New York, Feb 14: The best clothes enhance the wearer - her smile, her eyes, her outlook. Carolina Herrera's fall collection offered Monday at New York Fashion Week highlighted what's likely to be a trend for next season, and a welcome one at that: Modern styles that put the focus on a woman's face thanks to high, interesting necklines.
No decollete and not a lot of leg, either. Attention was drawn upward as one model wore a hand-painted organza scarf with her navy wool suit with black grosgrain detail, and another wore a tweed suit with a fox-fur collar.
There was a lovely lilac cashmere kaleidoscope-print scarf that complemented a cropped purple-wool jacket and slim silk mikado pant.
Herrera went with a more architectural silhouette than a frilly one, but as a seasoned supplier of chic clothes, she moves easily between the two looks.
The finale ballgown in bright pink was worn off the shoulder with a folded fabric bodice.
A key daytime outfit - something her luxury-seeking customers count on her for - was a navy knit turtleneck with a broadtail-fur (flat lambswool) front and an indigo-colored pencil skirt.
For the day-to-night lifestyle, there was a sparkly embroidered navy-colored cowl top worn under a knit coat.
She featured a series of abstract prints on her eveningwear, which made a statement on the catwalk at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week but might be hard to appreciate in tighter quarters. But, alas, the Herrera woman lives in a world of grand entrances.
Herrera loyalist Renee Zellweger once again filled her spot in the front row.