NEW YORK, June 20, 2012
By Jessica Minkoff
As one of the CFDA's 16 new members, Juicy Couture chief creative officer and president LeAnn Nealz is moving up in the fashion industry. And she's taking the label with her. Long gone are the days when the Juicy girl stocked her closet with a rainbow-hued array of velour sweat suits. "I wanted her to grow up a little bit," said Nealz. "I think it got very young for a while." Nealz replaced the track pant and hoodie set with classic separates and sophisticated statement pieces. A mid-thigh two-toned coat with a faux fur bottom, a stretch jacquard miniskirt with a metallic crest design, and a cutout sheer lace sweatshirt (the closest thing to a sweat suit here) come to mind. But that's not to say that the latest holiday collection lacked the fun, girly elements that Juicy Couture is known for. Bright floral prints were aplenty, moto jackets got the color-block treatment, and simple crew-neck sweaters sparkled with jewel-encrusted collars. Elsewhere, gems were sewn onto knits, used as clasps on pink leather clutches, and sprinkled over denim. The Juicy girl may have grown up, but she'll never be too old for a little bit of sparkle.
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