Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 18, 1990 TAG: 9003222014
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-17 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BERNADINE MORRIS The New York Times
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
"When it's hot, women don't want to fool around," said Louis Dell'Olio, the designer for Anne Klein. "They just want good-looking clothing that they don't have to think about."
Dell'Olio chose to make everything in black and platinum. Linen is his mainstay, sometimes patterned to minimize wrinkling. Linen plaids, stripes and tweedy effects have a menswear look that is crisp and neat for urban daytime dressing. Linen gauze is cool and porous in solid colors.
Rayon georgette, which is soft and swingy, is also used for easy, uncomplicated clothes. It is printed with squares and circles in the same color range as the linen separates.
A group of knitted styles in a mixture of silk and rayon rounds out the collection.
Basic summer pieces include jackets, blouses worn outside skirts or pants and simple dresses. Even the jewelry looks cool and unprepossessing. It consists mainly of delicate long chains interspersed with stones and beads. A fresh way to put parts together is to pair a short dress with a loose coat the same length.
In accessories, the designer is most taken with Spanish espadrilles in plaid and striped linen to match the clothes. They fit in with his emphasis on easy, relaxed dressing.
"They make any outfit look pulled together," said Dell'Olio. "But they're certainly comfortable."
Michael Kors chose cotton as the core of his summer collection. Everything revolves around two batik prints, one with an indigo background and the other in a lighter blue. To go with the prints are jackets shaped like parkas, short skirts, pullovers and shorts.
A loose dress with a funnel neckline is one of his best sellers. Like many of his styles, it can be worn to the beach over shorts or bathing suits and to the office on blistering days.
Skirts and sun dresses in stretch cotton (cotton with Lycra), a canvas parka lined in terry cloth and canvas bicycle shorts are some individual-looking casual styles.
"It's all very basic," Kors said. "A few pieces that women can switch around. It's the way women can pick their own summer wardrobes: stay with a few colors and see that everything goes together."
Memo: Spring Fashion