Snippets of fashion and beauty

Fashion Week fall 2012: Jason Wu

By Samantha Critchell/Associated Press

NEW YORK — Jason Wu has arrived, and the confidence he’s feeling in his emerging success was evident at New York Fashion Week Friday, where his dramatic show featured a collection inspired partly by his Chinese roots.

He has been considered a strong up-and-comer since Michelle Obama wore a gown by the then-barely known designer to the presidential inaugural balls in 2008, and his show has increasingly become a hot ticket during the seasonal previews. Then came a Target deal that put a limited collection in stores earlier this month.

Maybe it’s with that confidence that he went all out for his runway show, with studded fortress doors, billowing smoke, a theatrical finale and a highly personal Chinese-influenced collection that captured the yin-yang of tough military dress and in-your-face luxurious embellishment.

Wu grew up in Taiwan, but hadn’t visited there in years until a trip about 18 months ago. “I almost went back as a foreigner with fresh eyes,” he explained in an interview earlier this week.

He tapped into Chinese military uniforms with Mao jackets, grommets, strong shoulders and capes—the best of that look being the green coat with attached cape and black lace that opened the show. A different sort of strength, however, is found in the ornate trappings of the Qing Dynasty and the tassels, embroideries and brocades worn by empresses.

Hollywood went through a period in the 1930s and ’40s that reinterpreted and further glamorized traditional Chinese dress, and Wu said he was a fan of that, too, especially Marlene Dietrich in the old movie “Shanghai Express.”

The common thread among the elements is strength, he added, “and I had to inject myself and my generation, so I did that with sportswear.”

The result? Puffy jackets in glitzy brocade.

The lingering look from this collection, though, is likely the finale: a black wool jacket with epaulets and mink trim covered in crystal embroidery pairedwith a black skirt etched with fabric through a process known as devore.

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Watch Ralph Lauren’s spring 2012 runway show

Ralph Lauren’s runway shows are always beautiful. This one for spring 2012 is no different. The clothes are romantic but not too fussy. Watch the runway show here.

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Fashion Week: Oklahoma’s own Sherri Hill

Oklahoma prom, pageant and eveningwear designer Sherri Hill showed her 2012 collection in New York last week, with Kendall Jenner (of the Jenner/Kardashian family) walking the runway.

Hill’s designs are becoming quite popular with celebrities, including singers Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. Style Bistro offers more about show with pictures from Hill’s stunning collection.

I talked with Hill earlier this year for a story in the Mood section in The Oklahoman. Read the story here.

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Lindsay Lohan not welcome at Marc Jacobs’ party

People clamor for an invite to Fashion Week after-parties. And it doesn’t get any better than Marc Jacobs’ party.

It seems one guest wasn’t so welcome, though. Lindsay Lohan allegedly had already caused a ruckus at a party earlier in the week, and Marc Jacobs’ staff wasn’t assuming she’d be a good girl at their celebration.

So, one minute she was there; the next, she was gone.

Read more about it Styleite.

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Fashion Week: Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren

With a line of models draped over chairs Thursday night, Jacobs mined different eras to shape the new look for next season.

The 1920s, ’60s and what might pass for blase in Year 2050 were represented in shades of baby blue, grass green, wine red and luminescent white. Some models wore clear ankle boots and others walked in modernesque turbans. There were beads, athletic influences and tons of tiered skirts.

Stephanie Solomon, vice president for fashion direction at Bloomingdale’s, saw Paris in the Jazz Age – fast-forwarded to today. “It was the speakeasy for the summer of 2011,” she said, “but when you looked at the innovative fabrics and how he styled it, it was very, very modern.”

Jacobs, the industry darling, usually shows earlier during the New York previews, before editors, retailers and stylists flee for Europe. But he changed his slot this go-around to allow more time for deliveries slowed by Hurricane Irene.

