In addition to showing us the trick to toting a tote like a Parisian, Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing also dashed off a few notes on spring trends during his recent visit to the San Diego store. Basically, says Downing, the secret to an up-to-date look lies in three letters: YSL. Yves Saint Laurent-inspired pieces are everywhere this season — from hunky medallion necklaces to tuxedo details to “rich peasant” looks. (The key to pulling off the latter is wearing the right shoe with your maxiskirt, as he explains in the video.)
The ever charming Downing describes it as a chic kind of déjà vu: “Being a kid of the ’60s, a young person in the '70s, and then a young adult in the '80s, clothes certainly speak to me,” he says. “When I see things on the runway, it reminds me of the moment I saw them for the first time — things my mother might have worn, my grandmother, the neighbor who was coming over to our house for a cocktail party. Women throughout my life have always been an inspiration to me.”
Here, Downing gives us the full rundown for spring, reveals his color of the season, and shows how to mix it all up.
[THE FEAST SAN DIEGO]
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The Technique: How to Carry a Tote Like a Parisian
