Sweet and sophisticated with just a hint of sparkle, Markus Lupfer showed very feminine dresses and printed denim coordinates. The collection had a very 1940s feel and was rendered and pastel shades of lilac, mint green, blues and pinks.

We were prepared to disregard this collection, but instead were pleasantly surprised by what was offer from Ports 1961, in particular the macramé elements. While this craft has been turning up quite consistently in fashion for a few years, Ports 1961 may have found an elegant - or at least more polished - way to incorporate it into their line. 

We loved the wooden spool embellishments and that the rope was use as both a tie and as an accent on dresses and décolletage where it was knotted to reveal peekaboo keyholes and cutouts and, more traditionally, on bags. Fringe as an element has also been popular for while, but creative director Natasa Cagalj has somehow managed to do the near impossible: make the bohemian trim sophisticated.

While New York continues to tout itself as the world’s fashion capital, the inability of the designers showing there to produce collections that are forwardthinking, imaginative or groundbreaking continues to confound us. Nothing highlights the stark difference between the completely predictable, lacklustre and unimaginative designs we saw last week in New York than this collection from Matty Bovan which was the first we reviewed. Bovan’s clothes were a cacophony of style with witty touches such as the oversized crossbody bag while models wore huge headpieces and corsets layered over statement prints.

It looks like things are literally going to be big for spring if the clothes at Zero + Maria Cornejo are anything to go by. New goddess dressing meant jumpsuits, easy flowing dresses and low slung trousers in a limited palette. It can all be summed up as a sort of beautiful casualness.

Many collections like this one from PH5 have a monochromatic feel or are using black as a grounding colour and have modish influences. Here designers Mijia Zhang and Wei Lin showed simple, streamlines silhouettes, quirky pieces where the only embellishment was go faster stripes and colour-blocking. The fun and flirty pieces had an overall sporty feel. With a mix of power dressing suits and sportier elements in the form of athleisure via the use of stretchy, technical fabrics. They also used thin cashmere in t-shirts, leggings and wide legged trousers. Some asymmetry.

Proenza Schouler's standout pieces included high-necked dresses with an inverted tulip shape, black denim with overstitching and an acid washed jean jacket that was combined with pale, worn denim. There were more than a few touches of silver leather in the form of skirts and waistcoats.

The easy, breezy, flowing, universally flattering, strappy dresses shown at Milly were the personification of her theme: Metamorphosis. This collection also featured another designer who has wholeheartedly embraced rainbow dressing as the theme for the 2019 Spring season. Here, artfully oversized graphic sweatshirts were combined with foil-like silver lamé used in skirts, jackets, parkas and 1980s-style double breasted suits.

Michael Kors considers what American sportswear means today. Years ago, this might have meant a New England preppy ideal, one based on WASP traditions and culture, completely aspirational in its examination of what it means to be an American.

 Today, the intersectionality and appropriation of other popular cultures has become the norm. Once traditional tropes have fallen away or become diluted. American sportswear now borrows heavily from streetwear and urban influences and while Kors may recognise this fact, he does not fully embrace it. Instead he has gone for a fairly literal interpretation of the best parts of a beach vacation taking inspiration from surfer culture and such far-flung locations as the islands of the South Pacific. In fact, the proliferation of bright, abstract floral prints have a Gauguin-esque quality about them. When paired with surfer imagery, beach motifs and starfish embellishments, there can be no question about the source of inspiration for this collection.

Twins Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are known to be fond of volume, and this love has been translated wonderfully for Spring 2019. This monastic collection sees the twins communing with fashion on a higher level with a collection of body-skimming clothing rendered in silks of various fabrications. The high necks, sloping shoulders, pleating and ethereal shapes of the collection add interest as do the elongated sleeves, and all are presented in a limited palette of black, charcoal and cream. 

Here, a sort of modern, streamlined sexiness was on offer from Phillip Lim who has seen fit to take up our beloved monochromatic mantle (although there were touches of ochre, burnt orange and yellow thrown into the mix). Waists and shoulders played off against one another as he bared both midriff and shoulder. More longline, minimalist clothing was on offer including beautiful, flowing kaftans, bodysuits and a fringed Crombie coat. There were several metallic elements including heavy, chainmail tunics and kaftans.

The looks were topped off by Sou'westers pulled low over the models' faces, a practical foreshadowing of the raining weather that has plagued the week.