After more than a month of fashion shows and superstars, four international fashion weeks have ended. From New York to London to Milan to Paris, I have been following the shows, and here are my picks and kicks for spring.

New York

Abaeté Laura Poretzky mixed nudes with bright hues to give her line a fresh, clean look. The collection features flowy strapless dresses with drop waists and fitted numbers with a strong emphasis on the natural waist. I love the color blocking and casual look of this season’s pieces, but I am still uneasy about the toe boots; perhaps a failed attempt at going avant-garde. Marchesa Nearly every gown fell into one of two categories: lingerie or the inside of my couch. The collection was not a complete disaster – there were a few stunning Moroccan-influenced outfits, but not nearly enough to redeem the line. Y& Kei As always, Hanii Yoon and Gene Kang are a bit out there, but this season they went all the way. The tri-strap platforms are sure to be a hit, but there are not enough pieces that translate onto real people. Of the 22 looks, my favorite was a beige layered dress with a plunging neckline. If paired with a simple black camisole, the dress would be perfect.

Jenni Kayne Kayne’s use of bright prints, bold colors and original cuts gave her line a fresh take on spring and summer – plus her simple flats complement each look.

Chaiken There is no doubt that Julie Chaiken is a talented designer, but this spring and summer line fell short of her potential. The show was cohesive and beautiful, but was too safe and each look merely blended in with the rest of the collection; it was lukewarm. Doo.ri The collection is remarkable and it’s no wonder Doo.ri won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Chung’s use of different fabrics and her ability to drape or tailor virtually anything amazes me. Proenza Schouler Show me some legs! Sexy police inspired outfits and bare, toned, tan legs and cinched waists gave the girls a feminine appearance. Sari Gueron From the first piece through most of the collection, Gueron tried to incorporate at least one of the primary colors in each look, but as the show went on, it seemed like she ran out of the ideas. The cuts were interesting but poor. If it looks bad on the model, what do you think it will look like on a real woman? I can simplify the whole line in three words: frumpy, frumpy, frumpy – and that’s a feat considering almost half the line was made up of mini-dresses. Thakoon Thakoon Panichgul, yet another CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund recipient, showed his diversity in his collection. A whimsical mix of expert tailoring and free-flowing boho garb make this one of his most eclectic and playful lines yet. I particularly like the menswear-inspired suit jackets, especially with those great cuffed shorts. The line was polished and raw at the same time. Rodarte This is one of those lines that, in terms of wearability, falls between Jean Paul Gaultier and Comme de Garçons-it’s a fantasy world. My choice pieces from the collection are cigarette pants, floppy sun hats and oversized knit cardigans. In comparison with the sisters’ previous lines.

this line shows some signs of sex appeal, thank goodness. The Mulleavys’ lines may be out there, but they sure are fun to look at. 3.1 Phillip Lim What will Barneys buy from this season’s Lim line? Although each look is intriguing and very “sun kissed,” the line just wasn’t cohesive. I still don’t understand the long jersey dresses. Why are such talented designers squandering their abilities on oversized sarongs? As for the men’s looks, I love them! Each and every detail of the garments were well thought out and executed perfectly. Narciso Rodriguez As always, Rodriguez’s line was flawless. The cohesive collection was done in bright whites, absolute blacks and vivid flat colors (with a few prints here and there). The crisp clean lines, typical of Rodriguez, made each piece both fashion forward and classic. Rodriguez really knows how to fit the human body. Peter Som I thought “shades of gray” was just an expression, but after the Som show, I realized it could be a way of life. This artfully-crafted collection is a blend of sexy and conservative. It is collections like this that make women feel good about themselves, and the pops of color here and there are the cherry on the top of a perfect sundae. Réyes As an up-and-coming designer, it is important to make a great impression on the fashion community. Réyes stripped all the fluff away and brought sportswear down to its roots. Every look from Reyes’ collection looks like it came straight from the country club. I love the tennis inspiration, but even more I love the muted colors and somewhat traditional cuts. Anna Sui If you mix “Alice in Wonderland,” Pink, the punk-pop princess, and a 1950’s housewife you would get Anna Sui’s ready-to-wear collection. It sounds like an awful acid trip, but somehow it just clicked. Sui’s distinct style came through in her use of bright stripes and wild patterns. Marc Jacobs Jacob’s line is best described though the words of a true Marc Jacobs expert, David Ninh, style writer for F!D Luxe: “The thing with Marc’s show was that every single look was so distinct; it made you want to look at each and every one of the little details. Most shows just blurred together, but [the Marc Jacobs show] made you continue to think about the collection afterwards. It really was beautifully put together.” To see the full show, go to marcjacobs.com. VPL Victoria Bartlett went in a completely different and bizarre direction with her line. The collection was filled with what looked like a football player’s shoulder pads, sweatbands and over-teased hair, and those were the good parts. If the garments were shown as separates it would have been a different story, but together most of the outfits had too many layers suffocating anything that could have been good. Why was she nominated for a CFDA award? Monique Lhuillier Lhuillier puts the fashion back in femininity. One after another, gorgeous beige and black draped dresses and well-cut suits gave a soft, gentle feel to the collection. Small details like ruffles, chiffon and bows were a part of each garment, as opposed to being the focus of them. This may have been one of Lhuillier’s best collections to date. Zac Posen Recently in Dallas for Neiman Marcus’ 100th anniversary, Posen found himself among some of his most loyal fans, many of whom were at his last show. Practical and innovative, Posen’s line is just as expected: beautiful. The collection appealed to one’s sense of whimsy and made people think about the essence of “of-the-moment” fashion. There is no doubt you’ll find many of these pieces at Neiman’s this spring.

