Every season, I am glued to New York Fashion Week coverage, it's like the stock market only with fashion designers. Last seasons darlings can take a stumble (Rodarte) while others triumph and feed their brand even more. Reed Krakoff is one such designer who I used to lump into the startup pile with Simon Spurr and Rag & Bone due to their new brand appeal but with Simon Spurr falling apart, there doesn't seem to be a real heir to this throne left by the Proenza boys that bridges the ideas of modern, high end, and commercial.
Between his gigs at Coach and his acclaim in handbags, Reed Krakoff has a tough balancing act, be approachable enough for the masses, show off the bags that he's gain recognition for, but also highlight the ready to wear element and create a direction for the clothing.
While the clothes weren't 'show stoppers', they impressed me for their fluidity and soft feminimity that drew comparison to Chloe, Celine, and even Jil in it's minimalism. I'm real excited for the future of Reed Krakoff, and he seems to be smart enough to not make the mistakes that have been the end for other emerging labels.
