Proving Their Worth?

Designer Max Azria, whose BCBG collection has long had a reputation for churning out trend-driven clothes at reasonable prices, could not resist the allure of high-minded design. His self-named collection is more expensive and is intended to be a more personal statement of his aesthetic sensibility. Speak up, Max! We can't hear you! For spring, he presented a collection of lingerie-inspired sundresses in pale shades of pinks and lavenders.

He has become the go-to guy for Hollywood starlets who want a filmy little embellished dress for a talk show appearance or a Starbucks run. His front row was lined with girls-of-the-moment: Ciara, Natasha Bedingfield and even Nicole Richie, who does not exactly look pregnant but does look like she has had several nutritious meals. Azria continues to be a reliable source for such breezy dresses, but really, how many does anyone need?

Having an identifiable sensibility is essential at the high end. A customer is paying a premium to purchase the designer's refined taste level or unique eye for color and proportion. The collection of Bill Blass party dresses presented Thursday morning was created by an in--house design team. (Peter Som's first collection for the brand will be for fall. He's the fourth designer hired since the founder's retirement and subsequent death in 2002.)

The frothy, feminine sensibility of the dresses belied the label's history -- no matter that the team claimed to have been inspired by looks from the company's archives. Blass famously provided a tailored wardrobe of smart, sexy clothes for powerful women. He did not build his reputation by dolling up the so-called "pretty young things" who dominate the society pages with their ringlet curls and ability to fill their days by seemingly doing little but getting ready for the next party.

And for the house to claim, in its presentation notes, that a pale pink chiffon gown with handmade chiffon roses can command confidence that is "more dynamic than any power suit" is, essentially, ridiculous. It comes across as little more than a cynical explanation for the decision to join the fashion pack and create yet another batch of expensive party dresses for the tiny percentage of young women who can afford them and the fewer still who even want them.

The Value of Ingenuity

Designer Doo-Ri Chung re-imagined white shirts and shirtdresses for the Gap, but wisely saved her defining aesthetic for her core work. It'll cost you, but it's worth it.

In the collection she presented Friday evening, she whetted the audience's appetite with her signature draped jersey dresses in pale quartz hues. One dress with a corset-style bodice relaxed into ripples of jersey that flowed around the hips and swept open when the model walked to reveal a flash of her thigh. But Chung also pushed her aesthetic forward, using her skill with fabric to create gently tucked and pleated skirts in organza with a tulle overlay. The technique was dazzling and controlled. One more tuck, one more splash of Swarovski crystals and the balance would have been thrown off. Chung offered an example of what it means to be able to look at a garment -- a complicated garment -- and know precisely when to stop fiddling, ruching and bedazzling.

And the team of Proenza Schouler may have offered Target a taste of its philosophy, but the feast was saved for their signature work. The collection shown Friday night was a bold expression of a forceful viewpoint -- fitted waistcoats, tiny skater skirts, surprising textures from raffia to feathers to antique gold embroidery. The collection reeked of money and it celebrated tailoring and polish.

From the beginning, the designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough worked to create a sensibility that would appeal to a woman as well as a young girl on her way to maturity.

The clothes are not overburdened with whimsy. They are not boring. And they most certainly are not cheap.