Michael Kors goes architectural, takes on transparency

FWD132 Model walks the runway at the Michael Kors show during Spring 2010 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009.

FWD132 Model walks the runway at the Michael Kors show during Spring 2010 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009.

FWD132 Model walks the runway at the Michael Kors show during Spring 2010 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009.

FWD132 Model walks the runway at the Michael Kors show during Spring 2010 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on Wednesday

FWD132 Model walks the runway at the Michael Kors show during Spring 2010 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on Wednesday

Michael Kors' usual pretty and refined lady-like look morphed into a point-counterpoint about soft and hard - architecture and draping - in his Spring 2010 collection, which he showed on Wednesday, Sept. 16 in New York. Mixed with an austere color palette of cool pastels, the result was a new downtown direction for Kors, generally known for sophisticated sportswear for the uptown set.

Kors opened with a sharply cut white leather shift dress with diagonal zips, a look you might imagine on a lunar-bound motorcycle gang of stewardesses. The mod flight attendant theme continued throughout, with dresses featuring cut-outs and clear plastic inlays, asymmetrical origami sleeves and patent leather straps. For evening, he covered them with black or silver sequins - very Diana Ross a la The Supremes.

Kors, perhaps taking a cue from Japanese avant-garde designers like Yohji Yamamoto or Rei Kawakubo, also reinvented cashmere sweaters by detaching the collar and hem or adding an extra arm that wrapped around the body like a scarf. He often paired the kimono-like wrap sweaters with crinkled "techno" taffeta skirts, which looked comfortable, albeit somewhat dowdy.

Lest things get too robotic and serious, Kors sprinkled his 61 looks with a few draped jersey dresses, perhaps his peace offering for those customers not inclined toward a severe shoulder or stiff leather pants. Yet even when he's channeling edgy, he does it with accessible polish.

Besides the pastel colors - cool mint green, the palest sky blue and lavender - there were abstract watercolor prints, bleached splatters and a Dalmatian-esque black and white spotted sequined shift.

Accessories, normally a big focus for Kors for spring with all manners of weekender-sized bags, limited his offerings on this runway to some oversized Lucite sphere necklaces, Lucite cuffs and small square clutch bags.