[Images via Style.com]

Full of bright colors and bold prints, this collection wasn’t suppressed by the wearing moods of the recession. Within this return to luxury, there were at least five opulent purple dresses, each unique with over-sized puff sleeves or large sequin detailing or wave-like draping, which marked marked a turning point in fashion this season. No longer will we surround ourselves in drab monotones and minimalism to the point of boring; black and brown aren’t colors to live a life in, so take instead the colors pieced together in this Spring 2010 collection. The pinnacle of the lavish motif was the show’s final look; a massive navy tulle gown plastered with crystals across the chest, in glorified feminine style.

But what we cannot forget about Oscar de la Renta are his accessories. Creating handbags, shoes, and belts, is nothing new to Oscar, however the new ground this year is his fashion jewelry line. Tapping into his Dominican heritage, many of the necklaces were very ethnic  with braided silk and bright colors like melon and peridot, but there were also some classic gold pieces sprinkled throughout the runway that any woman could easily wear.

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[Images via Style.com]

Chanel

Chanel S/S 2010 was, hands down, my favorite collection of the season. It managed to be fun yet sophisticated and was showcased amidst farm scenery, though the clothes were not overshadowed by the uniqueness of the down on the farm set. The show had a very “Marie Antoinette” feel to it:  a charming and romanticized take on rustic country life full of sweet and delicate dresses paired with a pale color palette of black, red, and blue accents. Though the collection was nothing truly groundbreaking, it stayed true to Chanel’s aesthetic and played up its own trends instead of giving us yet another take on trends we have seen over and over again this season.

[Images via Style.com]

Hermès

Tennis was the theme at Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2010 Hermès collection. I wasn’t too keen on the idea upon hearing the pitch for the line, but as soon as I saw the clothes — and, of course, the impeccable bags — I quickly changed my mind. Gaultier delivered a sophisticated, timeless collection for Hermès that is on-trend without veering too far overboard nor disposable once the next season rolls around. Each piece was beautiful, wearable, and effortless, from the tennis skirts to the silver chain-linked belts.

[Images via Style.com]

Alexander McQueen

Appropriately titled “Plato’s Atlantis,” Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2010 RTW collection was out of this world and was truly one of my favorite shows of the season. Inspired by mankind’s evolution from the sea and the idea that we may someday return, the dramatic collection featured 10-inch heels, belle-skirt silhouettes, braided asymmetrical hairstyles, aquatic colors, and intricate, digitally printed dresses. Evolution is still stuck in McQueens head, and ours, from the Darwinian-inspired collection that featured large to small taxidermied animals framing the runway.  With this collection, McQueen proved he still knows how to put on a show — the hair, makeup, clothing volume (not to mention the shoes!), and overall primitive/futuristic aesthetic were combined in a slightly unsettling, almost scary, way — and the outcome was a brilliantly creative work of art.

-Sarah Nason

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[Images from londonfashionweek.co.uk]

Matthew Williamson

Back to London fashion week in order to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Matthew Williamson introduced a somewhat surprising collection that featured body conscious and modern clothes instead of his signature boho look full of florals and butterfly prints. The clothes were heavy with intricate embellishments, geometric designs (the triangle prints were especially exquisite), metallics, gathered waist skirts/shorts and bright colors. All in all, the show featured a lot of the trends we’ve seen thus far for Spring 2010 collections — nothing too revolutionary and perhaps slightly unfocused — though Williamson’s interpretations are definitely among the best, and of course a collection does not have to be cutting-edge to be good. Very bold, very flashy and very on-trend, the collection however remains completely wearable and feminine, true to Williamson’s roots.

[Images from londonfashionweek.co.uk]

Sass & Bide

Made up entirely of Sass & Bide’s signature black, white, and gold color palette, this show nevertheless remained unique and captivating and is definitely my favorite collection from Sass & Bide in quite a while. From pristine and glamorous chrome-topped Grecian gowns to harem pants to (my personal favorite) metal leggings, the clothes are reminiscent of the ancient Egyptians and Aztecs, creating a futuristic warrior-chic feel and are able to separate themselves from the other collections we’ve seen thus far that have heavily favored embellishments.

[Images from londonfashionweek.co.uk]

Jonathan Saunders

The muted, calming color palatte shown at Jonathan Saunders was a welcome change from the dramatic detailing that’s been so popular on the runways for S/S 2010. The light, breezy fabrics and transparency come like a breath of fresh air and this collection is truly perfect for springtime. The models sported fresh-out-of-the-shower hair, which added to the overall ethereal aesthetic of the collection. Neon colors and linear designs were overlapped with frosty shades that created both a soft and modern, if not exciting, effect.

-Sarah Nason

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Genetic Denim:
Genetic denim featured dreamy music and models not quite fully dressed lounging casually beneath a “jean” tree.
The denim was ready for the warmer weather, complete with plenty of “summer white” selections. My number one pick? The mock alligator white jeans! (see photo)

Davidelfin:

Perhaps David Elfin’s show was titled “Playback” in part to  represent the visual echo displayed between his male and female looks that graced the runway. The models, alternating between girl-boy-girl-boy, entered the runway through the mystical white fringe adorned with colorful and glittery shoes (I’m itching for a pair of the blue glitter booties!).
Androgyny and asymmetry were strong themes throughout his monochromatic, mainly  teal collection, which evolved from lighter to darker hues. There were tons of suits and tailored looks, clingy dresses, skorts and skort pants, missing sleeves, and even a men’s tube top. The collection certainly didn’t lack inspiration, but in terms of wearabiliity, some of the more dramatic garments seemed made for the flashing lights of the runway, but

nonetheless, David Elfin’s collection was sleek, sexy and sophisticated, thus making his first showing in the tents at Bryant Park an overall success.

-Heidi Sloane