Joe Zee, Elle’s creative director, could get used to this. “To end the week like this is how it should be. It’s like he’s the director of this great production,” he said. “I love that it’s not a literal interpretation of any one thing. It’s a potpourri that works.”

Other collections that debuted Thursday included Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, also very influential runways, and they, too, solidified some must-haves. Put a great blazer or jacket at the top of the list, said Solomon.

“I’m not talking standard black blazers – it’s anything but,” she said.

Lauren featured “Great Gatsby” wide-legged suits – some paired with men’s ties that looked more Tom than Daisy – and Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa showed long silk and jacquard coats, worn like robes over his slip dresses. Imagine the muse of a wartime spy, dashing out in the dark.

Another classic American brand, Bill Blass, preserved the past and forged a future in the hands of Jeffrey Monteiro. He was chosen almost two years ago to revive the line after years of tough going for the company.

He showed familiar, impeccably tailored navy coats and blazers, but underneath a navy twill peacoat was a bandeau top.

RALPH LAUREN

The intersection of sportswear and elegance happens on the Lauren runway. It gives him a place on the American fashion scene like no one else.

There was a feminine hint of ruffle in a floral print, optic white menswear suits, luxe liquidlike fabrics and Deco beading were all part of Lauren’s reimagining of ’20s style.

Lauren showed great skill in balancing simple shapes the hardest thing to do well – with glamorous details: an ostrich feather scarf here or beaded bag there.

The ivory skirt suit with a hammered-satin tank top, accessorized with an embroidered linen clutch bag and ivory sandal is a lot harder to pull off than something dripping with decoration.

“He’s so renowned for desirable, memorable and modern clothes,” said Glenda Bailey, editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar.

Virginia Smith, fashion market director at Vogue, added: “It’s sort of Ralph Lauren’s world and we’re living in it.”

She especially liked the gowns – the knockout floral lame and the off-the-shoulder goddess style – among them. “They were a tour de force.”

Olivia Wilde seemed to show particular interest in the robin’s egg-blue georgette dress with beading on one hip. How fast can the Lauren team get that gown on the plane for Sunday’s Emmy Awards?

PROENZA SCHOULER

Considered one of the most influential collections on the runways here, duo Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough seemed one step ahead with more trim, tailored shapes.

But they also confirmed emerging trends with optimistic flashes of yellow and aqua, clean shapes and a lot of prints.

The first model wore a buttoned-up jacket and tasteful, though super-short, shorts in dark brown with a tiger print.

From there, the designers moved down the spectrum from crocheted raffia, with a slight sheen and geometric details that oozed crafty chic, to very modern tech-crepe fabrics that hug the body. Both showed that Hernandez and McCollough continue to experiment with texture as much as silhouette.

NAEEM KHAN

Khan could have outfitted an entire slate of Oscar nominees with his runway offerings.

It was a glamorous array of sequined, beaded and ruffled gowns with a stylistic focus on Spain.

Khan got a standing ovation after closing with one of his grander creations, a ballgown in silver with a fringed bodice and an extravagantly full skirt.

The Indian-born Khan has famously designed gowns for Michelle Obama at not one but two state dinners.

“It was stunning,” actress Mischa Barton told him after the show.

Colors were not confined to any particular scheme; there were bright oranges and yellows, reds and blues, roses and mauves, grays and burgundies, blacks and whites. (And, of course, gold and silver.)

CALVIN KLEIN

It was an unusually feminine display for Costa.

Dresses had sheer trim on the bustline, or in some cases a sheer top. Hemlines were just a touch asymmetrical.

In a switch from other designer collections previewed over eight days, these were longer in the front and shorter in the back. Fluted and pleated skirts evoked a ’40s feel, and some of the long silk and jacquard coats were worn like robes, adding to the lingerie look. Imagine the muse of a wartime spy, dashing out in the dark.

“It’s a very exciting season because, you know, I think what I wanted to convey with the collection it was really feminine clothes that was very relevant for today … no tricks just really quality in the making and interesting cuts,” said Costa backstage.

