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Her choices are limitless and Lloyd Klein is there to furnish her with as many clothing options as she needs

   She learned through a friend that he is alive and well, which, in turn, gave her new hope and optimism. All is not lost. That means new clothes, a reason to shop. And what did she buy? It’s winter, so she bought a classic wool, full length duster-style winter jacket and chocolate velvet evening pants as an added bonus. But she has a fever that must be fed, and for now, new clothes will have to do. She added to her pile a pair of brown silk trousers with understated ruched detailing at the ankles, a one-shoulder chiffon evening dress with delicate side buttons and a front thigh-high slit that sends only one message. Just because she can, and her husband is paying for it anyway, she tosses in a sexy black cocktail dress with a plunging neckline and an abbre­viated fishtail detailing. She, just like the model in the television ad for L’Oréal, is worth it.
   At last, she received word from her errant lover, ‘Ma chérie, meet me au Petit Montmartre at midnight next Friday.’ Her heart beating with excitement, she mutters to herself, ‘What should I wear? I have nothing to wear!’ She rushed out to the store in hopes of finding the perfect outfit. Should she buy the overtly sexy midnight blue men’s tailored suit with the backless vest? Or the black sleeveless feathered top with a navel-baring corresponding column skirt? Or maybe the dark brown full-length sable coat she received on her 12th wedding anniversary … and nothing else? The story continues …
   Her choices are limitless and Lloyd Klein is there to furnish her with as many clothing options as she needs. This collection works because it offers relevance to a woman’s life. Almost all women, whether she has a lover or not, needs a valid reason to buy more clothes. What she doesn’t want is to have to justify her choices too much. For some women (and men), shopping is better than sex and it shouldn’t be work. One should have fun and ultimately attain satisfaction at the end of the experience.
   Mr Klein has tames his wild and scatter-shot designing brain; and while there are still some familiar bells and whistles there, they are pretty much hidden from view. What remains is the same attention to detail, luxurious fabrics, and the architectural silhouettes that has been Lloyd Klein trademarks from the very beginning. •

Phillip D. Johnson is features’ editor of Lucire. Richard Spiegel is New York editor of Lucire.

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