The scent of cut grass—squares of which had been laid out on the floor of a Chelsea gallery space—signaled that it was back to nature for Kate Spade New York. “We wanted to celebrate those moments when it’s time to put down the phone,” said chief creative officer Deborah Lloyd at the presentation. In the past year, she has traveled so much for work that the only option was to think about things one does outside of the office, like swimming, lounging, and just being. (Also known as vacation.)

The emphasis on leisure called for more relaxed silhouettes—and flats, lots of flats. Crisscross sandals and PVC visors were paired with mod tennis dresses, and wide-cut shorts were worn with boxy jackets. A sweatshirt and miniskirt were printed with a reflective pool motif, and a short-but-wide-sleeved ringer mini was done in a blown-out floral print with an electric blue background. While most of the looks stood further away from the body than usual, there were some waisted styles for the customer who wants that ladylike look. For instance, a white eyelet shirtdress hit the brand’s classic-but-just-a-little-quirky sweet spot, especially when it was paired with the funniest little snail clutch. Indeed, the novelty bags—which also included an azure-eyed crab made of wicker—were really good this time. It seems that learning to relax a little was a smart move for both Lloyd and the Kate Spade customer.