Catherine Malandrino takes us to the South of France for Spring 2014

Red, White and Deep Blue were featured to striking effect in Catherine Malandrino’s Spring 2014 presentation (images: Don Ashby)

Ready to vacation in the South of France? Just take a look at Catherine Malandrino’s Spring/Summer 2014 collection, and you’ll feel like you have departed.  Ms. Malandrino’s collection is a homage to the sailing season in Saint Tropez (Les Voiles.)  Popular sailing colors like speedo red, admiral blue, and stark white are all part of her collection. When the models walked last week at New York Fashion Week, I got the feeling of  billowing white sails passing by.  The show was held at New York’s Pier 92, not quite Saint Tropez, but the feeling of being on the water was fitting for this collection.

Scenes from Ms. Malandrino’s Spring 2014 presentation (images: Don Ashby)

For Spring 2014  the designer showed a very sporty, very  wearable collection full of airy silhouettes ( a tribute to billowing white sails)  long pleated skirts with windbreaker jackets and waxy terrycloth parkas. There were also comfortable looking cotton pants that were high-waisted and loose.  Tank dresses and shorts in perforated soft leather suggested a relaxed attitude.   The entire Malandrino SS14 collection looked like something you could just slip-on and move from day to night with minimal disruption.  The vibe was simple and unpretentious.  This was a well-designed collection that will be accessible to women of many shapes and sizes.

Of course, Ms. Malandrino has a large celebrity following. Guests in attendance included: singer Mary J. Blige,  actress Kelly Rutherford (“Gossip Girl”) and  Niki Taylor (model) to name just a few of the celebrities sitting front row.  Too bad longtime fan, Project Runway designer Vincent Libretti wasn’t there to fawn over the designer as he did so memorably on Project Runway Season 3 in Paris.

Catherine Malandrino is one of our favorite designers, her clothes are sexy, but demure and classic.  You can invest in Catherine Malandrino and wear her clothes for years ( I have several of  her dresses that never seem to go out of style.)    While we have to wait until next Spring to wear this St. Tropez inspired collection, remember Catherine Malandrino’s bridge collection is due in Kohl’s stores on Sept. 27, 2013.  Kohl’s sent me one of the dresses from the collection and it is truly fabuless!