Azrouel embraces chill that might come in the fall

NEW YORK — There's no need for bells and whistles when you wear confidence, and that's just what Yigal Azrouel says he was going for with the outfits he previewed for next fall at New York Fashion Week.

"The pieces are very structured. The tailoring part is all about feminine and masculine," he said in a pre-show interview. "I'm not thinking just about the piece, but I think about how she's going to wear it."

In the vision he presented on Friday, she's wearing it standing tall in subtle luxury. He favored cashmere and silk, but with hints of leather and fur.

"Think of a very cold winter, it's so cold, it's smoky outside. She's wearing a beautiful coat, hat and she looks simple and elegant," Azrouel said.

The simplest moment was when this runway really shined. There was a winter-white wool hooded pullover top paired with skinny trousers, and a lovely light tan gabardine dress with architectural lines. A cable-knit sweater dress seemed perfect for the chilly day outside.

"Definitely, the collection has a bit of cold minimalism. It goes with the season," Azrouel explained.

A few trends have emerged from this round of runways, even if some heavy-hitters have yet to show their hand, and one of the dominant looks that Azrouel did well was the idea of a looser silhouette while still giving structure to each look. There was definitely nothing frilly or flouncy here.

He embraced the use of soft, supple leather, another emerging must-have item, and a mostly neutral color palette with pops of emerald green and shades of purple and burgundy.

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