Whisking our imaginations to lofty new levels, a fantastical narrative permeated many of the runway shows. Thom Browne, whose presentations are already notorious spectacles, used a surreal 1920s tableau of an all-girl social gathering to underpin his presentation of whimsical, menswear-inspired outfits. Similarly, Marc Jacobs, who showed on the last slot of fashion week, showed off his boundless creativity with hyper-realistic embellishments like shards of colorful plastics as trims, metallic surfaces as panels and cellophane-like encasings on skirts. While Jacobs was drawn to the superficial, other labels like The Row, Ralph Lauren, Gregory Parkinson and even Bebe (with Emanuel Ungaro vet Charles Benton as design consultant) seemed enamored by the ethereality of white.

Although white once again reigned as the season’s most prominent color statement (or subtle lack thereof), some designers reacted against the trend with intense look-at-me  hues. Marc by Marc Jacobs lined up a parade of strong colors, opening the show with an eye-catching orange shift that affirmed the citrus shade’s prominence throughout the week. Orange also set the tone for Ohne Titel’s graphic outing, proved a fantastic complement to Thakoon’s use of turquoise and was used in its faintest iteration at Calvin Klein. Mark Fast’s Faster line gave his signature seductively taut dresses an even racier appeal with pink, while Vera Wang’s use of highlighter yellow and Yves Klein blue made her uptown take on dressing seem younger and Peter Som displayed exuberantly warm shades of yellow, pink and orange in his flowery leggings.

The interlink between flowers and colors was readily apparent from the week’s earliest shows onward. Along with Som, we previously noted the optimistic motif everywhere from Cynthia Rowley to Karen Walker. Carolina Herrera seemed to exult in the fantasy of a pastoral summer picnic with clean prints against crisp designs. Prints varied from bright yellow and green birds to sharp primary color lines, but the silhouettes possessed a liberated air. Jason Wu had his most elegant outing yet, proving to be the premier designer for ladylike dressing that manages to be simultaneously prim and sexy: high-collared shirts were paired with svelte shorts, subdued grays contrasted with pastel shades of pink and cleanly tailored separates exuded a swingy ease. In his most experimental outing, Prabal Gurung played with everything from sheer fabrics to geometric cutouts in unconventional lines, but tempered these edgy designs with innocent purples and detailed floral prints.

The activewear and sports theme proved to be a big trend this season with classic and unexpected labels alike taking on the American style tradition. Y3 is already a pioneer and master of athletic wear, but the brand injected an air of debonair to its collection. Although models emphasized Y3’s sporty vibe with sneakers and active designs, the collection also featured exaggerated menswear-style vests and grungy plaid prints across both genders. Lacoste introduced a more ready-to-wear interpretation of the genre thanks to new artistic director Felipe Oliveira Baptista’s updated vision for the brand. Though usually more of an elegant, uptown designer, Victoria Beckham managed to make sporty sexy by using the anorak (itself a popular piece this season) to describe her collection. 3.1 Philip Lim’s pastel outing balanced delicate silks and organza with a sporty motif seen in nylon anoraks—proof that there’s such a thing as activewear you can look chic in without having to sweat in. Alexander Wang opened his show with a seemingly all-encompassing mesh fabric overlaying his subtle designs. The hint of color peaking through the holes (and pockets!) made for a peek-a-boo effect that was both playful and dramatic, while blatant zippers, deep pockets and bandanas brought home the power of statement details. Like Wang, Altuzarra knows how to mix sportswear, which he cleverly integrated into classic daywear, as seen in pairings such as ribbed nylon vests with a flouncy skirt.

