Klein and Lauren, No Looking Back

You have to be new in fashion, or you’re on the side. It’s as simple, and as complicated, as that. There may be a recession coming, and you would think that designers would want to create new and desirable looks, but that has not been the story of the fall 2008 collections, which ended on Friday night with Marc Jacobs.

Two exceptions are Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, and it’s not because they’re big names or anything like that. On Friday morning, dressed in faded jeans, Mr. Lauren offered cool, polished sportswear, drawing on Adirondack lodge style or what must be a very chic log cabin.

There were lean suits and dresses in charcoal cashmere, tailor-made for people looking for quality and a contemporary fit. The collection was also loaded with classics like a long swing skirt in black jersey and elegant shoes and boots in suede and crocodile. This has been a merciless season of ugly shoes. But Mr. Lauren was also fantastical. It was as if the lumberjack plaids, the feathered sequined skirts, a red Mounties jacket and the organza plaid gowns were part of a private house party, in which the guests only slightly bothered to put on evening clothes and instead made use of anything available a blanket, a pheasant’s tail.

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