Trend Report Fall 2009

Biker Chic
Designers went hog wild for zipped and shrunken toppers this season. Balmain's Christophe Decarnin is the poster boy for the tough-chic trend, of course, but Haider Ackermann, Alexander Wang, and Roland Mouret also revved up the look's have-to-have-it factor.

Balmain, Dsquared², Roberto Cavalli, Blumarine, Julien Macdonald

Boudoir Baby
From lacy bralettes at Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton to molded corsets at Fendi and Hussein Chalayan, all eyes were on the bust for Fall. That is, when they weren't on the legs or the midriff. YSL's Stefano Pilati channeled Elsa Peretti as a Playboy bunny with a leather one-piece that bared his model's gams, while Roberto Cavalli and Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci played a game of now-you-see-it, now-you-don't peekaboo.

Louis Vuitton, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Balenciaga, Roberto Cavalli, Richard Nicoll

Ruche Romance
Designers went completely drape for Fall. Both miniskirts and jodhpurs came swagged in silk charmeuse at Balenciaga; no outfit was complete without five, six, or seven mix-and-match layers at Missoni's nouveau nomadic show; and the fluid evening numbers at Donna Karan and Oscar de la Renta were so red carpet-ready they gave new meaning to the notion of "destination dressing."

Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Altuzarra, Malandrino,Oscar de la Renta

We Got the Beat
The eighties—the decade that fashion won't forget. Marc Jacobs led the latest revival with an unapologetic dose of New York nightclub nostalgia (metallic leather and acid-wash jeans, anyone?). Antonio Berardi and Gucci's Frida Giannini also went after-hours glam via crystal-studded minidresses and sharkskin suits, respectively. And leave it to Donatella Versace to put a gloss on the era with the season's most irresistibly sexy party dresses.

Miss Sixty, Preen, Luella, Thakoon, Versace

Fabolous Forties
Dolce & Gabbana, Lanvin's Alber Elbaz, and Aquilano.Rimondi whipped up 1940's tailleurs to do an MGM star proud, while Zac Posen, Victoria Beckham, and Bottega Veneta's Tomas Maier focused on long, languorous looks for impossibly glamorous evenings.

Dolce & Gabbana, Elie Saab, Bottega Veneta, Zac Posen, Lanvin

Forever Classic
The classics were back in full force on the runways—even rule breakers Christopher Kane and Miuccia Prada sent out double-breasted jackets, while Ralph Lauren and Marni's Consuelo Castiglioni went with tweed. In risky times, nothing spells sartorial security like a Burberry trench, a Chanel suit, or, just possibly, a swaggering fur-lapel great coat from Hermès.

Valentino, Prada, Bottega Veneta, Michael Kors, Ruffian

Source: Style.com