This season the young-designer-struggling-to-find-a-voice has become a mini-theme, so Zac Posen¿s focused Fall show was a reassuring development. In his five-and-a-half years on the runway, the 26-year-old has made a signature of forties-inflected tailoring. And today there was a new polish to his suits, evident in their strong lines—some jackets had nipped waists, others flared capelike from the shoulder. A coat that was all collar, and a fur with ruffles—never the best idea—were rather less reliable. But a tweed day dress was a winner. With curving seams piped in black patent, it was cut to smartly maximize his model¿s hourglass potential.
When it came to eveningwear—Posen¿s first love—he reined in the exuberance that can sometimes get him in trouble. Still, he couldn¿t resist a statement gown or two—this season Agyness Deyn was charged with pulling off the requisite show-closing dress with the stiffly voluminous skirts. But Posen mostly stuck to slimmer silhouettes in body-loving stretch silks and colors that the camera adores. These—unlike some of the more showy pieces—have serious red-carpet promise, and the crowd ate them up.
