New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 Favorites

Rodarte
Looks like leather and shearling are here to stay. Can't say I'm disappointed!

Preen
As usual, Preen whips up the best prints: ladylike yet dangerous. And don't throw out those wedges just yet — it's a platform party!

Naeem Khan
It doesn't get must more Oscar-ready than this. Khan's ultra-glam collection was inspired by the bindi — a small dot Indian women wear on their foreheads.

Oscar de la Renta
Oh, Oscar. Is there nothing you can't do? The man's been in business for nearly 50 years and he still manages to stun each season. I'm trying to get one of my girlfriends to buy an Oscar de la Renta gown for her wedding. Mostly so I can live vicariously through her. Siiiigh...

Araks
I hadn't heard of this up-and-comer until recently (apparently she's best known for designing the lingerie Scarlett Johansson wore in Lost in Translation), but it's safe to say this collection is one of the best best displays of sculptural minimalism yet.

All photos via style.com

That's it for now! I'll post more as the photos trickle in.

Christopher Straub Spring/Summer 2012

Project Runway Season Six contestant Christopher Straub showed his Spring/Summer 2012 collection at the Westin Hotel in Edina, Minn. this afternoon, to benefit the Child Neurology Foundation. I found it to be quite an improvement over previous collections in both design and construction.

Straub's prints, my favorite part of the show, were beautiful and in keeping with the current psychedelic trend. His strongest garments also happened to be the simplest, such as a chic white snakeskin jacket and skirt, and sleek dresses, skirts and tops in the aforementioned print. His tailoring, especially with the jackets, was flawless. I spotted very few fit issues throughout the presentation.

Straub showed a range of silhouettes, from long, flowing dresses to an agressive, spiky black statement dress and skirt that looked rather painful to sit in. His palette was cohesive, with the main themes being the psychedelic print, white snakeskin and black spikes. He made a impressive snakeskin finale gown (last photo) — a tricky feat to pull off, but it looked rather elegant, especially on the Swinton-esque model.

Some problems arose in the details. I disliked the ruffles and thought they cheapened what would've been an elegant garment in each instance. I also thought the black dress with the spikes on the shoulder looked awkward and oddly shaped. But my least favorite piece was the black dress with the shiny black circle appliques. It made the model look like she was covered in hundreds of miniature records ... not to mention inexpensive.

In my opinion, Straub's best results are the simplest — a well-cut jacket, sleek dresses and separates, and eye-catching prints. No need to add ruffles or hundreds of shiny appliques, the latter of which probably wouldn't sell as well as simpler designs anyway. Leather will likely always appear in his body of work — as it should. Not a lot of designers know how to work with leather, but he does.

Straub is clearly improving as a designer by leaps and bounds. He just needs a little editing and some steering in the right direction, which, judging by his growth thus far, is exactly where he's headed.

Celine Spring/Summer 2012, Paris Fashion Week

Minimalism at its finest. Phoebe Philo, the British fashion designer behind Céline, is the master of clean lines, luxurious fabrics and elegant draping mixed with refined tailoring. She's one of few designers who can make a t-shirt look legitimately expensive, as opposed to outrageously expensive.

I love this collection. It's not even my typical style, but who can deny the beauty and craftsmanship behind these clothes? They catch the attention without being being shocking. You could wear any of these pieces to work. In fact, that's my goal someday. I'll know I've made it when I'm sitting behind my computer in head-to-toe Céline.

Photos courtesy of style.com

Lela Rose Spring/Summer 2012

Is it just me, or could you see yourself wearing every single one of these pieces? Lela Rose did an amazing job balancing fresh, bold prints and accessible wearability. Even girls who don't like dressing too trendy could wear these clothes. The paint-splattered print, cropped jackets, polka-dot tulle — they're classic without being boring.

Lela Rose, a Texas native, is also well-known for her bridal collection. That's actually how I first heard about her. But over the last year or so, her ready-to-wear is starting to eclipse her wedding wear — with good reason.

Sophie Theallet Spring/Summer 2012

Tiny pleats, soft satin, floaty sheers and slinky silhouettes — Sophie Theallet borrowed heavily from the lingerie world for her spring/summer 2012 collection, shown last week in New York. I'm partial to all of those things ... except satin. Bridesmaids dresses have kind of ruined most traditional satins for me. But everything else needs to join my wardrobe immediately, especially the sheer, pleated plum dress in the third photo above, which I saw on a P.R. girl at the show. She wore it with a nude slip that peeked out at the hem — so romantic, chic and feminine.

Also, how perfect is that white wedding dress? I love its simplicity (no beads or jewels necessary) mixed with sexiness, courtesy of the plunging v-neck. After several years as a wedding magazine editor, you'd think I'd have seen it all, but some bridal gowns still stick out above the rest.

Funny thing about these photos — I arrived late to the show (otherwise I would've had backstage photos too!), so instead of fighting the crowd, I perched at the edge of the photography pit at the end of the runway. Turned out it's a pretty great place to get good images! That's not surprising at all, actually, but I'd always been too intimidated by the burly photographers to rub elbows with them at other shows.