Temperatures may still be at record lows, but designers recently sent a slew of warm weather ensembles down the runway in New York City's Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Week. Fashion powerhouses such as Diane von Furstenberg and Nicole Miller skipped dramatics and stuck to basics with truly wearable designs. tableau presents the event's five best collections.
Adam Lippes
A newcomer on the fashion circuit who debuted his first collection in 2006, Lippes really hit his stride at the Spring Ready-to-Wear Fashion Week. The ADAM collection features sleek, minimalist lines in an array of subdued creams, nudes and charcoal grays, and splashes of highly saturated reds. No piece is too calculated - every look feels easy and modern, with touches of white eyelet and breezy silhouettes.
Best piece: Lippes wows with his drop-waisted, floor-grazing cream gown with a delicate and sheer geometric pattern.
Charlotte Ronson
Another up-and-comer, Ronson showed off her talent at the event, proving that girly prints and fits can be high fashion when they perfectly flatter the body. Ronson smartly tempers the cute factor with splashes of army green cargo and tomboyish denim blues. On several pieces, she also bravely features one of spring's biggest trends: sheer. The see-through fabric adds sex appeal to body-skimming skirts and tops.
Best piece: Ronson perfectly pairs girly with tough in a sheer, ruffled, sunrise-yellow dress accented with gold studs around the neckline.
Derek Lam
The established designer makes casual look cool with wide leg pants, crisp whites and sharply tailored basics. Lam basics are never too simple, however, standing out in trendy fabrics like denim and suede. Womanly, high-volume a-line skirts loosen up the buttoned-up feel of some of the pieces. In fact, Lam effortlessly manages to create a perfectly balanced collection, with looks to suit every woman's fashion needs.
Best piece: Lam shows off his affinity for classic shapes with a simple but exciting belted white trench coat paired with sky-high platforms.
Jason Wu
Wu is a critics' favorite for a reason - he is a master at creating shapes and prints that are striking without being fussy. His designs showcased this ability with stunning ruffled separates and dresses in understated floral prints, polished tweeds and touches of sheer. Wu does not shy away from color, as the pieces range in hue from coral pinks to cerulean blues in a variety of shapes and silhouettes. Wu adds a coolly feminine touch with bold bow details and flower appliqu