Narciso Rodriguez

>> Fall 2012 had Narciso Rodriguez referencing some pretty varied inspiration: "Collaging, collecting, color, film stills, many artists, the film world," the designer listed after his show. For a less-disciplined type, this kind of vague assortment might run the risk of turning into a directionless jumble. Luckily, Rodriguez is nothing if not a minimalist, and so these pieces were bold, cohesive, and forward-thinking. The designer emphasized volume this season, working sculptural folds, architectural draping, and trapeze shapes into his signature silhouettes. Colorblocking — in a robust palette of green, tangerine, and red — was used to artful effect.

This season also marks the debut of Rodriguez's new accessory and shoe collection. In luxe leather, exotic skins, and enticing silhouettes, they were a gorgeous addition to an already-strong collection.

>> The brushstroke prints peppered throughout Narciso Rodriguez's Pre-Fall 2012 collection were achieved by photographing some of the paintings the designer does on weekends through sheets of glass. "We've been playing with the idea of creating painterly effects on woven fabrics for a few seasons now," Rodriguez noted. "We just keep evolving . . . and computerizing them." Also of note: the three reversible coats, featuring detachable fox fur sleeves.

We've seen a lot of sporty-chic collections at New York Fashion Week, but we haven't seen anything quite like Narciso Rodriguez's Spring collection. Sleek, graphic colorblocking and swirl prints inspired by the work of Korean artist Kim Joon dominated the refined collection, showing off just the right amount of color and splash. The show, which started off with simple tees paired with the coolest pair of jagged waistband trousers we've ever seen, gained verve with every look. Colorblocked, asymmetric wrap skirts, graphic patchwork jackets, and backless draped vests followed in turn, showing off Narciso's penchant for jagged hemlines this season. Narciso took our breath away for eveningwear with an array of diaphanous swirled dresses paired with neon colored bras. We can't wait to see which celebs will be rocking these looks on the red carpet.

Narciso injected his minimalist doctrine with a dressed-up edginess for Fall. He set the tone with his first look: androgynous-looking model Saskia, with her cropped haircut and strong jaw, in a loose pair of trousers and a collarless leather and angora vest. From there, we saw two main ideas: structure via wool trousers and sharp jackets, and softness via silk chiffon dresses in blown-out graphic prints. What really astounded was the use of fabrics and color to reinvent the silhouettes. A strip of orange, lavender, and violet lent femininity to dresses and coats, and panels of leather or chiffon could toughen or soften a piece.

• Trends: Minimalism, colorblock, sheerness, graphic prints.
• Colors: Black, gray, ice, red, pink, lavender, rust.
• Key Looks: The chiffon dresses with flat suede boots highlight the tough/soft mentality.
• Accessories: Pointy-toe flat boots.
• Who Would Wear It: Women who go for pure, clean lines and a tougher minimalism. Tilda Swinton would rock this entire collection.