London and Milan

Luella The only noteworthy show of the week, Luella Bartley wowed fashion-mavens and buyers alike with her “geeky schoolgirl look.” Funky floral and Catwoman prints added a funky fresh element to the (mostly) sportswear line. Both casual and fashion-forward, Luella is a must for any SMU girl. Get excited: Up until now, the Target version of Bartley’s line was the only Luella available in Dallas, but with the opening of V.O.D. later this year, you will finally be able to get your Luella fix. Burberry Prorsum I love my Prorsum quilted jacket, but it’s time to go a little bit funkier with this English line. Put those silly checked jackets aside and pick up some of the edgy Prorsum separates from Barneys. Overall, I thought the collection was true to form with its diverse selection of fabrics and distinctly Burberry cuts. Blumarine Synthetic pinks, yellows and oranges stir up thoughts of the ’80s. The looks were simple and the collection was very cohesive, but Anna Molinari spread herself too thin. Too many of the looks were nearly identical. Molinari seems to have painted herself into a corner. The show was boring and if she doesn’t reinvent herself next season, she many not have many more. Gucci I miss Tom Ford. Gucci, in my mind, still hasn’t recovered from the loss of its golden boy, or should I say, golden hunk. A few of the dresses screamed Gucci, but most of the others were just too bland for the designer. Many of the full-length gowns have twice as much fabric as they should and look like giant silk-taffeta potato sacks. However, I did love the handbags, sexy shoes and original belts. Salvatore Ferragamo How very Italian. Free-form silks and a perfect balance of color made the collection very wearable. It actually translates from the runway to the real world. Iconic exotic skin bags and big round sunglasses seem to be one of the new staples from the house of Ferragamo, but they do not detract from the collection; they fit into it like the last piece in a puzzle. Fendi What can I say – Karl Lagerfeld is one of the most talented designers of our time. Because of the Fendi belt craze a few seasons ago, everyone has been looking to Fendi to see what new waist-wear Lagerfeld has concocted for this season. Large, colorful rectangular stones arranged in a geometric pattern follow the same shape as the Fendi belt, but are different enough to cause a stir. Filled with oversized clutches and A-line dresses, the collection is very of the moment.

Paris

Yohji Yamamoto In his current collection, Yamamoto worked exclusively in black, silver and his signature dragon and floral prints. Each model, wearing a black geisha-style wig and makeup to create the illusion of “almond eyes,” floated down the runway as if they were silent ninjas. Jumpers with Manchurian collars and asymmetrical hoop skirts conveyed a message of androgyny. Each piece was carefully constructed and the collection was immaculate: very Yohji. Balenciaga Nicholas Ghesquière’s approach to clothing is completely conceptual, but somehow in the end it all seems to work. Exploring different media, he used vivid floral prints to build hyper-structured dresses. In Balenciaga style, the footwear was outside definition – black and white stiletto calf-boot sandal lace-ups look utterly crazy and fabulous at the same time. With a line around the block to pay inordinate amounts of money for his work, Ghesquière is definitely here for the long run. Victor & Rolf Inspired by the dichotomy of black and white, there is nothing subliminal about Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren’s style; the models entered the catwalk though a giant mouth. The spring and summer collection was a bit gitchy (saturated with violin influences), but definitely memorable. Hints of pink, menswear and messy argyles gave some relief from the many, many violins, but together it looked original, to say the least. Christian Lacroix “The grand master,” as his followers adoringly call him, was somewhat of a disappointment this season. If this line had shown under a little-known, up-and-coming designer, it would be praised for its innovative design, but coming from such a seasoned designer as Lacroix, the line leaves me wondering why he didn’t add the wow factor. As always, the show was beautifully done, wild hats and all. The clothes were distinctly Lacroix, but something was just a bit off about this season. Dries Von Noten You know a designer is truly gifted when they can mix and match several bold patterns and make it look eclectic-chic instead of ridiculously overdone. Von Noten gave us 53 separate looks and somehow managed to make each and every one pop. Silks, floor length dresses, high-waisted pants and lapelled jackets: this collection had everything. Flirty and casual, Von Noten was a breath of fresh air in the couture-saturated fashion week. Givenchy Riccardo Tisci has done it again. Looking more like a parade of the undead than a light spring and summer show, Tisci amazed with his flawless construction and ability to breathe life into his collections. Tisci embodies the sprit of Givenchy in everything he does, even if he is a little bit creepy. Valentino This year marks Valentino’s 45th year designing. Spring and summer 2008 was Valentino’s last RTW collection, and boy did he go out with a bang. Barbie-girl models sported everything from his Maude block-color day dresses to signature red evening gowns. There is not a person alive who can fit a woman’s body like Valentino. His ready-to-wear collections will be deeply missed, but don’t fret; he will continue with his couture collections. Chanel Two words: ankle bag. The clothing was what everyone expected for Chanel, but what caused a real buzz was those darn ankle bags. What was Lagerfeld thinking? At least you can rest easy when your probation officer puts one of those silly little tracking anklets on because now you can wear it under your Chanel bag – everyone will think you are so cutting edge, that is if Lindsay Lohan doesn’t get her paws on one first. John Galliano He may be absolutely crazy and unable to dress himself, but Galliano constantly pumps out striking collections that leave everyone in awe. The set designer called it a collaboration between Coney Island and Andy Warhol on holiday. Always the production, Galliano walked us though each look as if to tell the story of Coney Island, under the influence. Wild and random, Galliano is constantly evolving as a designer, and this season is proof. Lavin Designer Alber Elbaz’s collection was the perfect way to cap off a mad month of fashion. Simple, elegant and bold are just a few words to describe the Lavin line. He used richly colored fabrics in his billowy gowns and gently twisted dresses. The collection was very mature and carefully designed; it was Elbaz’s best collection yet. Well done, Alber!