Sophistication is the New Black

Women are back in black at New York Fashion Week, which comes to a close today. I am loving the charcoal hues I’ve seen all over the runways, but that’s not to say the electric blues at Thakoon and Jill Stuart aren’t equally alluring. But the most exciting thing about new Fall/Winter collections is always silhouettes. With the chilly weather enabling you to bundle up in your best, designers are challenged to create new shapes for women. This year some of the enduring trends have stayed (layering, shifts and trapeze shapes, menswear as womenswear), but young designers like Zac Posen and Proenza Schouler have refined these silhouettes for the modern woman (and not to mention the impeccable styling on their runways!). It's not about vintage anymore; it's about moving forward to sophistication. Even Betsey Johnson classed it up this time around. It's refreshing to see looks that are more put together rather than the tangled mess that has been fashion for the past couple years. I've grown up and so should my clothes. But Derek Lam makes me truly enjoy being a girl, so I will remain a fan of flirty frocks. I love fashion because it's so eclectic in that way. You can be a femme fatale or a gamine. But what really matters is how a gorgeous piece of fabric or a flattering line can make you feel so beautiful.

Some collections were utterly disappointing, like Matthew Williamson and Anna Sui with her bohemian accouterments once again. And there were some standout designers that don't normally catch my eye, like Luca Luca and Michael Kors. But I loved the usual suspects most of all. Here are some of my favourite looks for next season: