One of the most difficult tasks afforded to designers is finding ways to excite while remaining true to the DNA of their respective houses. The more famous a brand name the more likely it is to be associated with a series of visual codes. Designers can either choose to ignore those codes entirely, or work within the constraints. Francisco Costa has always favored the latter approach, embracing Calvin Klein’s heritage of streamlined minimalism while finding ways to infuse his own sensibilities into each collection. Fall finds Costa playing with the hallmarks of the swinging sixties: flat loafers, oversized lapels and plenty of A-line dresses. This could be viewed as Calvin Klein through the lens of Mary Quant, but Costa is far too intelligent a designer to simply rehash the past. Utilizing an array of techno-chic fabrications from punched haircalf to eye-catching metalic mélange Costa takes the retro starting point into the future.

Fall has always meant an influx of black on the Calvin runway, but this time around the color was interspersed with a series of colorful moments that popped. Blush cashmere t-shirt dresses that looked more luxurious than anything labeled a tee has a right to, terracota patchwork maxicoats that brought a little 70s funk in the mix and a patent leather peacoat that managed to make the cold-weather staple exciting. The hits came one after another but Costa’s Paco Rabanne influenced finale gowns were the true standouts. Working with linked hair-calf instead of metal plates, Costa created a slinky, sensual look with just the right mix of nostalgia and modernity.

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