Chris Benz Does Layers With an Unconventional Twist

Many people wouldn’t trust a man in pink spiky hair to dress them. But if you have purple hair like Kelly Osbourne, who was all smiles at the Chris Benz spring/summer 2013 presentation, then you’d be fair game. 

Quite the collection for a bold boho-type with no qualms with clothes that take time to wear, the wildly pastel palette was an array of layering separates in chiffon, twill, cotton, and silk. Models resembled the Olsen twins in their afghan shawls, poplin skirts layered over trousers, and lace dresses atop the classic jeans and tee combo.

Each look contained a number of pieces, in some cases complicating the structure and confusing the eye. But taken as individual pieces they were not only smart designs, but very business savvy from a retail perspective—for women, separates sell.

“We put on the show as a keystone to get people thinking about new ways to wear American sportswear. Sometimes clothes can be an accessory. Sometimes you can wear your dress over jeans, or that kind of thing,” the designer told Thread NY after the presentation. 

The beautiful mix of solid knits with chiffon florals, and the mix of structured and unstructured (more loose-fitting trousers) silhouettes were the more tame looks of the collection.

The white stretch lace T-shirt with the white cotton voile skirt could be a gorgeous look for the modern bride on a destination wedding. It’s as unconventional an outfit for a bride’s nuptials as pink hair. Yet somehow Benz seems to pull off both. After having conquered footwear, watches and home décor it wouldn’t be a surprise if the style whiz started that trend.

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