Devi Kroell, the award-winning accessories designer, quietly brought her debut clothing line to the Plaza Athenee in the wake of the spring/summer ready-to-wear shows. Setting up shop for a day in the Marie Antoinette salon, Kroell displayed a capsule collection of user friendly pieces alongside the snake skin handbags and shoes that have been the cornerstones of her brand since its launch in 2004.
Kroell, who started her career working in ready-to-wear alongside Jean-Charles de Castelbajac , smartly incorporated the natural world of exotic skins and stones that have personified her accessories into the designs of a number of ensembles. Literally -- in a stunning wide-collared black and white sea-snake coat and in a cotton trench coat with buttons and belt covered in saba snake. But also more figuratively -- in a textured dress that created an ostrich skin pattern on fuchsia fabric, a green malachite print skirt, or a champagne colored dress whose stiff duchess silk, the designer said, reminded her of working with leather.
Practicality and functionality was also important to Kroell, who took inspiration for the 23 looks from architecture and interior design. This translated into sensible full culotte skirts, pants with a built in knife crease down the front and back, and easy, full-sleeve tops. The collection stuck to classic and chic basics acting as a canvas on which the wow factor was supplied by the designer's inventive accessories.
"This might not be the right time to launch a clothing line with the economy the way it is," said Kroell with a smile "but it is the right time for me. I needed a new challenge." The challenges aren't over for the designer, with the opening of her second New York store planned for spring.
