A transatlantic Calvin Klein in an East Village art foundation

For its latest show, the house of Calvin Klein took us to an art foundation in East Village, which back in the founder’s glory days of purist minimalism was the neighborhood that gave birth to punk rock.

The change in setting mirrored the change in direction under new designer Veronica Leoni, whose initial inspiration for this collection came from watching New Yorkers en route to work early morning. The whole collection riffed on work wear and workerist details, and the collection – especially the women’s element in a co-ed show – looked ideal for the thrusting ambitious women that populate New York.
 
Opening with a certain irony with aprons that morphed into curvy cocktails with pockets and no back – one in beige another in black.

Leoni cut superb voluminous coats – from slate-hued boiled chiffon great coats with horseshoe necklines, to a mannish double-breasted jacket worn open over satin top and shorts. Best of all, a hyper oversized sand-hued trench falling off the shoulders.
 
“This past year I really wanted to get close to the brand, close to its DNA and the traditions. To try to own it in my own way,” explained the Rome-born Leoni post show.

Backed up by a great soundtrack by Kid Harpoon including snippets of the immortal Caetano Veloso singing “Cucurrucucu Paloma”, Leoni broke new ground with bold theatrical looks: a divine dove grey plissé gown dissected like many ensembles by a leather string belt, or a massive enveloping battleship grey lambskin trench – again held taught with string leather. 

She even featured a couple of great dressing gowns in bold stripes, the model clutching office and apartment keys attached to leather lariats.
 
“Magnifying normality but bringing it to its next level. A sense of the raw beauty that one sees on the street here,” said Leoni, adding that an obsession she shared with her mother with the TV series “Dynasty” led to several power looks. “Part of the transatlantic DNA we are trying to build up here,” she smiled.
 
The cast appearing down an industrial stairway before touring around inside the Brant Foundation, a converted Con Edison substation that was formerly the studio of the legendary land artist Walter De Maria.
 
The show also include lots of insider puns: from the soundtrack that lifted a line about Calvin Klein in the movie “Back to the Future”, to the plays on possibly Calvin’s most famous signifier – underwear.

Playfully with a combo of floral Victorian bloomers with matching vest, or saucily with sports-bras that peaked above a crepe top with a sweetheart neckline or a fine wool deep gorge jacket. 
 

Before sending out a female model in logo long johns or completing a pair of sporty visors in the underwear trim. All the way to a brilliant tweed column made in fabric lattice of elasticated yarn and underwear trim. 
 
Many of a splendidly fresh new cast – courtesy of the astute eye of Ashley Brokaw – sported workerist scarves on their head – like post-war Italian field workers.
 
For men, her slate grey denim suit with hunting jacket or a fantastic, crushed linen and hyper gathered muddy grey coat worn over long johns were great eye catching.
 
Adding more humor with a riff on cheerleaders, with pompons attached by string to the hem of several lingerie dresses.

All told, a very impressive display by Leoni in her second collection for the house. Greeted with sustained applause by an audience that included Lily Collins, Iris Law, Emily Ratajkowski, Naomi Watts and singer, Rosalia.