Pre-fall collections are often an indicator of what we'll be seeing at the upcoming a/w presentations & for Vnyc, each pre-fall presentation is, to some degree or other, a collection of re-tweaked references which provide focus and inspirational direction for our future buys. There is a heavy early 70's theme to many of the pre-fall shows this time around, the strongest being Chloe, Prada & YSL. The oughties obsession with exaggerated 80's proportions seems to have fallen out of favor, replaced by a softer, slightly nostalgic sort of luxe.
Celine-(also shown above)
After a decade of over-wrought maximalism and heavy-handed "urban warrior" propositions, Phoebe Philo's clean, cool and confident outings at the once quiet Parisian house Celine are filled with the kind of pragmatic sportswear and luxe-low key essentials that have won her a bevy of fans worldwide. Mariner sweaters, laser-cut leather outerwear, smart uses of fur, who would have ever thought that classic minimalism of this ilk could once again look so fresh? Long story short, Philo is a woman designing very smart, alluring pieces for women, and we want everything.
Vera Wang-
Taking a smart departure from her arty inclinations, Vera Wang's recent outing was a take on urban-minded gear somewhat borrowed from the boys in moody gray's and standard blacks. From boy blazers to military inspired parkas and plenty of pretty 20's inspired sequined cob-webby evening looks(giving Rodarte a run for the money?), Wang's range was expansive and right-on. One of us has been on the look-out for inventive uses of fur, and Wang's gray fuss-free parka with it's Mongolian fur patched pockets may just be exactly what we were looking for.
Missoni-
After a few hit-or-miss seasons of tweaking her family's legendary heritage, Angela Missoni was back full force with one of the smartest winter oriented collections we have seen in a long while. The house's signature zig-zag prints were used in a variety of head-to-toe looks that looked more calm and collected than the disheveled powder faced Victorian doll of season's past. Each look was layered with multi-tasking softly structured graphic sweater coats, blanket skirts, tweed suiting and scores of layering essentials that came in a soothing color palette of warm corals balanced by various grays.
Yves Saint Laurent-
A glamorous take on 70's France and classic house signatures at YSL.
Chloe-
Trim English inspired suiting with a relaxed slightly 70's loucheness, Hannah MacGibbon keeps getting it right at Chloe.
Prada-
Nerdy 70's era campus inspired cuties at Prada where the looks where anything but whimsical.
Sonia Rykiel-
Some of the smartest, coolest winter layering options around, we really dig the vast variety of 70's inspired knit options.
One could go on & on about how there's too much fashion too soon, and while that is true, there were still plenty of captivating collections out there to get our sartorial senses geared for next season. Here's a look at our favorites for Fall 2011.
Nicolas Ghesquiere has proven again & again that he's fashion's most forward thinking designer and Fall's re-working of ideas from past seasons made for quite an original, and finally wearable proposition.
Raf Simon's Jil Sander woman has always been the cool, collected & confident type, but Fall's harmonious blend of couture shapes and techno retro ski-inspired separates had a high dose of subtle sophistication that could work on just about anyone.
Hannah MacGibbon once again proved her mastery at the girlish Parisian codes Chloe is known for with a pitch-perfect outing jam packed with must-have leather trousers, maxi dresses and new takes on daily essentials with a fresh attitude.
Easy pretty isn't something one may normally associate with any Miuccia Prada effort, yet her latest take on the 40's was charmingly seductive with its fuss-free ease and novel elegance. 
Missoni's Fall range was a riot of decadent fabrications, treatments, prints, textures and shapes made mesmerizing by an assured hand at the stimulating powers of unadulterated color.
