The Fashionable Kiffen: Day Four: The Trends Thus Far

Four days into NY fashion week, the key trends for fall 2006/winter 2007 are beginning to take shape. The color palette is very autumn: based on warm, dark neutrals, highlighted with rust, burnt orange, butterscotch, yellow, and a bit of turquoise. The silhouette is all over the board, with full skirts and puffed sleeves being important in many collections.

Belted and defined waists have made an appearance on more than one catwalk, and other accessories like fur trapper hats and round or peep-toe pumps were popular. The coat was an important item as well, with many styles nipped at the waist and ornately decorated.

A full length plum satin coat with fur trimmed sleeves from Carolina Herrera? Yes please. Her collection was had some real standouts (but just as many duds). Plenty of the elegant eveningwear she is known for, as well some gorgeous coats, many with touches of fur (somewhere, Anna Wintour is smiling). Her daywear, including a Mouret-inspired suit, was un-inspired.

DKNY was boring. And that's all there is to say about a collection that was mostly black, a little bit eighties and a little bit grunge, and featured neon yellow accents. Hopefully Donna's signature collection is better.

This sweet little white dress from Lela Rose is one of fall's most important shapes - elbow length puffed sleeves with a belted waist and an a-line skirt. Not only is it chic, it is also extremely flattering to nearly all body types.

Marc Jacobs's take on grunge mixed with a variety of other references fell totally flat. The clothes were shapeless, done in a mix of dull neutrals, and just kind of frumpy. In true Marc fashion, however, the accessories were good, especially the little red ankle boots.

Vena Cava, a young design duo with a sensibility that combines Parisian elegance with New York urban chic. Their chic little dresses and wide-leg pants were standouts of their beautifully presented collection. This label is definitely one to watch out for.

Tuleh was the first collection that wowed me. Gorgeously embellished coats, ladylike tweed suits, blouses with poet sleeves, and ostrich feather shrugs fit for the most glamourous among us combined to make a show full of memorable, wearable clothes in a mainly black, white, and animal print palette (accessorized with snakeskin peeptoes).