
Jewels for Autumn – Despite the autumn-winter season, Oscar de la Renta chose a jovial color palette of sky blue, powder pink and neutrals for his fall 2012 collection presented yesterday. Alongside the usual elegance from de la Renta, the showing was dominated by light layering, ladylike hemlines just above the knee and jewel prints made of actual photographs. Models also had jewels decorating their hair with crystal-encrusted headbands. Luxurious fabrics of silk, fur, lace, chiffon and cashmere brought a playful ambiance to the new season.

Charm School by Marc – The fall 2012 collection of Marc Jacobs’ wearable offshoot line–Marc by Marc Jacobs–featured a parade of school girl inspired ensembles complete with pleated skirts, modest sweaters and no-fuss dresses. The color palette was grounded in traditional colors of black, red, navy and sapphire. Prints ranged from tartan to stripes to floral. For outerwear, Jacobs also played with bulky shapes reminiscent of his mainline show but with a less severe outcome.

The Mad Hatter – For fall 2012, Marc Jacobs teamed up with milliner Stephen Jones to help envision his latest collection filled with oversize and floppy hats that could easily belong to Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter. Playing with the fairytale theme, Jacobs offered a fantastical play on proportions in the form of bulky skirts and jackets layered expertly for the autumn season. The color palette was steeped in moody hues with accents of gold, powder pink and lilac. Patterns ranged from paisley to floral which broke up the heavy silhouettes with levity. The show ended on a more subdued note, featuring a few pared down ensembles that lengthened in hemlines and flattened in shape.

Lam’s Classic Fall – Derek Lam’s fall 2012 collection had all the trappings of a classic, American sportswear outing with tapered trousers, chunky knitwear and kitschy prints on display for the upcoming season. Models hit the runway in slightly mussed beehives reflecting the sixties feel of the designs featuring wearable yet luxurious outerwear made of leather, lambskin and wool. Lam also lengthened his hemlines for fall, culminating in a modest and effortlessly chic black ensemble worn by model Katryn Kruger for the finale.

A Light Touch to Fall – Jill Stuart’s signature feminine, airy frocks were out in full force for her fall 2012 show presented earlier today during New York Fashion Week. The color palette was dark, with pops of metallic, plum and navy to lighten to mood. Not one to pass on demureness, Stuart also featured a mix of lace and ruffles with peekaboo cutouts and leggy hemlines for a sexy touch. Outerwear included puffy coats belted at the waist, making a strong contrast to the flirty dresses and skirts which dominated the runway for fall.

Wu’s Armored Lady – Jason Wu delivered strict elegance with an homage to his Chinese roots for his fall 2012 show presented earlier today during New York Fashion Week. Form-fitting yet ladylike silhouettes hit the catwalk with sportswear undertones in the form of belted coats and capes. Military inspired jackets were accented with brocade, tassels and Swarovski crystals for a glamorous twist. Fall brought out a tougher, sleeker outing than what we would expect with high slits, leather and luxurious furs.