After last season’s overdose of bad taste, there was really nowhere for Cristina Ortiz to go but up. And up she did, if only a small step, with a modestly improved fall lineup that centered on a rose motif. She worked the theme into rose-shaped jewelry and, less obviously so, into gently curved seams and hems. Rather than fall into a floral-print fixation, Ortiz stuck to monotone colors — dark ruby reds, violets and whites — and nodded toward sculptural romance with draped, folded and pleated details on sheaths and ladylike fare. As for evening, for the most part, she kept the trashy skin baring to a minimum with veiling effects, and she put more focus on architectural structure. That said, there were still some missteps: Many of her tailored constructions looked awkward and ill-fitting, and some of those massive sleeves were unflattering.