Alistair Carr

It's only his second collection for McQ Alexander McQueen, but Alistair Carr has long since hit his stride. His use of the Prince of Wales check is a spot-on trend, but he infused the McQueen aesthetic by applying it to motorcycle jackets and suits covered in the screen-printed stripes of a tiger.

That idea — letting the codes of the the company's more expensive label inform what goes on in its secondary collection — seems to be guiding Carr's work. The nipped-in waist and wide, metallic belts Sarah Burton has been showing in the main collections appeared here, too, most notably on a wide-sleeved sweater dress and in a black-and-red double-breasted coat.

In the space of one season, Pringle of Scotland has gone from a having a high-profile creative director and full-scale runway shows to an in-house design team dressing models for an intimate presentation in a hotel suite. How has the absence of Alistair Carr affected the venerable knitwear house's offering for Spring 2013? Gone are Carr's rambunctious neon prints and asymmetrical cardigans, replaced by straightforward cocktail dresses, pleated skirts, and an update on the argyle print the house is known for.

"The collection was a soul-searching mission, and we delved back into our heritage," said the label's CEO, Jean Fang. Most of the knitwear, in some of the finest cashmere the house has ever produced, was made in Scotland, with a smidgen coming from mills in Italy. But never mind that; this collection examined the work Pringle produced in the '50s, but updated it with contemporary tailoring and decoration. One short-sleeved, cobalt-blue sweater was richly decked out with baby-blue-and-pink rhinestones, and a boxy gray cotton jacket was affixed with a knit collar and sleeves. The skirt that went with it — like many of the skirts and trousers in this collection — had its seams brought forward to the hips to create interesting pleats.

Our tailored staples are getting a candy-colored wash for Spring. Pringle of Scotland kept it simple in silhouettes but told a vibrant color story with primaries and pastels (and sweet side-swept ponytails and red lips) indicative of a retro girl. Pullovers and cardigans were reworked in cobalt and a splash of marigold, just as the lineup of slim trousers, pleated skirts, and easy sheath dresses were. What set them apart was the attention to detail — embellishments, even appliques on sheer tunics (worn over pants), asymmetrical hemlines, and a flash of metallic accents that gave the line's polished fare contemporary confidence.

• Trends: Metallics, brights, colorblocking, sheer, dresses over pants.
• Colors: Silver, beige, black, bright yellow, cobalt blue, and fuchsia.
• Key Piece: The metallic and colorblocked trousers were a cooler, contemporary counterpart to the preppier staples.
• Accessories: Colored and metallic pointed-toe pumps, metallic belts.
• Who Should Wear It: This is for the preppy set — we could see the printed miniskirt and black peplum-style top looking sweet on Emma Stone.

Alistair Carr showed a range of sophisticated offerings for Pringle of Scotland's Fall collection. Incorporating a rich color palette and plenty of cozy texture, Carr created oversized coats embellished with eye-catching colored collars, knitted dresses, and a smart play on twinsets. The latter, showcased layered sweaters made to look like a sweater and shell combo, but is actually just one piece. Additional highlights included the graphic colorblock slim-fit dresses, soft pastel-hued knits, and tailored two-tone trousers. More details from the classic-cum-cool collection below.

• Trends: Colorblocking, oversized coats, leather..
• Colors: Orange, gray, navy, black, tan, white.
• Key Piece: The knit dresses and bright-collared coats showed gorgeous details and tailoring.
• Accessories: Buckled boots, platform pumps, printed belts.
• Who Would Wear It: Girls looking for a refreshing twist on classics like front row attendee Olivia Palermo.

>> Kicking off the Pre-Fall 2012 season is Alastair Carr's third collection for Pringle. "I looked at the classic knit pieces in the archives and wanted to twist things up a bit," he told Style.com of his latest offering. Seams and sweaters are literally twisted; the Pringle argyle has been amplified and sewn on sweaters in colored crystals; and Carr replaced the classic twinset with a "triple set": a coat, sweater, and trousers. The graffiti print pants and dresses, meanwhile, were drawn from an image the designer snapped of Paris street art.