These days, you can never have too much nostalgia, at least according to the design team over at Donna Karan, who for the past handful of seasons have continually returned to Karan’s extensive archive for inspiration. The spring collection began, as many do, with an image: a 1999 editorial snapshot of Spanish model Esther Cañadas wrapped in a monochrome long-sleeve soft-pink ensemble. The shade is a tad cheerier, less dusty, than the infamous millennial pink, which—speaking of nostalgia—coincidentally turns 10 this year.
Soft pink, as a result, permeates a considerable portion of the collection, appearing on light silhouettes that feel in tune with the current ’90s sport craze. Think: a pre-crinkled nylon maxi skirt, layered lightweight knits, and the uber-trendy blouson-style mockneck jacket in a taupe-ish blush, except this iteration featured a slight crop and an uncinched sleeve, a shape that looks very reminiscent of Bianca’s prom dress in 10 Things I Hate About You. In the same sporty thread, a tie-front jersey combo skirt set in gentle gray (recreated directly from the archives) snagged this writer’s attention. For even more throwbacks, the pink was balanced by a knit set in the Gwyneth Paltrow Great Expectations green.
Alongside the retro sportiness, there was fluid suiting to appeal to the more modern Donna Karan customer. Rich caramel options, like a leather bomber jacket or suede pencil skirt, stood in stark contrast to the softer hues. Meanwhile, crinkled nylon was again used in wide-legged, front-pleated pants, blouses, and a trench coat, for a contemporary from-the-city-straight-to-the-weekend feel, and a pair of black trousers took day-to-night in the most literal sense with a sheer skirt overlay. If there’s anything about a Donna Karan collection, it’s that you can easily imagine its pieces in a multitude of settings.
