Always a highly anticipated show, this time Marc Jacobs  can claim his collection to be a real feather in his cap, both literally and figuratively. 

The last few months have seen a renewed interest in the iconic Spring 1993 grunge collection Jacobs designed for Perry Ellis, and there was some thought that he might incorporate a reference into his next collection, but Jacobs veered as far away from flannel as possible instead showing a collection that was refined and elegant and had more in common with that of Tomo Koizumi, the protégé he and his stylist Katie Grand helped launch earlier in the week: volume.

Rounded, dropped shoulders and a wide silhouette helped to mask the natural proportions of the models. While other designers this season have seemed to focus on lines that skim and elongate the body, Jacobs played with proportion and girth. He showed cloth coats and capes, shredded tulle party dresses, A-line skirts and crewnecks. Feathers were used to add heft but maintain lightness. Hats designed by milliner Stephen Jones also had an ornitho theme, and were perched on the top of most models' heads.   

The overall result was a collection that was wearable and pretty which hasn't always been the case.

Jacobs' one reference to that Perry Ellis collection came at the very end when Christy Turlington, who had walked for him all those years ago, closed this show in an off-the-shoulder, nipped in party dress embroidered with glossy feathers. 

Vera Wang has been fixated on a certain type of elongated silhouette for a number of seasons now, and with this collection for Fall 2019, that silhouette shows no sign of losing its popularity with the designer even as she prepares for her 30th anniversary runway show after a two year absence.

That’s not to say that the looks in the collection weren't stunningly beautiful. While black also retained its popularity with the designer, her copious use of plaid marked a clear Celtic influence as did her use of the tonnag - a traditional sash-like garment - that appeared draped or folded. Wang showed precision checked suiting which included trousers overlaid with a pleated or lace aprons. Hints of lace bodysuit were also evident, and we loved the sequinned party dress complete with oversized grey faux-fur coat that revealed a lining of giant silver sequins. Shine on.

Given the season, we guess it’s only to be expected that we are seeing a lot of emphasis on outerwear and this collection from Gabriela Hearst is no exception. Like Tory Burch’s collection, Hearst showed coats with military overtones. Many were double-breasted or cutaway to display the fact that they were lined with quilted fabric.

Her knit dresses and separates were also noteworthy. Hearst was inspired by Russian ballerina Maya Plisetskaya and her influence could be seen in the way the knits clung to the body and revealed a balletic elegance. The dresses were striped and featured vertical ribbing down the body, while the separates mainly consisted of turtlenecks and floor-length skirts. She included a personal touch by including replica Uruguayan coins from the year in which she was born on chain belts or as buttons. Other standout pieces included a gown with delicate pleating and the Grecian-styled one-shouldered gown with woven black nappa leather bustier that closed the show.

This was Hearst's first collection since gaining investment from LVMH’s Luxury Ventures, the arm of the conglomerate launched in 2017 to focus on emerging brands. 

An uneven collection from Self-Portrait. We loved the checked pieces enough to feature the entire collection here, but were less enamoured by the combined lace pieces with the uneven hems that harked back to the original aesthetics of the line. Designer Han Chong offers some streamlined shapes including a simple, one-shouldered jumpsuit trimmed in crystals and tuxedo-style dresses and jumpsuits.  Similar to Greta Constantine's collection, Chong layered shiny, lurex bodysuits and knits under dresses to create a glamorous, yet modest effect.

We love a good pattern and so apparently do the duo behind the popular 90s staple, the velour tracksuit. Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor stuck with their signature coordinated looks (remember how easy it was to get dressed when two pieces were all you had to think about?) and have included every current print trend in this collection namely camouflage, animal print, snakeskin and even a repeated logo in the form of their own interlocking symbol. 

Some of the stripes and patterns come a little too close to that of another Italian brand's, but the easiness of the matching sets from years ago have been updated and modernised. Cropped, boot-legged trousers with button flies or bicycle shorts were combined with fur coats. Only a few dresses in a similar sporty styles were shown: short, tight, high necked with short zippered or buttoned openings. Most looks were paired with pointy-toed, boots but the bags included slouchy drawstring packs, tactile, fur-covered totes and mini waist or cross-body bags.

While a certain refinement remained, exuberance underlined much of Tory Burch’s collection for autumn 2019. Burch took her inspiration from Black  Mountain College, a liberal arts college that schooled several of the 20th century's influential American artists such as Willem de Kooning and Robert Rauschenberg. This creativity took the form of eclectic exuberance and Burch's runway was full of extreme pattern- and textile-mixing. She also showed sleek outerwear including slim, militaristic wool coats with smart metal fasteners.

Brandon Maxwell has settled into his role as a designer and showed a certain amount of maturity with this collection of tightly tailored separates and body-con dresses. A largely monochromatic palette was broken up with splashes of acid green, powder blue and bright persimmon. The silhouette was slightly more relaxed for evening with voluminous skirts and gowns that were largely free of embellishment although the waist was made the focal point. 

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates provided the inspiration for Greta Constantine designers Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong who used traditional textiles In unconventional ways. Because of their muse, modest dressing was key but the designers found ways to add glamour to the looks with shimmering, sequinned bodysuits layered beneath rich, luxurious fabrics.

Cole Haan

Cole Haan has designed a pretty literal take on the theme.