New York: Fashion's tastemakers and trendsetters started packing up on the eighth and final day of New York Fashion Week Thursday as shows began in London, followed by Milan and Paris.
But as the runway previews of fall looks continue in Europe, some early trends have emerged.
The most popular looks to grace the runways over the past eight days include leather, military — and menswear-inspired tailoring and an overall sultriness that finds its allure in the mystery of the woman sheathed in high necklines and leather leggings instead of bare skin or overt sexiness.
Some of the best looks at Ralph Lauren's show on Thursday were borrowed from the boys in a collection plucked from a closet of a British aristocrat.
Simple, jewelled
The eveningwear silhouettes were simple, jazzed up with jewelled collars - often with a high neckline.
"There's a real practicality to the season in New York. There's a lot of clothing that women will want to buy and wear," said Ariel Foxman, editor of InStyle magazine.
"I'm not seeing big, strong trend messaging. It's not all about colorblocking or all about military."
But one thing the stylish shopper will need is a new coat - could be a leather trench, an officer's jacket or a tweed blazer - but outerwear was the big story after many cycles of daytime dresses.
"It's interesting that in this mild winter there is so much outerwear," said Foxman. "This idea of what fall and winter should be doesn't go away."
Military look, with lace
Brandon Holley, editor in chief of Lucky magazine, liked that a single outfit could have the toughness of a military look combined with a prim lace collar.
Attention was also drawn to the face with turtlenecks, which plays into the covered-up sexiness.
"Sexy to me is an attitude or mindset," said designer Prabal Gurung, whose show was a top draw here. "There's nothing sexier than confidence this fall."
Well, there is all the leather, which sometimes was tough looking but otherwise soft and buttery like the best pair of gloves. Holley said she sometimes spots the trends by what the front row is wearing by the end of the week.
"I saw a lot of leather leggings. And then there were leather sleeves or leather pieces," she said. "It's about wearing a lot of leather but not wearing all leather."
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein designs have long been known for their razor-sharp lines, but the label's creative director Francisco Costa seems to have a knack for curves, too.
His fall collection presented as one of the last major shows of New York Fashion Week ended things the way the season largely started, offering clothes for a woman who can seduce and charm with intelligence and strength, but without wearing anything too tight or revealing.
Costa, in fact, purposely created a looser hourglass shape for this muse that gives room to move and breathe, sculpting stiff wool fabrics into outfits with rounded jewel necklines and a little extra fabric at the hips.
Fuller-shaped outfits
For most women, this is going to work better in coats than dresses, but on the models, it was nice to see the chic, fuller shape shifts.
"Mysterious, sexy and super urban" was how Costa described it just after the show. "The iconography for this is all super modern," he said. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" star Rooney Mara sat in the front row, and the clean, architectural and unadorned style that Costa has crafted as his Calvin Klein signature seems a perfect fit for her. She might be the one to pull off a leather look at the Academy Awards.
The colours, as usual here, were dark and stark, with the only bright moments coming from a few flashes of red and a salmon-colored dress made of a glazed tweed and tulle.
The mixing of fabrics that this crowd has gotten used to seeing over the past few days was done best on a dress that combined gray wool flannel and black shaved shearling. Another standout look was a black-leather, funnel-neck bodice and a winter-white moleskin skirt.
Costa also sneaked in white leather panels in the folds of some black pleated skirts.
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren and refinement go together like England and tweed. "I have always loved the heritage and romance of England," Lauren said in an email to The Associated Press.
To the music of "Downton Abbey," a popular PBS show about a British manor in the World War I era, models began their parade in riding clothes - plaid jodhpurs, houndstooth coats, Fair Isle sweaters and button-down shirts with contrasting white club collars - and ended in slinky evening gowns with jewelled collars.
There was variety in the silhouettes, with trousers, for example ranging from wide-leg pleated pants to slim cuts, and there were tailored jackets long and short. One of the most striking looks was an animal-print shearling jacket.
The new version of the pantsuit was a below-the-hip lean blazer with skinny pants in the same plaid pattern but different scales.
Bill Blass
The late Bill Blass made his fashion house famous with chic sportswear worn by a very glamorous crowd, and Jeffrey Monteiro, who designs the collection now, continued that tradition of sport and glamour.
On the runway, tuxedo pants had a drawstring waist and a black-metallic gown had gold racing stripes down its long sleeves. Monteiro did an uptown version of the military trend, but his strong-shouldered coats had jeweled buttons. The clothes had a nice balance of youthful spirit with classic silhouettes.
There was also a bit of fur, including a fox collar paired with a simple sheer black jumpsuit and black evening pants, but compared to other catwalks that have been covered in mink and even raccoon, Monteiro had a light touch.
He favoured contrasting shiny satin to matte wool with pops of metallics, which made the collection still seem fresh after scores of runway shows.
Chandeliered banquet hall
L'Wren Scott's show had it all: Caviar, a chandeliered banquet hall, and A-list - actually A-plus - guests like Mick Jagger - who happens to be the designer's longtime boyfriend - and Ellen Barkin.
As for the clothes, if you could get your mind off the rock icon in your midst, they were pretty luxurious, too, a mix of velvety or satiny gowns, bolero jackets and tea-length dresses, often with a vintage feel that matched the elegant surroundings. There was a jacquard tweed cape lined in purple feathers, for example, paired with a purple velvet high waisted pencil skirt.
There was a long deep-red velvet dress with a bow at the front. Bows also appeared at the back of jackets, along the hem. One of the fancier looks was a gold "caviar beads" gown with a black satin floor-length cape, and shiny gold shoes. And what Scott calls her "headmistress gown," in black satin.
