NYFW: Lou Dallas, Luar, Calvin Luo, and Chloe Gosselin Marry Shocks and Subtlety

With Lou Dallas, RISD-trained designer Raffaella Hanley likes to let her art school girl run wild. In past seasons, her hand-dyed clothing never met an adornment it didn’t like: tops were ruffled, skirts were pleated, corsets tightened with frilly ribbons. Her signature put-a-bow-on-it ethos is still present for her fall collection, but it has matured quite nicely. Yes, there were still plenty of floral appliqués and tiered skirts in the lineup, but Hanley also flexed newfound restraint. There were simple pieces, like a bias-cut floral skirt that trailed fantastically with each step and a tan blazer that looked downright business casual. One New Romantic-esque apron dress was a particular highlight of the collection, with the added bonus that it could double as a french maid costume come Halloween.—Alaina Demopoulos