The collection also included wide-leg pants, worn with a shawl-collared vest, and culottes that showed off spiked stiletto heels.

BILL BLASS

Other interesting accents? A shirt tail hem on a black racerback tank, trailing gracefully behind the wearer, and a black organza top with an accordion pleat back. And while a red long-sleeved gown with an accordion pleat skirt seemed a little stodgy, the navy-and-white satin halter gown with a dot georgette skirt looked fresh and chic.

Nodding to the trend of big color, Monteiro included not only bright red – a signature color of Blass, who left the company in 1999 and died in 2002 – but also a bold yellow. A sequined gown of that color was a surprising, almost jarring burst of brightness.

In a backstage interview, Monteiro made it clear he was honoring the past. “We have the archive, and that’s always the inspiration,” he said. “Classic American sportswear. Sophisticated and easy.”

ELIE TAHARI

What do ancient Egypt and the hourglass silhouettes of the early 20th century have in common?

Nothing, except that they both inspired Tahari’s glammed-up version of his famous daytime wear that made use of longer lengths, lots of gold – think Cleopatra – and sexier accents like harem pants, transparent tops and feathered vests.

Tahari’s show started with an appealing pantsuit, the jacket coming down to the knees and creating a slender, flattering silhouette.

Soon the more glamorous elements appeared: Fluttering, transparent blouses, a bright gold metallic skirt, a fur vest. A long vest-jacket topped a crinkled chiffon skirt, a more whimsical approach to Tahari’s much-admired daywear.

For night, a gold metal tank dress seemed to hit the spot for many of Tahari’s fans.

RALPH RUCCI

To build on artful, architectural and expensive wardrobes, Rucci offered several modern looks with sheer plastic panels. Sometimes it was an inset around the bodice, sometimes more subtle on the cuff of a jacket or hem of a skirt.

And there was a white neoprene coat, paired with a faille straight skirt, like you’ve never seen neoprene before.

He used silver python for a banded skirt that was worn with a sheer chiffon button-front blouse. For evening there was black caviar-beaded blouson dress – using the tiniest beads one could imagine – that had little fringe at the hemline.

The clothes are grand but not showy – and Rucci received a standing ovation for his effort.

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Fashion Week: Nanette Lepore colors her world

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Fashion Week: Michael Kors goes on safari

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Fashion Week: Carolina Herrera, Rachel Zoe and more

More capsule reports from New York Fashion Week for spring 2012.

BY SAMANTHA CRITCHELL/AP FASHION WRITER

NEW YORK — An easy spring elegance, deceitfully simple but never sloppy, brought a bit of good clean fun to New York Fashion Week as the twice-annual round of frenzied runway shows moved into the fifth day Monday.

The secret, Carolina Herrera said, is in the details. Look to tailoring that appears simple, when it really isn’t, or loose without crossing into ’70s redux or boho slouch.

“Fashion has to have details and it’s a way of doing them in a very simple way that they look effortless,” she said. “That’s what fashion should be: effortless and fun.”

Rachel Roy reimagined the easy elegance of the 1992 film “The Lover,” set in steamy, 1929 French Indochina. She wondered, with the sound turned down, how the teen lover would have looked in the summer suits of her wealthy paramour.

“I wanted the look to be loose but not sloppy,” she said. “Something felt classy about how he put himself together but it was never too buttoned up.”

She offered pajama pieces, like the Olsen twins at The Row, and loose trousers as many designers did this time around. Roy also offered cascading skirts that looked as if the fabric was wrapped around the body and pinned ever so lightly at the waist.

Fashion Week moves to London, then Milan and Paris when it wraps up in New York on Thursday.

CAROLINA HERRERA

Herrera, who seems to never have a wrinkle in her skirt, not a hair out of place, has a playful side, too.

A shirtdress got oversized pockets and a delicate red cocktail dress was made of seersucker silk.

