Derek Lam Runway Retrospective

With New York Fashion Week underway, we're taking a closer look at some of our favorites designers and the collections that bear witness to their creative genius. Today, we hone in on the sporty-meets-minimalist wares of Derek Lam. Read on to see more of his past work as we eagerly await his Fall 2013 show.

Derek Lam made his Fashion Week debut in 2003, sending out a collection that would mark a new era in crisp, clean, American sportswear. He redefined the classics, crafting a cool line of looks that felt utterly modern thanks to smart tailoring and attention to detail. What remains in each reincarnation is an unmistakably chic aesthetic — effortless, easy, and wearable. He loves color as much as he loves black; he experiments as much with the classics as he does with edgier designs and prints, but continues to deliver a clever mix of the slick and the feminine. Click through for a look back at the San Francisco-born designer's runways and see exactly what we mean.