Above all, NYFW yielded a decidedly wearable array of options for next summer’s fashionistas. M.Patmos kept things simple with reliable knitwear that varied from sweet cardigans to long and loose ponchos and the occasional sheer top. Tim Coppens, a Belgian designer now based in New York, showed meticulously constructed menswear with a sporty touch, which has already won over Barneys New York. Proenza Schouler took a truly eclectic approach with everything from accessible tribal print details and slim-cut jackets to eccentric bondage-style pieces and ’70s retro-inspired shapes. Sophie Theallet somehow adopted both the white and bright color themes of the season with floor-sweeping dresses as well as smart, knee-grazing pieces that could easily transition from day to night. And Brooklyn label Creatures of the Wind presented a charmingly vintage-inspired collection that managed to be nostalgic yet fresh with contrasting prints, bold colors and gem-like hues.

Trained as a stylist and clothing designer, Quan’s eye for eclectic mixes and bold patterns helped shape her debut collection of handcrafted pieces. Each necklace boasts a playful juxtaposition of rope, mesh, natural stones, snakeskin and leathers, representing a welcome break from the gothic and heavy metal pieces that have dominated the accessories market of late. “I love when people get excited to wear my jewelry,” Quan says. “I love seeing people’s reactions. They really show it in their faces and how they carry themselves. It is very fulfilling to see that people appreciate the hard work I put into making each necklace special.”

Indeed, all that hard work was met with almost instant enthusiasm during this past New York Fashion Week. After lending a few prototypes of her designs to industry friends to wear at the shows, Quan began receiving glowing praise from bloggers, buyers and designers alike (Ohne Titel’s Flora Gil even had two pieces personally fashioned). Bolstered by this positive response, Quan was inspired to launch a full-blown collection. “I couldn’t believe the reception I received,” Quan modestly admits of the initial accolades, “it was a real wake up call for me.”

Quan has since established an e-commerce site with her signature necklaces illustrated by Tree and Treasure’s Elyse Saunders and was featured on Elle.com’s accessories blog as a designer to watch as well as in the New York Times and IntoTheGloss.com. The future of Kelsey Quan is looking refreshingly bold and bright.

What’s hot right now?
Exclusivity may be the new ubiquity when it comes to luxury fashion brands online. It’s a given now that brands should be on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, but each brand should carefully tailor their strategy with respect to trends such as livestreaming runway presentations, geo-location and crowdsourcing. By the time fashion month wraps to a close, consumers are overwhelmed with information, and that can be a dangerous thing.

What was your favorite show from the a/w ‘11 collections thus far?
Ohne Titel was perfection for me from start to finish—a well-edited and refreshing range of wearable, feminine, yet futuristic looks with just enough touches of drama, volume and texture to keep it all interesting and cohesive. Flora and Alexa are a talented team, and I’m looking forward to more great collections from them.

What are you most looking forward to for spring?
I just caught the Rodarte exhibit at the MOCA in LA recently, so I’m on a fashion-meets-museum exhibit thing these days. I’m looking forward to experiencing Vivienne Westwood at FIT and McQueen at the Met…

Alexander Wang had a particularly wondrous selection of oversize sweaters that came huge with cuts on the side and worn over silk dresses. His technical talent was best seen in varieties that were padded on the arms as well as two sweater dresses that gradually morphed into silk at the hem. At N. Hoolywood, Daisuke Obana was inspired by photos of Yosemite National Park, sending out mountaineer-manicured models replete with facial sunburns and climbing tools such as lariats. To sartorially communicate this thematic conceit, Obana showed Aran jumpers alongside copious heavy knit vintage-looking vests worn over shirts as well as tucked in.

The designers at Altuzarra, meanwhile, paraded two sweaters with an elaborate pattern that included triangular skin peek-a-boo, one of which was worn with an olive skirt bearing thigh high slits. If this was emblematic of a raffish collection, then Ohne Titel’s outing was filled with futuristic appeal. Flora Gill and Alexa Adams, the designers behind the label, were inspired by the space suit and offered a bevy of pieces that easily will be the most covetable of the season. They came ribbed in a zippered up number that created subtle undulations, geometrically paneled in a dress, while skirts were loosely knitted to create a swingy effect.