It’s not Herrera’s way to make things too fussy, even when there’s a lot going on. A black-and-blue gown was as soft and pretty as you’d expect from the designer, even though it was covered in sharp-edge embroidery.

Making things look simple can be one of the hardest things to do, she said.

RACHEL ROY

There’s something romantic about women in men’s clothes. Even more so with an unexpected feminine touch.

That’s what Roy set out to do. Tailored menswear styles ooze power, she said, and she likes that. For evening, there was a sculptural, folded gown with an open neckline in a floral print that was feminine without being prissy.

Roy’s life as a working mother requires work clothes, weekend wear and black-tie gowns. She tries to offer all of that to her customer.

“In doing so I really want the woman to feel comfortable,” she said. “If you’re not comfortable, you’re not confident, and if you’re not confident, you’re not looking powerful and smart, and, ultimately I want to look powerful and smart.”

RACHEL ZOE

A little Brigitte Bardot. A little St. Tropez. A little easy chic. It all adds up to “a lot of “effortless glamour,” according to Rachel Zoe.

The red carpet stylist-turned-designer said she’d like to dress the woman “who wants to stand with the attitude of ‘I’m chill.’ ‘I’m relaxed,’”

Zoe herself wore a long black maxi dress that’s part of her line. There was a similar black mousseline ribbon dress with cascading strips at the hemline.

Other looks include a men’s style, white-canvas pantsuit with a yellow tie-collar blouse, a halter-neck, all-beaded shift dress and an off-the-shoulder long dress in a Matisse-inspired floral print in black, yellow and white that she styled with a floppy hat.

DONNA KARAN

To a soundtrack of tribal drums, Karan turned out clothes inspired by her trips to Haiti working on earthquake relief.

Many of the dresses were form-fitting patchworks of canvas, linen, jersey and stretch silk. They were sexy without being flashy. The palette was grounded in earthy browns and the collection adorned with wood and gold-stud embellishments.

It was the full, swirl-skirt silhouette, however, that really grabbed the retailers and editors attention.

Wyclef Jean sat in the front row, adding to the authenticity of the Haitian journey.

THOM BROWNE

Browne presented his collection in the hallowed halls of the New York Public Library. But this was no study hall.

One model was in long feathery garb, locked in a bird cage. Another, on a couch, wore a shimmery sequined mermaid gown — with fins. Two women in bathing caps and long gray and white skirts. Another was perched high atop a lifeguard chair.

The audience whispered its confusion. Was this all there was? Then a hostess came in to start the party. She cranked up an old phonograph. Cole Porter tunes filled the room.

The clothes had both a ’20s flapper feel and a futuristic accent. Browne likes jackets, and here he played with shoulders, exaggerating them so they looked at times like stylish space suits. He also played with lengths. A trouser would begin at mid-thigh. Or a schoolgirl plaid skirt with suspenders would begin below the knees, the derriere covered by something completely unrelated.

MARC BY MARC JACOBS

Somehow the models didn’t break a sweat. But it was a sultry affair at the Marc by Marc Jacobs show inside the cavernous New York State Armory.

No matter — they packed in anyway for a glimpse at Jacobs’ secondary line, which featured sporty looks in bright colors like electric orange, flame scarlet and fresh grass. Ruffles, more precisely peplums, were big for the girls, striped pants in bright colors for the boys.

One felt a little sorry for the models who had to sport coats, though thankfully most of the outerwear was in cotton twill. Luckier were the few who got to wear bathing suits.

And speaking of bathing suits, hurray for the one-piece! There were no bikinis in sight, but three one-pieces, all adorable, especially one in flame scarlet with a peplum to give it some sass. Also sharp was a ruffle-less striped version.

Elle Fanning braved the air-conditionless show.

LAMB

Gwen Stefani’s LAMB collection came to New York Fashion Week, even if she didn’t.

