Our last look round at the fall shows in New York before we head into our spring coverage. Black and blue were the order of the day but it was occasionally upset (thankfully)

Most catwalk photographs by Richard Spiegel

T MUST be the anticipation of being in a wartime economy that American designers went black—a safe colour for a nation tip-toeing back to reality (the Dow Jones index is the same). In some ways, it's a sad reflection that the rules of fashion trends have remained the same: black means safe, short skirts mean improving stockmarket figures, etc. Many designers haven't broken from this mould. And if the creative industry says that the rules stay, then the corporate scandals won't finish with the executives in handcuff parades.
   Fortunately, there are enough who have broken the rules. While black is fall's new black, there were plenty of different forms on offer. To do so within confines takes genius—it is like those creatives who get round anti-smoking legislation, such as those Brits who came up with the Silk Cut print advertising campaign that never showed a single pack of cigarettes.
   BCBG Max Azria, for example, stayed true to black but was courageous enough to experiment with forms, shapes and angles. This is new amongst the bigger, established labels, though less so among the newer kids on the block that have recently come out of FIT (we think of folks like Sara James, who were first featured in Lucire, who were cutting the garments accordingly).
   It's Max's usual European inspiration that pushes the boundaries, coupled with west-coast tolerance for things new. Therefore, it's hats off to BCBG Max Azria for a strong fall–winter presence, giving customers the pieces they want but staying understated.
   Carolina Herrera was another designer to go understated and, in her words, 'quieter … Everything is a bit less vibrant, more elegant and somehow traditional,' she told one source. However, she also said that her design decisions had not been influenced by the post-9-11 mood. Fall 2002 was, in her opinion, an evolution.
   Halston updated the classic hallmarks of its founder's design style, thanks to designer Piyawat Pattanpuckdee who was hired in April 2001. This marks his first collection for the brand. Again, understated sophistication was the order of the day from the Thai-born, Pratt Institute-trained designer.

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