Marcia Patmos, formerly of the now defunct Lutz and Patmos, launched her eponymous M. Patmos label this season. She didn’t stray too far from the covetable practicality of the Marcia Patmos label, which produced chunky shawl collar cardigans, box cut sweaters with singular lapels and a variety of sweater dresses. TSE also understands this functional aspect of knitwear, and their minimal approach yielded a series of versatile cable knits that can be worn over pants, skirts or a blouse and fitted pencil skirt combo. By contrast, Jeremy Scott’s decidedly zanier take on the trend produced a pink sweater with a skeleton outline woven into it, a blue and orange striped dress with a cut-out that revealed the stomach and an alpaca sweater worn with a purple kilt.

The footwear that impressario Nicholas Kirkwood created for Prabal Gurung has six buckles to buckle—one at the ankle, five circling the leg—for an effect that’s part slinky, part gladiator. The leather and laytex appeared in neutral colors, which cast an even more effective spotlight on the drama of the design.

When not hidden by lovely billowing fabric, Risto Bimbiloski’s shoes had an architectural quality reminiscent of childhood wooden blocks and cobbled pathways, but given that his collection has been repeatedly described as “lunar,” any mention of his footwear almost begs for a moonwalk comment as well. Julian Louie’s complementary Ikat print wedges for Aldo, meanwhile, made so much of a statement that the company reversed its decision to not produce them.

Loeffler Randall’s shoes for Suno gave the brand’s signature bold and colorful graphics a lift—literally—with a platform wood wedge in speckled yellow, red and black floral. The shoes featured little ties to fasten around the ankle for an extra swish of color that accentuated an already standout collection. Ohne Titel’s collection, meanwhile, was offset by large swaths of blocky black and white around the ankle, but the color presence was visible thanks to fluorescent flashes of neon and lots of bold cerulean blue.

In the realm of other accessories, meanwhile, it was hard to overlook Rad Hourani’s square Mykita sunglasses—a shape that was retro-future to perfection—as well as Victoria Beckham’s impeccable bags.

Marc Jacobs distilled his experimental, statement-making ways into simple, yet utterly beautiful wares. Having already built an empire conflating ideas, decades and references into cool American sportswear, Jacobs sent down easy A-line wool skirts and dresses, coats with sloping lapels and large buttons as well as serious three piece power suits. He hit on important trends of the season such as beige and grey colors, fur (as accents to many of his coats and bags) and velvet (in trousers, skirts and floor length gowns).

Ohne Titel was also in a pared down mood, resulting in a modern combination of commerce and creativity. Although trousers, military jackets and coats were relatively more wearable last season, there were unique flourishes such as silk dress made from different, randomly arranged materials and swingy dresses made from power netting. The duo behind the label, Alexa Adams and Flora Gill, also produced some of the most covetable accessories this season with geometrically paneled leggings and wide leather belts.

While Adams and Gill used leather as accents, Joseph Altuzarra used the material to make a loud and sexy statement. Leather dresses, pencil skirts and body suits evoked Catwoman with panels that seemed to be sutured together. Altuzarra’s fall collection is a departure from the softer, feminine wares of last season, but it is certainly a welcome shift judging by Carine Roitfeld’s approving nod by show’s end. Alexander Wang also recieved kudos for reworking the pinstripe suit into mini dresses with lace, long skirts featuring geometric, peek-a-boo cutouts (a huge trend this season) near the waists as well as tailored cropped tops. Nonetheless, the enterprising designer—whose business is already worth $25 million—had less than favorable responses overall.

Thakoon, meanwhile, presented a winning combination of voluminous fur, luxe wool and textured fabrics in carefully arranged layers for each eye-catching outfit. The beauty of this collection lies in Thakoon’s skill at making layers—an important trend when not overdone—look effortless. This dexterity marks his return to top form after an erratic last season.

After years at Bill Blass, Nepal-born Prabal Gurung proved that his aesthetically accessible take on high-end womenswear needs to be taken seriously by the gatekeepers of fashion. This coveted acceptance was also sought after by Victoria Beckham, who produced glamorous clothes that stand on their own merit rather than relying on her celebrity status.

