Twinkle by Wenlan: Wenlan Chia stayed true to her penchant for tossing textured knits over light fabrics like silk georgette, while adding signature whimsical touches, such as a charming trompe l'oeil button motif on an intarsia sweater.

Lela Rose: The fun of Lela Rose's otherwise predictably pretty collection was to be found in some lean paillette dresses and a few terrific mixes of sporty and dressy, such as the taffeta parka over a sequined tank.

Form: In their most mature collection yet, design collective Jerry Tam, Kelly Andrews and Eric Werner presented convention with a twist in wool suits and silk dresses that erased the line between the conceptual and the wearable.

Jeremy Laing: Snaps and sequins — on billowy Ts and gowns — made an appearance at the typically minimalist Jeremy Laing, where they worked best on form-fitting dresses.

Costello Tagliapietra: Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra's theme of a hauntingly Grimm fairy tale added depth to their usual repertoire of alluring draped dresses, including the standout raccoon-print opener, but the duo still needs to shake off the repetition that often bogs down their shows.

Sass & Bide: At Sass & Bide, Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke worked their classic, exuberant flourishes, such as sequins on tunics and superbright red, green and yellow plaids, into a tightly edited collection that stayed on the wearable side of edgy (the shirred black leggings were a hit).

Rock & Republic: After several seasons of revving up his business, Rock & Republic creative director Michael Ball installed red-carpet maestro David Cardona as his vp of design, and his signature hard-edged sex appeal was all over the runway, from the dramatic silk jersey gowns to pleated leather coats trimmed with fox.

Abaeté: In her first attempt at true sportswear, Laura Poretzky turned out a successful lineup of ruffled tops, pleated trousers, embroidered skirts and outerwear, but not to worry, she still featured plenty of cocktail dresses, whether corseted or draped, Grecian-style.

Jovovich-Hawk: There was a real sweetness to Milla Jovovich and Carmen Hawk's fall collection, made up of lean wool suits and swingy dresses, with embroidered hearts showing up on a black jumper and stripes on silk dresses.