When a designer takes her bow looking just as amazing as the model wearing the same creation as her, you know the clothes are going to sell. Monique Lhuillier constantly delivers reliably commercial, chic and romantic eveningwear, and this season she’s pulled out all the stops with brocades, silks and yards and yards of tulle. If you love a bit of glamour, you’ll be in heaven with this collection.

Peter Som’s collection was everything I expected from the New York shows this season. Pretty, safe and wearable…if a little forgettable with it. There was nothing wrong with the show, which featured a gorgeous little safari suit, a silver sequin sheath and a great black and white coat-dress, but it won’t go down in history as a memorable fashion moment. Still, these clothes will sell, which in the current economic climate is more important than ever.

Remember when Marc Jacobs showed that insane collection of Stepford-Wives-gone-Amy-Winehouse floral dresses and see-through trousers two hours late and sent the world of fashion into a headspin? This is Proenza Schouler’s version of that. With more money to throw into their collection this season, risks were taken where the boys have previously played safe. The result was a mixed show of everything from 80s jumpsuits to slinky silk dresses.

There were some stunners, but there was also a leather crop top…

Though there was a sprinkling of celeb-friendly fashion, this collection was more about the designers stretching their creativity and trying something more edgy and directional. A mainly greyscale palette was the order of the day (with injections of beige, grass green and indigo) and the key shape was big at the shoulders and tapered down the leg. With the exception of the eyelet style above right, almost all the models walked down the runway wearing pegged or cigarette pant shapes.

Big white jackets had huge visible seams, creating a power shoulder on suits. Exposed black and metal zips on those same suits gave a space-age feel. None of this is particularly wearable, but on the catwalk the result is quite dramatic.

Slipping in something a little more commercial, the indigo and green body-con belted dresses are likely to be the first things we spot on celebrities. That is unless someone is gutsy enough to give a pair of shiny, high-waisted cigarette pants a go.

Finally, the eveningwear. At first glance these might look like sparkly maxi dresses, but look closer at the ankles and you’ll see they’re actually more jumpsuits, this time with harem pant style bottoms. Proenza Schouler are obviously fed up of the dress being the key piece and have decided to reclaim the jumpsuit as the one piece du jour. Will it take off? Only time will tell!

[all images: Coutorture.com]

While the Shiny Style team catch up on some much needed sleep, the Catwalk Queen team are busy covering all the shows we’ve yet to bring you news of. Big news across the Pond is Jonathan Saunders, the London darling who now shows in the Big Apple. CQ has a gallery of his Spring / Summer 2009 catwalk show, so make sure you take a look for the latest in ex-pat style!

Before fashion week began, I predicted that luxe hippy would reign, and it looks like Diane Von Furstenberg and her creative director Nathan Jenden have gone and proven me correct. The Diane Von Furstenberg collection for S/S 2009 is based on the designer and her friends when they were in their twenties, and also pays homage to fashion icon Diane Vreeland, who taught us we could be “a little bit goddess, a little bit rock star.” Take a look at the vid for more…