After several seasons absent from the fashion scene, Pheobe Philo’s return to Celine was certainly welcomed by fashion folks last season in Paris. Philo has a way of designing what women want at a given moment, providing utterly chic and modern wares for her loyal customers. And, as Cathy Horyn pointed out in a recent New York Times article: “behind every good collection is Phoebe Philo.” Even designers such as Phillip Lim, Reed Krakoff and Derek Lam came a tad too aesthetically close to Celine’s spring/summer ’10 outing, hinting at percolating trends toward a straightforward, frippery-free manner of dressing.

The Olsen twins’s tightly edited collection for The Row was uncomplicated yet irresistibly hip—keeping in tune with this minimal design spirit. Marios Schwab, meanwhile, gave Halston’s signature draping a decidedly younger luster, and Matthew Ames used leather and soft colors to anchor voluptuous silhouettes.

Some designers, however, simply stuck to what they know best. Sophie Theallet didn’t veer away from the reliable femininity that helped her clinch the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, while Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein used form and materials to convey his sculptural turn. Proenza Schouler’s J Brand collaboration yielded painted graphic jeans, which, along with updated American classics such as bomber jackets, toggle coats and cocktail dresses, have sustained the brand’s desirable status among the hip, deep-pocketed set.

American style can mean many things to many people, but New York Fashion Week’s varied new look is both grounded in its past and compelled by its future.

—Robert Cordero

While animal-friendly faux fur alternatives have increasingly appeared in more collections, the real deal was all over the recent runways. Derek Lam knit fox into a black and white cardigan, Halston’s Marios Schwab embellished the sleeves of a sweater dress and Marc Jacobs used it on the lapels of a see-thru trench. Fresh off his Swiss Textiles Award win, Alexander Wang experimented with a number of different fabrics, backing a zip-away leather jacket and criss-crossing lapels with mink. Many of these looks will show up at H&M and Forever 21 too, albeit in decidedly less expensive manifestations. The heretofore fur-free designer’s unfortunate use of pelts in his show makes sense given recent supported from Saga, but thankfully some of it won’t be produced for stores.

Leather was the most common go-to fabric for fitted, asymmetrical jackets. It was also used in more novel ways, as in the case of men’s leggings at both Maria Cornejo and Rad Hourani. To wit, Joseph Altuzarra held high-slit pencil skirts together with straps of leather, lending the pieces a vaguely S&M vibe. Threeasfour, meanwhile, paired it with wool to create a collared, almost hood-like coat and Ohne Titel’s Flora Gill and Alexa Adams coupled it with silk to fashion a chic, patchwork drawstring skirt. In addition to singular pieces, expect to see leather—both real and faux—used as embellishment or in conjunction with fabrics like wool, cashmere and twill.

Velvet’s sartorial connotations ran the gamut—little girl party dress, “festive” formal wear, hippie-chic topper—but there’s little doubt we can escape it for fall. Elise Øverland showed a velvet menswear-inspired suit and tuxedo wrap dress, while Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs fashioned a lace and velvet cap-sleeved dress for their semi-eponymous label. In keeping with his naughty schoolgirl vibe, Peter Jensen’s take was admittedly cheekier (tartan bloomers), while Zac Posen’s conjured thoughts of chi-chi late ’70s holiday parties.

Cutouts continue as a reining trend. When strategically placed they imbue basic black with some much-needed sex appeal, but not-so-gym-toned flesh might be better kept under wraps in any of the season’s other trends. Max Azria’s designs for Hervé Léger have never been a go-to for the faint of heart, so it’s little surprise that his sheer-paneled cutouts came courtesy of some killer mini-dresses. Speaking of itty bitty, Halston incorporated the technique into Grecian-style party gowns, featuring artfully exposed flesh and miles of leg. Preen offered what was perhaps the most wearable take in bandeau bra topped silk and cashmere dresses that revealed the areas above and below the décolletage—and leaving just enough to the imagination.

