Designer Amy Smilovic knows exactly what a girl wants: leather, a little bit of sheer, feminine fabrics, unique prints, with a subtly sporty flair. Key pieces in Tibi's Spring 2013 catwalk included leather peplum tops, cropped tuxedo pants, retro-printed dresses, and sheer-sleeve blouses. Clean lines dominated throughout the show and neutral hues like black, white, beige (with pops of pink and yellow here and there) were seriously refreshing. A few denim pieces, including boxy jean jackets, exuded casual flair, while streamlined black and white looks were perfect for evening.

Expanding on the blending of cultures he explored in last season's winning Corto Maltese-inspired romp, the designer found inspiration this time around in a traveler of another sort: the century-hopping, continent-crossing, and gender-bending protagonist of the 1992 film Orlando. And, just as that film spanned eras and melded masculine with feminine to stunning visual effect, so did Altuzarra.

But it wasn't just the designer's innovative period mixing that made this collection such a knockout. It's that Altuzarra knows his away around some mean tailoring, and that's where the story really gets good. Jackets — many of which referenced classic workwear with utilitarian zippers, engineering stripes, and visible topstitching — were so well-constructed they veered close to couture. And those blazers that could be worn like capes, thanks to the thoughtful addition of openings under the sleeves? You could practically hear the editors' mental cheers.

That attention to detail was evident in the evening looks too. But instead of the sharp tailoring offered for day, here it was all about careful, structured draping. Dresses in embroidered silks were wrapped artfully so that they resembled sarongs and scarves, and many dripped exotically with golden tassels and fringe. The effect, to put it simply, was breathtaking.

Monique Lhuillier's Spring 2013 collection took its direction from the beauty found underneath the ocean's surface. Her customarily gorgeous gowns and dresses were, this season, covered in prints that resembled glittering aqua fish scales or stylized images of koi. Other dresses were covered in small shells painted a deep blue that caught the light as the models moved down the runway. Peplums, an enduring trend this season, were used to create fishtail silhouettes with a number of the collection's tops.

But even the dresses that didn't look like they were pulled straight out of the water carried reminders of the sea. Gauzy tulle numbers were embellished with lace or sequin embroidery that looked like the patterns of the ocean current, and one strapless gown was covered in a multicolored print that resembled the ocean depths fading from light blue to dark.

For Spring 2013, designer Victoria Bartlett stuck to the sporty aesthetic that always sets her apart from the rest. Baggy silhouettes, colorblocking, sheer fabrics, and VPL's signature bras made strong cameos on the catwalk. Models wore colorblocked sandals and harness-like headbands as eccentric accessories. The hooded anoraks, sheer jumpsuits, parachute-inspired maxi skirts, cropped sweaters, and drawstring dresses were all designed for the off-kilter fashion girl that has a major sporty side. The color palette was mostly neutrals with pops of bright yellow, orange, and mint. Solids ruled the VPL runway, but bursts of abstract stripes were a surprising addition.

Alexandre Herchcovitch used his Spring 2013 collection to make a playful tribute to Boy George. While guests sang along to "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" and "Karma Chameleon," models walked down the runway in clothes that called the Culture Club's signature style to mind. Heart shapes, colorful checks, and lots of plaid covered the oversize shirts and dresses in the collection, while jumpsuits with menswear-inspired lapels pawed at gender identity. The final looks of the collection were classic George: vibrantly colored dresses were paired with big bowler hats jauntily tilted back on the models' heads.

It's rare, during New York Fashion Week, to attend a show that has audiences literally cheering aloud. At Alexander Wang's Spring 2013 show today, that's precisely what happened.

The outing started out standard enough, with militaristic and sports-inspired silhouettes in black and white leather and rubberized twill. The new story for Wang this season, though, was cutouts; they came in stripes and floating geometric patterns on boxy jackets and body-hugging shifts, and as hourglass-enhancing openings on the sides of cable-knit tops and sweater dresses. All in all, it made for an intriguing enough lineup.

Then it happened. At the end of the show, after all the models — including Liberty Ross, who was making a cameo catwalk appearance — had walked, several models marched out to take their places along the runway. The lights dimmed, then a black light came on, and then utter darkness. And there, in the cavernous space of Pier 94, the models' all-white outfits began to glow in the dark — much to the audience's raucous delight.

Christian Siriano's intricately decorated Spring 2013 collection was balletic in both inspiration and delivery — and critics suggested that this lineup will help the designer establish a name as a serious red-carpet dresser. The offering, noticeably more wearable than in seasons past, was limited to shades of white, baby blue, and pink. Several elegant gowns took embellishment in the form of ostrich feathers, faux pearls, and copious ruffles. There were equally dramatic looks for day: a sky-blue leather minidress looked right at home alongside a sleeveless brocade jumpsuit, and dresses cut from a printed silk were as sweet as the confectionary gowns in the collection. As if to underscore his desire to create a wider appeal, Siriano showed each look with a pair of shoes from his collaboration with Payless.

Our review will be posted shortly. In the meantime, here's a first look at the collection.

Max and Lubov Azria brought a taste of the American South to New York Fashion Week with a Spring 2013 collection inspired by the famous quilters of Gee's Bend, AL. The first few models, clad in geometric-patterned bandage dresses, walked down the runway in the humid show space to pounding harmonica music. An earthy color palette of whites, browns, blacks, and pale and dark blues formed the shapes and stripes on many of the dresses; others were interlaid with chains or detailed passementerie embroidery. Overwhelmingly, the collection's message was about women's power, and the Azrias drove the point home by pairing a few dresses with sculptural leather harnesses.

Mara Hoffman couldn't debut her beach-ready Spring 2013 collection on the shore, so she did the next best thing and hired three ukulele players to bring the sound of Hawaii to her New York runway show. With palm fronds in their hair, models paraded a series of fearlessly optimistic dresses, gowns, swimwear, and even a quilt-print caftan primed for sunny days by the sea. A breezy pink-and-coral column dress skimmed the floor, while an excellent sea-blue gown with side cutouts was affixed with an interesting chevron print. Hoffman nodded to the bare midriff trend with bikini and bralette tops, but her most powerful statement might have been her bold use of color. After three days of looking at mostly muted collections of pastels and neutrals, Hoffman's audience gave her collection a clamorous applause.