Pre-Fall is personal for Vera Wang. Looking into her own closets for inspiration, she combined masculine sportswear elements with the feminine touches that she loves—lace, rhinestones, bold swatches of fur—with results that felt decidedly broodier than her most recent collection. The primary colors on her September runway have been replaced by black, shades of gray, camo green, and a flocked-velvet floral—but mostly black. Metallic sequins brightened up the evening pieces. Wang kept things interesting by playing with texture: hand-painting satin with a confetti print for an evening sheath, or pairing a jean jacket in stiff, raw denim with rich charcoal-gray brocade stovepipe pants. Draped volume at the shoulder added drama to otherwise unadorned dresses, in both knee-length and long versions, while a black leather skirt with the same kind of draping detail at the waist stood out as the kind of item that will have legs in the stores.
