The basics for the season are cropped pants, shorts, the pant suit and dresses topped with jackets. Hats made a comeback with plenty of styles: Gaucho hats, mod leather caps, fedoras, flapper cloches and furry Cossack headgear.
Many designers showed their wears in spectacular Baroque settings, either in actual historic palaces or settings recreated on the runway, which only enhanced the richness of the clothing.
Brooches and other ornaments were stitched onto garments, evoking a theatrical feel.
Booties -- military or Victorian -- were a favorite. Heels were high, but not incredibly so, with the Mary Jane the prevalent style. Flourishes were added to shoes: sparkles, bows, buttons and golden accents.
Several top fashion jobs were in flux. Raf Simons presented his final collection for the Jil Sander label, making way for the namesake designer to return to the fashion house she founded in the 1960s. Simons' triumphant farewell collection contrasted with the opulence of many of the runways: it was soft, feminine and minimalist.
The palette was mainly black, offset by deep reds, blues, and the return of purple. A few designers preferred a contrast with soft pastels, white and beige.
The 2013 winter bag is average size, and usually carried by the handle. For night, the looks favored tiny clutches.
Designed by Christopher Kane, the collection exuded vibrancy in both colour -- fuchsia, acid green and peacock blue -- and repeating geometric prints.
In an overall street-wise collection, Kane included romantic looks: empire-waisted mini-dresses or off-the-shoulder V-necks in tie-dye fabrics.
But the Versus girl wants to show her tough side. Mini-dresses were paired with thigh-high boots, either in all black or matching geometric prints.
Sheer black accents gave asymmetrical off-shoulder dresses a rocker feel. And tough burgundy leather biker pants contrasted with a shaggy Mongolian sheepskin jacket.
The setting was high school, the music was 1960s rock and the clothes were perfect for a date with Fonzie. The designing twins Dean and Dan Caten were all about "Happy Days" and carefree nights.
Teeny bopper models in sequinned sneakers and pert caps sported tight cropped jeans or a hip-hugging skirt, paired with colourful leather jackets for a hot date at the movies. The high school dance calls for a switch to high-heeled sequinned pumps and beehive hair styles.More sophisticated than her grandmother, our teenage queen prefers black to yesteryear pastels for her slit-up the side prom gown. This girl also has expensive tastes.