lfm1001

Bill Blass decorated silk cocktail dresses with sable trim and Gorgeous Strapless Beaded Long Prom Dress silver metallic thread through tweed jackets and coats, while Carolina Herrera evoked a jet-set ski trip to the Alps, with sporty cropped jackets in dark sable and reversible mink of chocolate and gold. Fur was simply everywhere in shawls, stoles, shrugs and sweaters. Douglas Hannant dyed a mink hooded halter Green A-line Strapless Prom Dress an eggplant hue, Jeffrey Chow coloured a fox capelet cinnamon and Michael Kors unveiled a show-stopping mink poncho in lavender. Chaiken showed short fur stoles over nude mesh tops, and shrugs were popular with Vera Wang and Narciso Rodriguez. "There's a lot of fur," said Jaqui Lividini, senior vice-president, fashion merchandising, at Saks Fifth Avenue. "It Green Empire Full-length Formal Dress very glamorous, but it's not the kind of sexpot glamour we've seen in the past. It's more of an innocent glamour." Designer Michael Kors used paisley print for a fringed scarf skirt, off-the-shoulder blouse and halter dress, while Nicole Miller used peacock prints. Narciso Rodriguez Green Low V-neck Plus Size Formal Gown contrasting seams and ribbons to accent his structured solids. Textures and patterns that evoke earlier eras such as the Victorian or Art Deco ages will be popular for fall, said Ben Gomes of the fashion and trend information company OPR. "We are looking for things that are very reassuring and comfortable and also very interesting. We're looking for things that are gratifying," he said. Liebmann said she saw consumers craving an "emotional richness." "Multiple textures and beading and silks give a sense of richness emotionally and financially in a time that is pretty bare of that," she said. "It's the economy. It's an uncertain economy. It's an uncertain world geopolitically."