10. Proenza Schouler
After all the shiny plastic, interlocking accoutrements dished up at the spring shows, fall marked a return to sophistication and grown-up tailoring for the New York-based duo. The cloche hats and red lips were precisely on the pulse of the renaissance of glamour, while the pairing of contrasting textures and the bevy of pleated jewel coloured dresses were amongst the season’s most beautifully executed.
9. Christian Dior
For Christian Dior, Galliano offered up a collection that, at least for me, recalled Tootsie-Rolls: nostalgic and oh-so-sweet. Showing one of this season’s most directional silhouettes – shawl-collared, voluminous-sleeved, and nipped in at the waist – it was RTW that flirted liberally with couture. Unabashed glamour without affectation.
8. Vera Wang
Despite criticisms that Wang lacks a unique voice, there is an irrefutable romance woven deep within the designer’s clothes. Like her country of inspiration (Russia), these clothes articulated a heartrending beauty that was equally poignant as it was captivating. Embroidered lame skirts came with opera length gloves, worn under swinging wool coats, virtually suggesting the presence of a brooding quartet as the models sauntered down the runway.
Photos: Style.com


