Designer

…………………….After a few days on the beach, and after you get that beautiful “Sun Kissed Skin” tan…….it’s time to pull out all of the stops! Reservations are made at the best candle lite restaurant on the island, and you are ready for your entrance!….Above, the HAND KNIT gold lurex multi stitch cardigan…….under that the gold lurex hand crocheted dress…..Even the jewelry was made out of clear resin with gold dust floating inside…..In all of my 50 plus years in this business I have never found a lurex as soft next to the skin as this one made in Italy…To be able to wear a crunchy lurex sweater like this against bare skin and it not feel scratchy at all was a true find……..It was amazing………The crocheted dress was made out of the same yarn. It was lined in nude stretch knit……….The outfit gave GOLDEN GIRL a new meaning!

……………………………The Navy Sweater knits with GOLD BALL DETAILS were just as successful on my Anne Klein line as they were when I repeated the idea for Linea……It’s all in the DETAIL…..you can take very simple, classic pieces and make them Fashion Statements by adding the right touch…a new fresh detail……….Of course each of these pieces were impeccably “Made In Italy”….All of the gold beads were hand sewn onto the sweaters as they were for both the AK sweaters as they were for the Linea sweaters…..The belt and jewelry of course were all Anne Klein…………Even though these were available thirty years ago….they could all be sold today…….It seems to me that the designers today are trying so hard to be different and on the edge that they are loosing sight of how women really want to dress………………I think this type of clothing, this simple sophistication, is what the market is drastically missing today.

………………..The tropical print was named “BLUE ORCHID”. The colors were a combination of deep navy, vivid blue and white. The ETRO Company created it for me on beautiful Italian silk. There was a wrap shirt, a pair of walking shorts and a fully lined and tailored blazer which is worn here with white linen trousers and a deep navy tank…..Of course the print shirt and shorts could have been worn with other solid pieces, but together gave the look of a short jumpsuit without the confines of a jumpsuit…..It was really special.

……………..Most of the restaurants on the islands are very laid back and casual, and many you can just walk off the beach and sit at a table…..During the busy season it’s best to have a reservation…..A fun way to go out to dinner….a white cotton jersey Boyfriend blazer….a navy cotton knit bra, and navy cotton jersey knit shorts……..Another fabulous belt in gold metal mesh with a Gold Plaque buckle adds just enough gleam!……..The earrings were called “A CATCH OF FISH”. There were two small fish hanging from small rings. All the fish had double sided eyes……….The entire Fish group was a huge hit in the stores….just as it was on QVC, and there are still a very few Fish pendants avail on QVC…………but once they sell out that will be the end of the Fish forever……out to sea

……………………I have always loved designing knit sweaters. Going to Florence four times a year to develop the collection for each season was such a hardship….NOT!…..Pushing the limits on what can be achieved, always using different knitting machines, was a challenge……I was a whole new specialized education. The people who owned these knitting mills were wonderful. Many of these companies were very small, but very willing to work on my designs. For the most part their factories and production were small. Giovanna Ciampini, the woman I worked with in Florence, was wonderful. We meet in 1970, and we have been friends ever since. Thank goodness for e-mails….we are always in contact.  Stark bold sweaters inspired by classics are always modern and timeless and current. The DEEP V-neck long sleeve sweater tucked into the mini skirt with the side racing strips are two examples…..The ENR knit skirt even had belt loops……The color block dress inspired by ships signal flags is another…….These two pages look like they could be out of Fashion Mags today………except today the pages aren’t as GOOD!….certainly not as wearable…….LOL