Altuzarra

Congratulations are in order for a group of young designers including Joseph Altuzarra, Bibhu Mohapatra, and Wes Gordon, all of whom are in the American finals for the 2014 International Woolmark Prize.

The group of finalists, which includes seven other design houses, will compete for the opportunity to go up against designers from Australia, China, India, and Europe in Milan next year. One American designer will be selected to represent the United States this July, when the 10 finalists present competition collections made with merino wool.

The prize for breaking through the other finalists and into the last round of competition is $100,000 toward that designer's next collection; the international prize is another $100,000, plus the opportunity to sell the winning collection in stores all over the world.

A look at who else is in the running, here in the gallery.

After two seasons filled with embellishments and embroideries, Joseph Altuzarra offered up a Fall 2013 collection that was as pared down as the others were glittering — but the result was no less dazzling.

The focus this time around was on "the street" and the slick reflections, hard surfaces, and strict lines found there. Thus, these were clothes that felt powerful, strong, and graphic — pieces built not just for city life but from it. Coats, trenches, and pencil skirts were cut in silhouettes straight out of the '80s, with the broad shoulders, nipped-in waists, and exaggerated hips favored by that era's big business power ladies. Fabrics like bonded crepe, felted wool, vinyl, and leather gave those silhouettes structure, while the mostly black, white, and taupe palette let Altuzarra's masterful seaming and careful construction shine. If all that sounds a tad severe, never fear. There were also coats made from black and white fox fur, collars and lapels made of mink, hems that shimmered with rows of snaps and buttons, and flashes of vivid orange.

Joseph Altuzarra is already on his fifth Spring collection, and the young designer's star power is now firmly established. For 2013, the beauty look mirrored the clothing: precise, ladylike cool with absolutely nothing out of place.

The look: A mirror-shine bow for the hair, neat matte nails, and clean makeup
The inspiration: Chic femmes and equestrian polish
Who would wear it: Women with excellent taste and effortless class

Source: IMAXtree

Expanding on the blending of cultures he explored in last season's winning Corto Maltese-inspired romp, the designer found inspiration this time around in a traveler of another sort: the century-hopping, continent-crossing, and gender-bending protagonist of the 1992 film Orlando. And, just as that film spanned eras and melded masculine with feminine to stunning visual effect, so did Altuzarra.

But it wasn't just the designer's innovative period mixing that made this collection such a knockout. It's that Altuzarra knows his away around some mean tailoring, and that's where the story really gets good. Jackets — many of which referenced classic workwear with utilitarian zippers, engineering stripes, and visible topstitching — were so well-constructed they veered close to couture. And those blazers that could be worn like capes, thanks to the thoughtful addition of openings under the sleeves? You could practically hear the editors' mental cheers.

That attention to detail was evident in the evening looks too. But instead of the sharp tailoring offered for day, here it was all about careful, structured draping. Dresses in embroidered silks were wrapped artfully so that they resembled sarongs and scarves, and many dripped exotically with golden tassels and fringe. The effect, to put it simply, was breathtaking.

It may have been pouring outside, but inside at Altuzarra's show, we were transported far from the storm to a beautiful place, where classical music serenaded the crowd and front-row attendees Kate Bosworth, Anna Dello Russo, and Nina Garcia, and models made their way down the catwalk in up-to-the-neck fringe, embellishment, and knee-high gladiator boots (that we're betting Dello Russo was mentally adding to her Spring shopping list). To say that the stakes were high for the CFDA award-winner (in a room packed with the fashion elite) would be a serious understatement. Those expectations were palpable as the lights faded, but with the designer's first look (a cape paired with a pin-striped button-down and slim skirt and a pair of knee-high statement sandal-boots), it was clear he would deliver everything — and more than — the crowd was hoping for. There were hushed gasps, first over the stunning shoes, then more as the lineup turned from structured and sophisticated menswear-infused jackets and trousers and lean, closely-fitted skirts to a more exotic exploration in draped, fringed, and embroidered skirts and tops layered with tassels that felt all at once regal and wanderlust-inspired. Throughout, there was a sense of both the opulent sophisticate and the world-traveled gypsy: rich fabrications and gold accents — and did we mention the shoes? — all added up to Altuzarra's fantasy-inducing Spring.

• Trends: Fringe, draping, capes, slits.
• Colors: Gold, blue, white, neutral shades of gray, tan, and olive, and floral print.
• Key Piece: It may just be the drama-inducing footwear.
• Accessories: Statement gladiator boots and open-toe knee-high boots.
• Who Should Wear It: Cate Blanchett, Taylor Tomasi Hill, Zoe Saldana, Kate Bosworth, and Gwyneth Paltrow could all carry it off.