Kaelen Fall 2014: Pretty, ruffled and pink all over. The downtown girl goes feminine for fall

by Nancy Won March 13, 2014

See the Kaelen Fall 2014 collection »

Pretty, ruffled and pink all over—it was clear from Kaelen Haworth’s first look out the gate that this would not be the slouchy, downtown, all-black-everything Kaelen girl we were used to seeing. Though Haworth was quick to point out, “it’s a pant suit ruffle, so it’s not a 100 per cent lady ruffle.”

Indeed, the “not extremely feminine” designer made a point of countering each surprising new flounce of femininity (eyelets, ruffles, pink!), with a touch of grounding masculinity (squid ink dye, menswear fabric, a flash of silver zipper). And for Kaelen fans not ready to commit to full-on femininity, many of the extraneous frills, ruffles and peplums zipper off for a slightly toned down take on the girlier original.

Mixing was a key theme for Haworth this season. Feminine/masculine aside, her most successful looks mixed colour, fabric and texture in unexpected ways: a skirt that combined a pixilated nature print with a graphic woven raffia, a fluffy white mohair cardigan paired with a pleated black skirt, or a pink fox fur stole tossed glamorously over the shoulder of a red mohair coat—a classic colour clash that felt utterly fresh and modern. With or without the ruffle.