"Minimalism with warmth" is how Derek Lam described his pre-fall lineup, a focused exploration of the essential pieces that comprise a woman's wardrobe. Since opening his Crosby Street store last summer, the designer has been receiving firsthand feedback as to what those items are. Fur does well, so on offer today were a fox vest and coordinating shrug. This label does a brisk business in outerwear, too, and a pair of bonded wool coats—one in brown with a fur collar and another in printed jacquard—should be particularly coveted next winter. Coupled with pieces like a sienna-hued vest-style wrap dress and a black leather and flannel T-shirt, the overall effect was cleaner and more graphic than the polka-dot-and-floral,1940's-inflected looks the designer showed for Spring. But that's not to say he's abandoned his softer side. Lam updated one of his best-selling silhouettes—a slim-but-not-tight elbow-sleeved frock—in Lurex with a digitized butterfly print. The verdict: plenty here to warm his fans' hearts.
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