Exclusive First Look: Nicola Glass’s Debut Capsule Collection For Kate Spade New York

Sometimes, it’s best to go back to the beginning. That’s the strategy that Nicola Glass, Kate Spade New York's new creative director, kept in mind as she began to design her first-ever accessories capsule collection for the label, exclusively debuting with Vogue, and available now.

“I’ve always been attracted to the original ethos that [the brand launched with] in 1993 – thoughtful design, a modern use of colour – and I saw so much opportunity within that for the brand, to refine and evolve the original codes of the house in new ways,” she explained.

But looking to the past did not result in anything remotely old-looking. The capsule – which features handbags and scarves – combines strong silhouettes, playful details, and a sweet colour palette for a completely fresh and sunny sensibility. Take, for instance, the collection’s MVP, the aptly named Nicola shoulder bag, which, incidentally, is the designer’s favourite piece. Gently structured, with soft, feminine details such as rounded corners and refined, jewellery-like hardware, it’s the kind of classically sophisticated bag that you can wear anywhere (and will want to wear everywhere). “One of my favourite hidden details is the plunge on the back pocket,” said Glass. “It’s a slightly seductive nod to the spade.”

For Glass, the heart of the brand is, well, the spade. And if you look closely at the collection, you can see how much the classic shape inspired her, appearing as an enamel turn-lock on the Nicola Twistlock bag, or more subtly, baked into the interlocking leather pieces of the Dorie bucket bag. It’s a theme that Glass says we can expect to see in her forthcoming ready-to-wear collection as well.

“For me, colour and print are really important,” she said. “When you walk into a store I think you should be able to spot a brand from across the floor by its colour and print sensibility. So, expanding on the codes of the house, refined colours used in surprising ways, and graphic prints that become something else up close – like a floral pattern made entirely out of spades. In fact, there are secret spades throughout.”

What else can we expect from her New York Fashion Week debut? “The clothes are less retro and more modern,” she said. “They have a light touch of sensuality; when something is revealing, it’s not in an overt way, and the fabrics are ones you want to touch.”

It marks a new chapter for the label, which was helmed by Deborah Lloyd for 10 years. But, in many ways, it’s continuing on a long tradition that was begun in 1993: creating clothes that simply feel happy. “Whoever she is,” said Glass, “our woman is joyful.”