Instead of the big runway shows the line has put together the last few fashion cycles, there was a smaller presentation of two dozen styles. But, this is Gwen Stefani — and the line to get in was long Sunday.

She built on her vision from the fall of a hipster muse who has a richer life than nightclubs. Someone who works, someone who goes out at night — maybe even someone with little kids. Sound like anyone you know?

Look for her come spring in a halter-style babydoll dress, houndstooth culottes and a checkered, utilitarian jumpsuit with a drawstring waist. The red-carpet photographers might capture her in a long black T-shirt dress with a blue vertical stripe down the middle or gold cargo shorts with a sheer black V-neck top.

JOSEPH ALTUZARRA

Big comfortable pieces like an oversize knit sweater in neon yellow was paired with a tight leather skirt, and a bright white form fitting, belted dress had a soft ruffle at the hemline just above the knee.

His jungle print with bright red, purple, green and pink flowers stood out. It appeared in a print, zip-front halter quilted vest paired with matching long pants and as an accent on a pair of skinny white crop pants and leather jacket.

JENNY PACKHAM

She let her models slip into something more comfortable but left them runway ready.

The looks were all cocktail frocks, gala gowns and the occasional lace tap pant, with intricate beading and a sporadic train, but there was an underlying delicacy and simplicity born from the lingerie-like layers.

“I love the crossover from lingerie,” Packham said.

THAKOON PANICHGUL

Panichgul’s easy breezy spring comes with cowboy hats.

He mixed Old West and Indian paisley in a silk georgette shirt. Hatted models had hot pink and purple hair.

Turquoise must be Thakoon’s favorite color right now. A standout in the color was a cotton poplin gathered waist shirtdress with a black paisley overlay.

LELA ROSE

She used silk for texture, including an optic T-shirt and periwinkle color blocked shorts that could be worn inside while reading a book or just as easily out to brunch with friends.

One outfit that jumped out was the electric orange half-zip coat paired with the electric orange cotton lace-overlay shell and swirl-print skirt.

Rose turned up the sparkle factor with a metallic organza seamed bustier dress that shimmered and added feminine white fabric flowers to a gorgeous lemon-colored silk dress.

ZAC POSEN

Posen expressed a restrained, respectful sensibility in a parade of old Hollywood-style gowns.

No loud music, swarms of paparazzi or jostling for seats. He let the dresses own the drama.

Coco Rocha wore the first and last looks: a snug ivory silk-faille, double-lapel daytime dress with a trumpet hem, and a molded gown made of lustrous, gray satin with a huge mermaid hemline.

Little easy elegance here. Rocha, like many of the models, struggled to get down the long catwalk because the many dresses were cut like second skins with narrow pencil skirts — even underneath those huge flares of fabric at the bottom.

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Fashion Week: Diane von Furstenberg

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Fashion Week: Color, color everywhere

On the Jill Stuart spring 2012 runway in New York. AP PHOTO

By Samantha Critchell/AP FASHION WRITER

NEW YORK (AP) — Bursts of sunny, sultry citrus and sexy violet met up with muted sea tones on runways filled with flowers, both literal and reinvented, at New York Fashion Week’s spring previews as Day 3 kicked in Saturday.

Color is everywhere this time around, combined with plenty of flounce and peekaboo sheers.”The violet color is very enticing and will be a must-have color for spring,” said Adam Glassman, creative director of O, The Oprah Magazine.

Jill Stuart’s easy femininity came in soft, sherbet tones and comfy, resort-friendly shapes reminiscent of the early 1960s – with palm trees thrown in. The relaxed wear was inspired by a book on lingerie she found in Copenhagen. Prabal Gurung’s futuristic flora was dominated by soft purples, full skirts and pants cut tight.

Where there are flowers, there are birds. Look to Adam’s runway for the winged motif in light pinks, purples and whites.Happy color, color everywhere.

