Spring 2004 Ready-to-Wear - Celine Spring 2004 Ready-to-Wear Collection on Style.com: Runway Review

PARIS, October 9, 2003 – Michael Kors must spend an awful lot of time seeking out inspiration at the beach because, when it comes to designing summer clothes, that's where he always seems to be. For his eponymous line it was Capri; for Celine, it's Tahiti. And very Gauguin it was too, with great hibiscus blooms, pampas grass, and yucca leaves covering everything from skintight jeans to silk shirts, swimsuits, and trailing head scarves.

Tanned bodies were dripping in gold from the earlobes down: gold purses, gold shoes, you name it. That was the Monte Carlo effect—another muse of a beach for Kors. It's easy to imagine those healthy-wealthy ladies of Monaco decking themselves out in gold-chain prints with lots of matching accessories; perfect for a night in front of the roulette wheel at the casino.

No one can deny this designer's gift for polish, nor his flair for optimism. As the last fleet of models strutted their stuff in dresses of hot pink, turquoise, black, and white columns suspended from chain-embroidered bodices, one couldn't help but smile. It was a fun trip, but since this is Kors's final collection as the house designer, it's anybody's guess what Celine's next stop will be.

– Rebecca Lowthorpe

STYLE FILE