Diane von Furstenberg Spring 2014

Diane von Furstenberg aptly named her spring 2014 collection Oasis, as a cue to women to, as Furstenberg wrote in her show notes, “be your own oasis … an unexpected source of renewal, serenity and beauty.”

But the Furstenberg collection was also an oasis in other ways, most especially an oasis from watching a lot of collections that looked the same or tried too hard to look different. Furstenberg’s collection is the happy result of a designer confident in her own skin and style. And the appearances by some of the top walkers in the industry including the legendary Naomi Campbell amped up the wow factor.

Yes, there were literal stylistic references to an oasis that one might find in the African desert, but things never bordered into kitsch. The closest the collection got to overworking the theme was a royal-topped shift dress that featured a lion landscape against an orange background on the skirt. But a sandscape print in alternating waves of white, royal, orange, black and sand found just the right balance between vibrancy and peacefulness. And a black and white zebra print looked chic and fun.

In addition to the zebra print, black and white also played a major role with a jungle diamond print that looked especially chic in a strapless dress and a biker jacket worn with a pencil skirt. A snake print in several versions including black and white with powder blue, looked alluring, particularly when used for pieces like simple linen silk twill long sleeved tunic. Other winning prints, from this Queen of Prints, included a brown cork print and a black diamond-like print on white. Furstenberg also put a new charge in denim, accenting blue denim with black lace.

And a clever use of rope ties—as halter neckties, and lacing up the sides and front of garments added to the breezy, easy, sexy vibe of the collection. What a welcome respite.

—Karyn D. Collins