 Pantone had a beach party in mind when the color company named the Top 10 shades for women next spring: tangerine tango, solar power, sodalite blue, bellflower, margarita, cabaret, driftwood, sweet lilac, cockatoo (think sea foamy) and starfish.

Barely there is khaki and other brooding colors. Even the blacks were upbeat – though the music wasn’t – in Helmet Lang’s black-and-white show splashed with only yellow.

Flashes of neon peeked out from under sheer, optical white in Alexander Wang’s spring collection. He opened with a tangerine hue and closed with the bright purple that seems like a must-have.

There was nothing understated about Cynthia Rowley’s color muse. Her mirrored runway was about the “optical exuberance of gold” combined with “flash mobs of florals and animated shapes,” according to her notes.

After eight days of spring previews in New York, the big show moves to London, then Milan and Paris.

JILL STUART

Key for Stuart: “I wanted this collection to be a dream, a fantasy.” It came against a backdrop of mint green, lipstick pink, tangerine and a brighter shade of citrine gemstone yellow. Stuart has significantly softened her look in recent seasons, moving away from the Stevie Nicks rocker look that had been her hallmark. The clothes on this runway seemed more appropriate for the next-generation Doris Day. But there was something sweetly sexy in the drop-waist shifts, culottes and inverted-pleat skirts, too. Even the romper, which looked more like a cute mini shift until you got close to it, worked here. While girlie, they weren’t prim or dowdy, which is surely important to Stuart’s typically young customer – someone like Emma Roberts, who sat in the front row. Stuart picked up on two print motifs, the palm tree and flying birds, both of which reminded her of “happier times.”

PRABAL GURUNG

Last year’s Council of Fashion Designers of America award winner for emerging talent has lived up to the hype. If Gurung is part of fashion’s future, his modern themes couldn’t have been more on target: A violet floral print dress with a dropped waist, plunging back and circle mini skirt seemed tailored for a space-age goddess. Sharp-shouldered jackets with skinny pants – some in a purple paint-dripped lame – also had that futuristic vibe. A white crepe dress with black side ties and an updated corset made appropriate for daylight offered a dominatrix look. And there’s a starlet out there who’d be lucky to wear the black halter gown with razor-sharp tulle pleats down the side.Laser-cut leather track shorts showed Gurung as a master of detail, although you have to wonder who is wearing those – and where she’s going. “Loved, loved, loved it,” gushed Adam Glassman, creative director of O, The Oprah Magazine. “Super fresh and chic. He obviously worked very hard on it. Polished and well made.”

ALEXANDER WANG

Wang was full of sporty details. There were technical fabrics, oversized pockets, exposed zippers, mesh and sharp laser-cut details. He also included lots of layers that mixed many textures, but nothing seemed too heavy for the season.He included miniskirts and walking shorts, cargo vests and track jackets.”We’ve already seen Alex’s influence on the runways in New York and we’re only three days in,” said Kristina O’Neill, Harper’s Bazaar executive editor. “There are anoraks, pops of neon and parachute fabrics everywhere. It was great to see him take his sporty references to the next level.” She noted references to track and field, auto racing, BMX and football jerseys. Some models carried a golf-bag “weekender” over their shoulder. Wang’s youthful customers come to him for cutting-edge casual. As a designer, he’s increasingly a bellwether for what’s to come. His runway attracts all the top editors, retailers and stylists – and celebrities, including Alicia Keys, Courtney Love and Lea Michele this season. Linda Evangelista was in the front row.

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

Siriano’s spring girl is a traveler with attitude in search of unusual finds at the sea dressed in bright, airy coral pink, chartreuse and citrus.And she was wrapped in miles and miles of crepe, chiffon and sheer organza – with enough ball gowns for multiple parties.Siriano was going for thrown-together chic in effortless pairings of jersey stripe T-shirts and long, body-hugging skirts that flounced at the floor. Wide-legged crepe pants had easy drawstring waists and cropped beachcombers were matched with crepe blouses that had capes.”I was looking at photographs of these really interesting underwater specimens, like acorn barnacles and other corals,” he said before the show. “They’re beautiful and have such color and light. I started thinking of this kind of girl who would travel to these places to find these interesting things.” Spirals of pleat work at the yoke flashed in a swingy razor-pleat cocktail dress in bright lemon. A long A-line skirt worn with one of his stripe boatneck T-shirts was adorned with tide pool swirls of applique in the color of oysters.