As we reported a few weeks ago, the runways have been rife with the collaborative efforts of jewelry and fashion designers. But as the weeks have worn on, we’ve also seen just as many alliances develop between the worlds of fashion and footwear. Beyond partnerships between heavyweights such as Yohji Yamamoto and Salvatore Ferragamo, emerging fashion labels are also eager to diversify their collections with edgy shoe design. What’s more, these up-and-comers gain from both the expertise and the built-in fan base that accompany a partnership with a well-known shoe designer.

Ohne Titel and Cesare Paciotti’s joint work is one of the most established of the current linkups. Designers Flora Gill and Alexa Adams debuted a line of macramé stilettos for the Italian shoe company during their spring/summer ‘09 show, a partnership that was resurrected for autumn/winter ‘09 with a collection of slick steel-toed boots. While Ohne Titel clearly benefits from its access to Cesare Paciotti’s production team and worldwide placement, but the Italian label understands the importance of working with emerging names (having already done so with Catherine Holstein and Christian Cota) to attract fresh press as well as a hip, young clientele.

The season’s other collaborations read like side-by-side laundry lists of the new fashion establishment and the old guard of footwear design. Christopher Kane recently revealed a line of crystal-studded platform sandals for the newly relaunched Versus. Editorial darling Joseph Altuzarra teamed up with Gianvito Rossi (son of Sergio) to create a range of fur-trimmed boots for his first official fashion show. And menswear label Duckie Brown teamed up with every Dad’s favorite shoemaker, Florsheim, for a range of lace-free wing-tips and brogue-style ankle boots.

A few seasons down the line, these designers will presumably take their learnings (and earnings) and launch shoe lines under their own brand umbrellas—but that hasn’t been the case for Band of Outsiders’ Scott Sternberg. This season marks his fourth collection for Sperry, comprised of a typically fanciful collection of trompe l’oeil boat shoes and loafers. As Sternberg recently told Valetmag.com: “They just carry such a nostalgia for me and my customer…They make sense in so many ways, they draw upon this Ivy League DNA that, of course, I’m fond of, but then they’re so easy and comfortable.”If anything, this is proof positive that the right partnership can sometimes make a more powerful statement than going it alone.

—Erin Magner

This year’s fashion week changes saw many labels cancelling runway shows in lieu of smaller presentations, few celebrities attending the events (save Kanye West) and designers combining their efforts into single shows. This level of downsizing has manifested itself in the clothes themselves, which were simplified, subdued and serious. Dark hues were naturally in order, but designers didn’t completely revel in austerity. To help detract us from the doom and gloom mood, the collections also called for big, bold colors.

Understandably, the result was somewhat polarizing. Alexander Wang kept things very simple, only using black in his show, which was marked with strong, ’80s themed garments. Ohne Titel kept their modern momentum in line with considerably leaner silhouettes than seasons past in moody black and steel greys that pleased the audience of power, yet enthusiastic editors in attendance. Rag & Bone’s definition of casual Americana style yielded menacing hues—deep blues, slates, and dark grays—with a Japanese-inspired twist. Even Carolina Herrera’s somber outing lacked the vivacity of her signature Latin-infused, Uptown way of dressing.

Those who don’t want to revel in the depressing global atmosphere, were luckily met with an array colorful, mood-lifting options as well. Marc Jacobs delivered a one-two punch with strong, sturdy and provocative shapes in eye-popping gumball colors, while Rodarte’s amalgam of textures, produced chromatic combinations of viridiane, beige, powder blues and metallic green, all fit for an intergalactic outing. Thakoon combined a monochromatic base with rich, bright color complements on fur jackets and shawls, just as
Jonathan Saunders used shocking shades of orange to temper the monastic lengths of his wares. Narciso Rodriguez’s body con numbers in lemon yellow also added a bit of energy to his monochromatic outing. When it came to tight dresses, however, the most winning numbers came from Preen, who closed the show with a series of textured mini-dresses in Rainbow Brite hues.

Whether sullen or lively, it’s all about working with your palette scale. And, if you’re easily bored, just start at one end and work your way across the spectrum.

—Michael Miller and Robert Cordero