For pre-fall 2020, Catherine Holstein tweaked some familiar Khaite hits – Victorian blouses, romantic tulle dresses,  Western skirts, timeless denim – and sprinkled in a touch of 1960s rock & roll glamour. That said, the designer felt her greatest departure was in the ultra-short minidresses and body-hugging ruched gowns. “I’ve always avoided using the word ‘sexy’ to describe the clothes,” she said. “I would call them ‘sensual,’ which sounded more modern, or maybe more feminist. But I really wanted to embrace the idea of sexy and what that means for our woman right now.” Beyond the sheer blouses and minis, even the suits had a curvier, more womanly fit, with narrow, high-rise trousers and snug blazers. The sexiest look of all might have been the ivory pantsuit, shown with a black leather belt and nothing else.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.