Rodriguez gets his inspiration from his craft

NEW YORK (AP) — Narciso Rodriguez doesn't need one of those crazy designer themes — like a type of animal, or an obscure artwork, or a long-ago historical event — to inspire his fashion collections.

He simply wants to make nice clothes.

"I just want to make very covetable, beautiful things," he said backstage after presenting his spring 2015 collection Tuesday night.

His specialty is beautifully cut, sleek, handsome, minimally embellished garments, and his collection didn't disappoint. It began with black and white: a crepe dress with black tank top and white skirt; a black trouser with a black and white "scuba harness" back; a long black and white jacket covering black kimono silk slip dress.

Then it moved into colors, like a striking combination of pink, orange and black in a tank dress.

The designer also featured a series of dresses embellished with squiggly embroidered stripes in a variety of colors. And there were appealing tweeds, like a black tank dress with a black and white tweed bodice, or a colored tweed bodice on a white bonded crepe dress.

Rodriguez described the workmanship that went into these pieces as complex. "The more complicated the better, right?" he said with a grin. He added: "I just love the process — the craft." For Rodriguez, that's all the inspiration he needs.