotton chiffon y-strap gown with variegated bugle beads; and a charcoal leather cropped strap jacket, atop an amethyst silk crew t-shirt with a grey stretch wool slash pocket mini.
In just a short period of time, Jenni Kayne has become the young star of West Coast fashion. Her label has garnered the esteem of editors and buyers and has become a force in celebrity circles. Born in 1982, Ms. Kayne is experiencing success when most are still finding their way. Her sensibility for design, apparent early on, became the keystone of her education. According to the company website, she studied fashion design at Otis College of Art and Design, before travelling to Italy where she apprenticed with Zegna designer Ettore Veronese and manufacturing conglomerate Giuseppe Marzotto.
With education and experience on her side, Jenni Kayne debuted her collection in Fall 2003. Her commitment to design and production was captured in a premiere that earned favorable reviews and retail attention. Moreover, Ms. Kayne defined the principles that would drive the evolution of her collection. Irreverence, underscored by taste and restraint, dominates her collections, which are consistently filled with an emphasis on dichotomy. Convincing arguments are made for the juxtaposition of fabrications, silhouettes and ideas. Sequins made for lunch; white for winter and fur for everyday are concepts that exemplify the Jenni Kayne mentality. Importantly, though, Ms. Kayne always designs with a core value in mind: “Collections for an ageless woman who lives in her clothing. She is a classic woman who wants to feel sexy without showing too much skin.”
Images provided courtesy of Felle Photography, for additional images and information, please visit, http://felleportfolio.com/
Published on Sep 19, 2007
