Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 2016 RTW

Surprisingly, this is going to be my first time writing about Calvin Klein. Despite being on the list of great American brands alongside Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger (both of whom I have written about), I've never been compelled to talk about Calvin Klein.

I've always appreciated the minimalism the label advocates, but a consequence of minimalism is that it can make for collections which do not offer much in terms of novelty. Without novelty, I tend not to be as inspired. Calvin Klein became one of those labels I would skip when trying to catch up with Fashion Week because I knew the message for the season would not differ too much from that of last season's. However, Spring/Summer 2016 managed to instantly catch my eye. While still touting minimalism, this season offers clever touches of detailing which make the pieces wholly unique.

To start, Francisco Costa brought out classic slip dresses - but with one alteration: uncut straps. The unfinished business of leftover extras flying off the shoulders became a blasé design element. This notion of deconstruction carried on throughout the show, with sliced hems and sleeves cut to create slits and exaggerate movement.

Costa then introduced the use of chains, but in a delicate, almost unnoticeable way. I adore body jewellery, and Costa updated the typical body chain by letting it skim the lines of the garments. Slim gold chains would trace lightly from the shoulders to the hem, adding subtle dimension to the silhouettes. In some cases, single silver strands were also stitched randomly into the clothing, as if Costa were merely finding ways to not waste unused pieces of chain.

While many online users expressed dislike over the loose and saggy fit of the clothing, I thought the languid shapes were an appropriate backdrop for the chain detailing and a logical complement to the deconstruction. Overall, it was the small details on otherwise simplified pieces that made the collection a new and thoughtful take on minimalism.

Watch the full show here.

Image Source: Vogue.com