The Best Looks From New York Fashion Week Fall 2016

From spring's Ziegfeld-ish show girls to this fall's hyper-dramatic "little monsters." Marc Jacobs never fails to deliver theater with a dose of thought-provoking clothing. This season, Keijo Haino served as his sounding board—literally, the far out Japanese musician's most notable contribution is for his use of ma, the empty space between noise or songs. Here, that empty space took on a haunted quality, one Jacobs filled with his little monsters and some major proportions.

The collection was mainly muted black, white and gray with subtle greens, blues and purples and maybe a shot of red. The silhouettes recalled everything from grande dame gowns to Victorian ruffles to biker coats with fur on the sleeves and way over-sized distressed denim jackets and skirts.

Look 20 was worn by none other than Lada Gaga, who was listed in show notes as Stefani Germanotta—her real name which she hasn't used since she was a good Catholic school girl on New York City's Upper East Side. Gaga and Jacobs have formed a little mutual admiration society this week, starting with her costume for her Bowie tribute at the Grammy's earlier this week and ending with her spin on the runway, replete in finger curls and jet black lipstick. Her sky-high platforms, the show shoe, almost brought her up to height with the rest of the ladies. But Gaga took her job seriously, wearing her supersized Byron's blouse and fur-trimmed coat with aplomb.

Underneath the exaggerated shapes and conspicuous makeup were dresses and separates that were beautiful—this is the core of Marc Jacobs' world. After all, he loves to dress women of all shapes, ages and walks of fame and life. A black beaded lace gown would look sensationally sexy and goth among the glamazons at the Oscars, while a trim little gray suit with knickers and a black lamé bow blouse could work with the desk to dinner set.

Calvin Klein has never been a brand afraid of suggestion. And for fall, Francisco Costa suggested to a fare-thee-well—about sex with those belts and straps, about overt luxury with those beautiful furs and about feminine strength, with those powerful black suits.

It seemed like a subtle shift in his silhouette in places, seen in dresses that hung from thin straps and skimmed the body in ultra femme shapes. And a touch of mink at the shoulder? Posh.

Giant plaids in grays and blues offered a change of pace from the dark hues, but were just as interesting. Sure they were plaid coats, day dresses and suits in idea, but something entirely more interesting in execution—spliced with leather and spotted fur or other plaids in varying scale, or worn with a matter-of-fact minimalism.

The streamlined coat silhouettes felt modern and statement-making, whether done in Matrix-worthy black leather or in a fur print (not a fur, a print of a fur) worn with a complementing fur print dress and bag. He explored this fur print for a while, at times it looked almost like wood grain, with oval cut-outs suggestively placed at the hip.

If Costas at Calvin has gotten a reputation for playing it safe in the past, he blew that notion out of the water this season. He managed to stay within his minimal modern wheelhouse while maintaining excitement and desire for day time coats and dresses.

As models walked out on a limestone runway to classical music (curated by David Lauren), New York's elder statesman of fashion dug in his cowboy booted heels and showed the kind of collection he built his 49-year empire on. But if you read the fine print at the bottom of the show notes, you'd have noticed that several looks would be available for purchase within 24 hours. So you know, old dog-new tricks, no doubt aided by his new young executive team.

But bringing the focus back to the clothes, Lauren served up natty men's wear patterns in rich earthy tones and softened silhouettes. Ponchos, car coats, sweater dresses and midi skirts were worked in with shirts, vests and ties á la Annie Hall. And it all felt like a day on the country estate.

Fringed cowboy pants and silk suits with poet shirts worn under long brocade coats or with metallic boot cut jeans hit the American West note his fans rely upon. But it was the pulled back all-black gowns with just bits of brocade and embroidery that felt fresh and showed off his handy ways with drape and cut.

Because it's Ralph's gowns that come under the most scrutiny this time of year when starlets need frocks for the Oscars. Nominee Kate Winslet recently said she was working with the designer on a dress, and wouldn't her grown up beauty look quite nice in one of his final gowns in rich jewel tones and gentle pleating?

In the finale, the designer showed ornamented and detailed high gloss stunners, but it was a trio of velvet gowns in red, midnight and purple that wowed for their simplicity and rich color.

Lacing, bandage dressing, straps, leathers, ties, wide-leg trousers. Oh, and a smidgeon of Seventies 'tude. All of these were served on a platter with a major side dish of want-it-now desire at Proenza Schouler. And happily, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are happy to oblige. Within hours of their fall finale, a capsule of the collection will be available to buy. Not pre-order. Buy and walk away with. So you, too, can wear your new shortened crossbody bag tucked safely under your armpit (like right under your armpit á la the runway styling).

Maximalists and minimalists will delight in this collection. For the former, patchwork rabbit coats cinched with tough-chic straps. For the latter, slim, sexy sweater dresses with cut-outs artfully placed in erogenous zones—but not so big you couldn't get away with this look at an agency or gallery day job. And even if you are right-leaning, the high leather boots, with metal-toes—as if just the tips were dipped in gold — should do the trick.

The duo can turn out cool clothes for cool girls who are seen at night at all the right places and yet turn up in the morning fresh with great ideas. And yet, pick apart the looks, and a gray coat with off-kilter buttons and pockets is so smart and sharp. Ditto the suit jackets and vests worn earlier with wide-wide leg trousers.

There was a delicacy to the way prints were done in either asymmetric blouses and dresses or one frock that was pulled together at the bodice with wide white ribbons. It was at once sexy and crafty.

It could have been seen as fussy, with all the bandages (some left loose to drape), flaps, asymmetric hems and straps held up by what looked like sartorial pully systems, but Hernandez and McCollough design with such an assured hand and confidence in their craft that they know when to pull back and when to let go their ideas. Creating just the right balance of doing what they want while giving their client what she wants.