Yigal Azrouel

Gorgeous wool, luxurious fur, and sleek leather — Yigal Azrouël's Fall '13 runway collection was filled with a textural medley of modern pieces. The designer's knack for sharp sophistication was made evident via tapered trousers, chic blazers, and slick peplum tops. However, it was Azrouël's outerwear that stole the show. From tailored cashmere overcoats to subversive, leather-embellished parkas, see the stunning top 11 outerwear pieces that caught our eye — and you'll understand why Azrouël garnered such a loud applause from the audience today at the Highline Stages.

It's been said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and some of the industry's biggest names seem to take that old adage to heart. More than one attendee of last night's opening dinner for the WWD CEO Summit told us that staying active is the best way to stave off sickness.

"I exercise a lot because I like to do Iron Man triathlons," Elettra Wiedemann said, "so I feel like my immune system is generally kind of boosted by all the exercise."

When we asked Theory CEO Andrew Rosen how he stays healthy, he said simply, "I go to the gym every day."

What other methods do fashion people use to stay healthy — or get well again — when cold and flu season strikes? The answers here in the gallery.

Photo courtesy of Billy Farrell Agency

We asked Derek Lam, Karen Walker, Brad Goreski, Peter Som, Cushnie et Ochs, and many more: What are you currently listening to and (even better) which songs define your Spring 2013 collection? Listen to the complete playlist below, then click through the slideshow to find out who's listening to what, who's listening to the same thing (you'll never guess), and which songs might just feature heavily on this week's catwalks. 

Just like fashion, nature is ever-evolving. Yigal Azrouel was inspired by environmental elements for his Spring 2013 beauty look. Windblown hair, mineralized makeup, and models au naturel were seen on the runway. But you can get the same thing at home (even if you're in a hurry).

The look: Mineral-inspired eyeliner, bare nails, and wispy chignons.
The inspiration: The four elements: air, water, earth, and fire.
Who would wear it: A working woman with minimal time for beauty — but who still wants to look stylish.

Source: IMAXtree

With hues including "ice, quartz, and cactus" — and a quiet, architecturally tailored ease to match — Yigal Azrouel's Spring 2013 collection delivered a lineup that felt every bit the part of understated femininity. We were instantly captivated by the sexy crisscross back details, full ladylike skirts, and billowing floor-length dresses. Though it wasn't all clean, fluid lines. Reminding us it always pays to mix it up, Azrouel also offset his elongated silhouettes with chunkier waffle knits (most adorned with drawstring hoods), eyelet-embroidered racerback maxi dresses, and strong, structured blazers. The collection felt simple, but not in a plain way. It's the kind of clothes you can count on for classic lines and all-season appeal. Click through for your first look at Yigal Azrouel's Spring 2013 collection now.

• Trends: Long and loose silhouettes, hooded knits, crisscross detailing, interesting textural use (think waffle knits and eyelet embroidery).
• Colors: Soft earthy tones — white, cream, tan — with darker khaki greens, black, and navy blues.
• Key Piece: It's a tie: we'll take one of the nude pink sheaths with the sexy crisscross back and one of those open-weave waffle-knit sweaters to keep us warm on chilly beach-bound nights.
• Accessories: Flat leather sandals, double ankle-strap sandals, large python portfolio clutches, and hoods on everything.
• Who Should Wear It: This collection begs to be worn by street-style pros — the ones who have an innate sense of how to layer longer proportions with heavier, cropped ones. Plus, we're pretty sure these stylers may be the only ones to pull off the fully hooded look, too.

Monastic in its simplicity and effortless in its wearability, Yigal Azrouel's Spring 2013 collection drew inspiration from organic architecture in the natural world. The silhouettes were therefore clean in appearance, but not necessarily simple in construction. Hand detailing touched everything from the collection's sandals to its handknitted dresses and chunky sweaters. The color palette, described in the show notes as including "ice, quartz, and cactus," kept the mood subdued, but waffle knits and cotton eyelets drove visual interest. So too did the disembodied drawstring hoods that Azrouel paired with many of the looks in the collection, which at times called to mind sisters in a particularly chic order of nuns.

"At the time, I thought I was in the chicest place in the universe," said Peter Som of his first time at New York Fashion Week as a Parsons student. In honor of that impending chicness, we spoke with him and others — veterans and newcomers alike — to hear the experiences of their first shows, their most memorable moments, and how they plan to recover after the madness of the week is over.

Pamela Love remembers being nervous the first time Anna Wintour attended one of her shows (who wouldn't be?), and Chris Benz told us about his very own House of Style moment at Marc Jacobs's Spring 2002 show. We also heard tales from Rebecca Minkoff, Rachel Comey, Yigal Azrouel, Jenni Kayne, and many others. Read on for a look at their most memorable Fashion Week moments — and find out who was so starstruck by Chloe Sevigny that they offered to let her skip the bathroom line — here, in the gallery.

— Reporting by Christina Pérez

Yigal Azrouël designed his Fall '12 collection for a woman who is "fearless in her outlook and quiet in her confidence." Drawing from the spirit of Françoise Hardy, Yigal sent sophisticated, ladylike looks with an exotic twist down the runway. To put it simply, it was a luxurious mélange of plush raccoon-fur cossacks, long cashmere coats with leather-trimmed pockets, pebble-printed silk jumpsuits, snakeskin gloves, and one jaw-dropping laser-cut crepe leather gown. Add to the mix lambskin pants and structured leather jackets in a covetable palette of autumnal henna, bordeaux, and evergreen hues, and you've got a cold-weather wardrobe worth lusting after. As Yigal put it, this collection is all about "the unintentional beauty in mystery."

• Trends: Ultra-luxe outwear, contoured hoods, reinvented wool silhouettes, and exotic textures.
• Colors: Henna red, bordeaux purple, muted navy, pale forest green, and slick black-and-brown combos.
• Key Piece: We love the juxtaposition of this floor-length black gown — precise laser-cut detail and daring proportions all in one go.
• Accessories: Plush add-ons; two-tone fur and leather booties, leather-trimmed pockets, snakeskin gloves, and raccoon-fur hats.
• Who Would Wear It: The effortlessly poised woman with a flair for surprise, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham.

>> If ladylike and badass made love, Yigal Azrouel's Fall 2012 collection would be their genius offspring. And, like any love child, two genes must each lend their unique touches. Here, the demure (midcalf skirts) met the totally edgy (leather touches and sheer dresses) — still, it's obvious the genes of badass reigned supreme. Fur trapper hats, aviator sunglasses, silver chokers, and leather gloves set the tone, while baby-blue hues and outerwear worn over the models' shoulders lent an air of femininity. Bursts of maroon, forest green, ivory, and oatmeal further kept the collection — and audience — on its toes.