N.Y. Fashion Week: Reed Krakoff scores a hit

Expectations were high for Reed Krakoff’s fall 2014 collection, the first he’s shown since he stepped down from his longtime post as creative director of Coach to focus on his namesake label.

And he delivered his most solid outing yet since his brand’s 2010 launch, less severely utilitarian and more easygoing and sexy.

The key piece of the collection (and one of the important of the season here) was the midi skirt. Krakoff’s was a wrap style that came in luxe patchwork python with metallic accents, or black grain leather, and exposed a bit of leg when the models walked.

He showed the skirts with luxe sweaters with handpainted python or astrakhan fur fronts, or long shearling patchwork vests.

Krakoff also showed cropped full trousers, another of fall’s important new silhouettes, worn with slouchy, tailored jersey jackets.

Dresses were collages of colors and textures with a sharp, modern look. The best one, in cobalt blue viscose with leather shoulders, would play well on the red carpet. Krakoff’s outerwear was more streamlined and sophisticated than it has been. And though I’m not sure why one would need such a thing, an ultraviolet cashmere coat was great-looking.

The new bag, the “Krush” was a soft cross-body bucket style, the most covetable one in buttery soft shearling. And the new shoe was a sleek leather ankle strap sandal with a plush, furry heel.

A kindler, gentler Reed Krakoff to be sure.

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