A beautiful show by Ralph Rucci. Here, his sometimes highfalutin style was softened just so — fabrics seemed lighter, lines less severe and the colors, mostly black and white with the occasional dash of red, crisp. The opening look, a sharp black suit and whisper-thin chiffon blouse, set a chic but real tone maintained by the silk trenches and suiting, some with sheer paneling and full skirts, that followed. Some of the best examples of this newfound ease were Rucci’s shirtdresses done in delicate pintucked chiffon.

The mood was pretty and feminine, even romantic for evening, where Rucci turned out some frilled and feathered stunners, such as a cocktail dress scattered with ombréd silk tulle paillettes. Still, Rucci left plenty of room for his signature art and architectural effects — corded “vertebrae” on slim dresses and geometric tulle patterns on jackets — which were also done with more approachable attitude. Less so when it came to the Asian gown’s grand gestures and Pina Bausch photo prints. But as Rucci said in his show notes, the collection was an evolution, not a revolution.