About a week ago, when the Proenza Schouler Spring 2013 show invite arrived, we were struck by its odd, quasi-digital look. With its rounded font and high-contrast blue-on-white color scheme, it called to mind the kind of low-fi imagery one might see flashing across a late-night TV screen. You know, when there's nothing on but infomercials. Quite frankly, it seemed a little cold for a line that's always had one eye on artisanal craft.

On Wednesday evening, though, when the actual show finally rolled around, that strange invite imagery suddenly made sense. For this was a collection about the information age, and, more precisely, the constant influx of pixelated imagery that bombards us on a second-by-second basis.

Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough called it "randomness," but there was nothing random going on here. Sure, there was a wild array of texture and pattern — colorblocked python skins, collaged photo prints, reflective leathers, perforated skins, primary colors — but it was all harnessed in by sharp, boxy silhouettes and carefully appointed lines. Skirts covered in graphic panels of texture were cut in precise A-line shapes, while chiffon dresses emblazoned in swirling prints were carefully fit to hug the body.

And as for the designers' signature use of traditional craft? Well, that was there too. It came in the form of geometric crochet, paneled patchwork, and gorgeous embellishment. The series of dresses that closed the show, with their perfect rows of grommets and studs that glistened like digitized sequins, were especially entrancing.

Is there a richer source of inspiration than India? For Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman, who infused the continent's rich silks and ornate embellishments into their colorful Spring 2013 collection for Marchesa, the answer is no.

Every dress that came down the runway featured some kind of decoration that pointed to the subcontinent: tunic and slim trousers cut from a pale gold brocade were embroidered and jeweled at their hems, and the silver cap-sleeved gown that Carolyn Murphy wore in the show was covered in lace. This was a literal interpretation of India, punched up with '60s shapes (cape sleeves, anyone?) and the energy of a glamorous Bollywood production.

Reed Krakoff's Spring 2013 collection was delicate in color, silhouette, and fabric. Neutral hues found themselves on everything from blazers to shorts to dresses to trousers. Loose-fitting clothes lent a relaxed vibe, while silky and sheer fabrics were super feminine. Hemlines were demure, with the exception of the shorts. There was a sporty air throughout the show thanks to elastic-waist pants and collarless jackets. Tuxedo pants screamed chic, collared blouses buttoned up all the way were strong, and lingerie-inspired styles provided a contrasting softness. The only pop of color on the catwalk was a few coral pieces and the only print was a snakeskin skirt.

If Katie Holmes and Jeanne Yang are intent on winning the affections of New York's hard-lined fashion types, than it's safe to say that they're off to pretty good start. Their intimate Spring 2013 presentation — the duo's first official outing on the New York fashion calendar — certainly offered up plenty of chic, downtown-tinged options.

The focus here was on basics, but there was nothing boring about these clean-lined looks. One speckle-print shorts suit, for example, was the kind of thing that someone could easily make a statement in at night, but its individual pieces were relaxed enough that they could just as easily be paired with more casual pieces for day. Likewise, a sexy V-neck tank in slick black leather with skinny spaghetti straps looked right at home paired with an olive silk maxi skirt, while one strapless jumpsuit in breezy silk had black lace insets running down the leg for a hint of romantic appeal. If this is the kind of elevated versatility Holmes & Hang is capable of, then it will be fun to see what else the pair can do.

There was an exotic glimmer to the tailored separates and relaxed dresses that made up Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's Elizabeth and James Spring 2013 collection. The duo looked to images of sunsets and sunrises for inspiration this season, and the resulting palette lent a sense of serenity and richness that was as lovely as anything on offer elsewhere this week. Jackets and pants were the main draw here; they came in the form of slim-cut boy blazers, boxy sport coats, pared-down trenches, wide-leg cropped palazzos, and softly cuffed trousers. Crisp shantung silks and smooth damask printed in wallpaper patterns helped enhance the polished bazaar vibe.

Rachel Zoe's first full-on runway show brought out plenty of big names — Jessica Hart, Harley Viera Newton, and Joe Zee all sat front row — and also plenty of sartorial appeal. Citing '70s icons Jane Birkin and Talitha Getty as her inspiration, Zoe's signature pantsuits, maxi dreses, and jumpsuits came with a streamlined bohemian slant. "I just kind of wanted it to be an effortless cool, a tomboy chic, and have this casual sensibility, you know?" the designer said.

How do you borrow from the boys while still looking completely and unimpeachably feminine? If you're Alberta Ferretti, and you're designing the Spring 2013 collection for your secondary line Philosophy, you might consider using the silks traditionally reserved for making men's neckwear and using them to make striped pants, patterned skirts, and body-conscious dresses that no one could mistake for mere men's accessories. Even the blazers were rendered ladylike with the addition of contrast printed sleeves and hidden closures.

Ferretti's signature femininity was thrust into even sharper relief by her show's venue, the masculine wood-paneled Oak Room at The Plaza Hotel. Had the silks turned into ties, they might have felt right at home — but these girlie looks were so modern, bright, and inventive that they could go anywhere.