Fall 2009

Someone once said - the autumn collections, as well as men, women always expected too much, and those that fail ...

You must agree with me, this is different!

Party Like It's

1983

The eighties—the decade that fashion won't forget. Marc Jacobs led the latest revival with an unapologetic dose of New York nightclub nostalgia (metallic leather and acid-wash jeans, anyone?). Antonio Berardi and Gucci's Frida Giannini also went after-hours glam via crystal-studded minidresses and sharkskin suits, respectively. And leave it to Donatella Versace to put a gloss on the era with the season's most irresistibly sexy party dresses.

Biker

Brigade

Designers went, ahem, hog wild for zipped and shrunken toppers this season. Balmain's Christophe Decarnin is the poster boy for the tough-chic trend, of course, but Haider Ackermann, Alexander Wang, and Roland Mouret also revved up the look's have-to-have-it factor.

Boudoir

Crossing

From lacy bralettes at Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton to molded corsets at Fendi and Hussein Chalayan, all eyes were on the bust for Fall. That is, when they weren't on the legs or the midriff. YSL's Stefano Pilati channeled Elsa Peretti as a Playboy bunny with a leather one-piece that bared his model's gams, while Roberto Cavalli and Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci played a game of now-you-see-it, now-you-don't peekaboo.

Forties And

Fabulous

Adrian lives! The costume designer who made an icon of Joan Crawford and a virtue of out-to-there shoulder pads would have approved of the Fall 2009 productions. Dolce & Gabbana, Lanvin's Alber Elbaz, and Aquilano.Rimondi whipped up 1940's tailleurs to do an MGM star proud, while Zac Posen, Victoria Beckham, and Bottega Veneta's Tomas Maier focused on long, languorous looks for impossibly glamorous evenings.

Ruche

Hour

Designers went completely drape for Fall. Both miniskirts and jodhpurs came swagged in silk charmeuse at Balenciaga; no outfit was complete without five, six, or seven mix-and-match layers at Missoni's nouveau nomadic show; and the fluid evening numbers at Donna Karan and Oscar de la Renta were so red carpet-ready they gave new meaning to the notion of "destination dressing”.

Smart

Investments

When the going gets tough, the tough wear camel hair. And pinstripes. The classics were back in full force on the runways—even rule breakers Christopher Kane and Miuccia Prada sent out double-breasted jackets, while Ralph Lauren and Marni's Consuelo Castiglioni went with tweed. In risky times, nothing spells sartorial security like a Burberry trench, a Chanel suit, or, just possibly, a swaggering fur-lapel great coat from Hermès.

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