What clothes? Skin is ever in at NY Fashion Week

VICTORIA BECKHAM

Victoria Beckham’s show not only looks like her signature pulled-together, well-edited style, but it feels like her, too.

She’s the thoughtful hostess with waiters offering morning juice to the crowd at the New York Public Library, but she keeps the guest list very tight. She’s one of the biggest draws of the week, but there’s no frenzy of paparazzi photographers. (Husband David Beckham, however, did take some photos from his seat.)

Beckham said she checks _ or doublechecks _ every look to make sure “it looks good from every angle.”

The clothes for spring had a delicacy that she said was new for her this season, although the clothes remained substantial and structured. It was the touch of illusion lace, the lingerie bra top or hemline of pleated chiffon that took the edge off banded short skirts, zip-back sheaths and shirtdresses.

“I want to design what I want to wear,” she said.

DKNY

What can stop traffic in always-bustling New York? Donna Karan in a taxicab-yellow raincoat.

Karan took her bow in the eye-catcher at Sunday’s DKNY New York Fashion Week preview to the delight of the fashion insiders and to the passers-by on the street who could peek in the open doors to the Chelsea studio space.

She turned out a collection of mostly sporty looks featuring white perforated leather (think golf-glove material), camouflage prints, bathing suits-turned-bodysuits, bra tops and long neoprene dresses with mesh backs and sexy inserts. One of those dresses was in the same super-bright yellow that Karan wore.

DKNY is supposed to dress its customers every day and for every occasion, Karan said in a post-show interview: “When I can wear the same thing as the girls on the runway, I’ve done my job.”

CHADO RALPH RUCCI

Color and contemporary details took the show for the luxury line Chado by Ralph Rucci.

Rucci and his team mixed old world glamour with new world touches like a swirl pattern of braiding on the sheer top of a chiffon-skirted dress. The same braiding in a riot of neon colors was used on one long sleeve of a basic black pantsuit.

Crystals sparkled on a coral blouse worn with a white wrap skirt that carried the pink along the hem, separated by a single black line. The minimalist line was also used in a wearable white tunic with bright pink at the waist and hem, paired with white cigarette pants.

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