>> With Karlie Kloss opening the show, jewelry by Delfina Delettrez, and a front-row crew that included Diddy — not to mention the Magnolia cupcakes on the seats — it was pretty hard not to have a good time. Add Humberto Leon and Carol Lim's riotous mix of stripes, patterns, color, and prints, and the fun was practically guaranteed. But the duo weren't just focused on whimsy. "One of our new house codes is functionality," they explained in their show notes. "For Fall, we’ve created garments with zip-off pieces that provide an element of transformation — a coat will zip off to become a cropped jacket and skirt. We also focused on technological fabric treatments, like rubberized exteriors on coats to fend off rain." Fun and functional — now there's an idea.

In lieu of her usual runway show, Phoebe Philo — eight months pregnant with her third child — opted instead to show Fall 2012 Céline via two small showroom presentations. Despite the lighter crowd and the more intimate setting, the collection still packed quite a punch. The main message was volume — an idea Philo dabbled in for Pre-Fall — but here, it appeared full-on and in supersize proportions; coats were pumped-up to the max, ankle trousers were wide and pleated, sleeveless tops were geometric and boxy, and dresses had super-rounded shoulders and sleeves. Colorblock — the collection's other main element — was used to great effect in combinations of tomato, cobalt, navy, and camel.

Photos: Courtesy of Céline

>> Christophe Lemaire's third outing at Hermès made a strong case for the cloak. They were everywhere in his Argentinian cowboy-inspired Fall 2012 collection — and in drapey leather, fringed cashmere, high-pile fur, and slouchy wool, they pretty much stole the show. That's not to say, however, that there weren't plenty of other knockout pieces here to admire: pleated leather gauchos, flared midi-length skirts, and boxy boleros were beautifully chic, as were the mix-print silk ensembles and bold-hued suede suits that closed the show.

>> For Issey Miyake Fall 2012, Yoshiyuki Miyamae took the concept of "tech" fabric to a whole new level. The designer made use of a recently-developed material called steam-stretch, which — as the name implies — snaps into a predetermined shape when it meets the steam of an iron. It's a neat trick, one that Miyamae showed off at the start of today's show with a team of iron-wielding assistants who steam-shaped fabric into crinkle-pleated dresses and gowns right there on the runway.

But steam-stretch — and its accompanying theatrics — was only part of the story. Also on offer were some surprisingly straightforward tailored pieces, as well as a boatload of innovative outerwear; a two-tone waffle-weave coat in a funnel-necked silhouette was refreshing in its simplicity, and a mesh jacket that had been stuffed with multicolor wads of fabric was a fun take on the classic puffer.

>> What's a Galliano collection without a little subversion — even if John Galliano isn't the one dishing it out? Bill Gaytten is well-aware of the signature Galliano ingredient, and for Fall 2012, the designer — now in his second season at the label's helm — offered it in the form supershort hems, hourglass silhouettes, thigh-high hosiery, and see-through gowns. But it wasn't all undone Victoriana, even if the main inspiration was the art nouveau eroticism of illustrator Aubrey Beardsley. Stephen Jones-designed hats, fur-trimmed capes, and easy-wearing dresses looked plenty romantic, as did the belted and ruffled riding coats that dominated the show. It may not have been over-the-top theatrical — but it sure made for a lovely mix.

>> Ennio Capasa's Fall 2012 collection for Costume National — titled "New Wave - No Wave - Dark Wave" — was a study in asymmetry and layered angularity. Classic tailored pieces, such as tuxedo blazers or menswear-style trousers, were re-imagined and deconstructed, resulting in a tough-looking assortment of cutaway panels and off-kilter tiers. "My women have a metropolitan and post-punk attitude, they combine androgynous and feminine silhouettes," the show notes explained.

>> The message was black leather — and lots of it. It was there in nearly every incarnation and in an endless array of textures — pebbled, hammered, matte, and laser-cut. Silhouettes were boxy and '60s-tinged on top and knee-length and full-flared on the bottom, making for a combo that felt downtown and chic — especially when paired with the house's terrific new box-bags. In shiny textured calfskin, they were real knockouts.

>> Every season, there are a few collections that really make the audience stop and ponder. This season, Rei Kawakubo's Fall 2012 Comme des Garcons was one such offering. On a plywood runway and set to a soundtrack of nothing at all, the designer sent out a collection of paper-doll shapes in cartoon hues and prodigious prints. Dresses, jackets, suits, and blouses were cut in felt-like fabrics and appeared super-voluminous when seen head-on, but were actually steamroller-flat when seen from the side. It was breathtaking, surreal, and definitely a bit strange — but more importantly, what does it all mean? Is it a commentary on the shallowness of contemporary fashion? A satirical look at the flatness of the digital age? Just an imaginative essay on color and shape? "The future is two-dimensional," was the designer's only explanation.