Jenni Kayne traded the tents for a two-hour afternoon tableau vivant in a midtown penthouse, citing the "crowded schedule" and a desire for editors and buyers to see how precise her message is. The celebrity eye candy (Mischa Barton, the Olsens) that this L.A. native s shows are usually good for was missing, but it seems like the prospect of presenting in such a relaxed setting helped the designer clear her head. Kayne has fumbled in the past when she s tricked things out for the runway, and for Spring she pared back and returned to an era that s interested her since her beginnings about five years ago—the seventies, or more precisely, the seventies with a thirties twist.
A long sundress in a cheery yellow ikat print stood side by side with a raglan sleeve Greta Garbo gown in moody peacock green. Pinching and tucking at the neckline turned a glorified silver jacquard T-shirt dress into something memorable. The collection was also strong on tailoring. Kayne s boxy boyfriend blazers looked right over both a jersey T-shirt and trouser shorts, as well as a cocktail dress—that is, until you saw the cropped jacket and low-slung pleated trousers worn with flat sandals, which somehow seemed newer. A loose scoop-neck tee and a glossy black high-waisted skirt had not much to do with either of Kayne s favorite decades, but nonetheless, the combination looked like a winner.