CYNTHIA ROWLEY

No recession runway for Rowley. She’s ready for flash – and flowers. The outfits certainly had spunk; no shrinking violet is going to wear an Asian-inspired “bouquet” tuxedo jacket with second-skin leggings in a zigzag print. From there, Rowley moved on to a mesh leather T-shirt with tight, tiny trunks, and a metallic sweater with gold shorts adorned with black appliques.Rowley seemed to tap into her personal interest in surfing, pairing embroidered swim trunks with an orange T that had perforated leather sleeves. Some looks had more of a balance of boldness and wearability, including a botanical-print dress with a henley-style neckline, and a gray sweatshirt-style top worn with a black skirt that teased the crowd. Lindsay Lohan, wearing big sunglasses, sparkly high heels and a brand new outfit from Rowley, nodded approvingly throughout the show.

REBECCA TAYLOR

Limeade. Lemon. Some of Taylor’s colors sound so scrumptious they should be eaten.”There’s enough bummer in the world,” Taylor said backstage. “I just want girls to feel pretty and to feel sexy.”The New Zealand-born designer said she was aiming this time for something “modern, ethereal and angelic.” The angelic part was evident in filmy dresses – the “moonlight eyelet asymmetrical dress,” for example, looked like a vintage nightgown. Dresses like that and the “moonlight pieced T-shirt dress” looked both comfortable and delicate, but there were pieces with attitude, too, especially a series of garments made of “snake leather” (not the real thing): A dress, an apron top, a bomber jacket, a pair of pants.There was also a digital printed army jacket, paired with a lemon yellow dress.All in all, it was a user-friendly and accessible collection for people who want to look, well, pretty.

LUCA LUCA

Raul Melgoza likes flowers, and for his latest collection the Luca Luca designer turned to a master for inspiration: The late American painter Georgia O’Keefe. Florals were a prominent theme in Melgoza’s spring line, particularly rosettes, which he presented in prints and in embroidery, in bright colors and in black and white. The latter combo made for a stunning gown to close out his show. On the more casual side, a periwinkle silk wrap blazer was paired with a berry-colored silk blouse and a rosette-print pant. Colors were bright and whimsical, such as several numbers that combined royal blue and teal – a royal blue seersucker wrap blazer, for example, paired with a royal-and-teal striped bustier. A lime green silk crepe bustier dress managed to feel both light and sexy. This latest collection was based less on a theme than a mood, Melgoza said backstage. “I really wanted to emphasize sensuality and femininity, and the female figure,” he said. “So, for example, I expose the shoulders, or add some sheer inset detailing.”

ADAM

Adam Lippes found inspiration in the energy of the West Chelsea neighborhood of his design studio for a collection filled with prints of large flowers and polka-dots.He’d look at the High Line, the elevated, green pedestrian path, and see a “runway in the sky,” according to his notes. That translated on the real runway at the Lincoln Center tents into classic tailored shapes – think pantsuits and trench coats – freshened up with touches of sheer, soft fabrics, and the feminine and optimistic colors of the season. Models also wore for at least the second time in the same day in the same venue printed garments covered in birds. Lippes’ best version was the black bird blouse with unexpected sheer panels and a scarf-tie neck, worn with a black cotton blazer and silk polka-dot shorts.His floral looks were bold, a nice touch when he used the same print on a light cotton short-sleeve shirt and a heavier denim pencil skirt. The all-over flowers also worked on a fully beaded cocktail dress. It might have been too much of a good thing, though, on a jumpsuit.

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