rethink

A lot of things are described as "classics with a twist", but it's rarely done as well as when done by Jenni Kayne. The clothes are unpretentious and they dare to be simple without being tricked up with fancy fabrics and finishings.

The trenchcoat is especially wonderful, cleaned up of the usual trenchcoat touches like the belt and belt loops and various straps and flaps, and softened with a dress shape, but still recognisable as a classic.

I thought about all this because i instantly liked the collection, while it took me a little longer to decide whether I liked Phoebe Philo's debut collection for Celine.

I could make many of the same "classics with a twist" arguments for this collection but I didn't feel quite as sure about it rightaway because there's a stiffness to it; I much prefer the casualness and ease of Ms Kayne's collection. But my mind kept wondering back to it and I realised it's because I like the sturdiness of the collection and that Ms Philo was confident of creating spare, simple clothes that wasn't monk-ish, or too heavy-handed in austerity. I'm keen to see what she comes up with next.

Images from style.com