Furs, beading, tuxedo jackets feature big in NY fashion shows

Furs, richly beaded gowns and tuxedo jackets were all over the runways at New York Fashion Week on Tuesday as designers opted for feminine elegance in their fall and winter 2013 collections.

Deep V-necks, draping and long-sleeve gloves were in abundance, along with brocades in muted as well as rich colors and plenty of black.

Badgley Mischka featured gold-beaded jackets and black pencil skirts, sleek tuxedo suits and jackets over gold metallic jersey, and tulle and crepe gowns.

The design duo created a sexy and sophisticated femme fatale look with fox fur vests, collars and wraps and flowing gowns with beaded shoulders and waists.

"I thought it was magnificent - the romanticism, the fluidity and the craftsmanship," said Gwen Mader, a New York fashion editor. "It was one of the most beautiful collections I've seen this season."

Mark Badgley and James Mischka, who met while studying at Parson School of Design in New York and have worked together since 1988, are a favorite among Hollywood's elite with their glamorous style harking back to an earlier era.

Halle Berry, Helen Mirren and Katie Perry are among the A-listers who have walked the red carpet in their creations.

London-based designer Jenny Packham, who counts the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton among her clients, looked back to the intellectual salons of 17th century Paris, where women discussed the arts and literature, for her designs.

"This collection is inspired by the rich tones and hues of these salons, the shades of midnight blue, scarlet reds, cinnamon and lustrous opals and by the spirit of freedom that imbued them," she said in a statement ahead of the show.

Packham, who has been showing her collections in New York for the past few years, paired an ivory gown with a beaded coat, a sparkling, jeweled sweater with a flowing, full skirt and a red gown with cap sleeves and a sheer overlay.

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