A Punch of Panache in Sea of Suits

THE SERIES: “Civil Wars.”

THE SETUP: Scenes from the law offices of smart Sydney Guilford (Mariel Hemingway), stressed-out Eli Levinson (Alan Rosenberg) and rock-solid Charlie Howell (Peter Onorati). Howell respects more than the mind of his leggy associate, although she has barely a moment for social interactions. Ditzy office secretary Denise Iannello (Debi Mazar) keeps things lively.

THE LOOK: Not to be confused with “L.A. Law,” it’s all business in a subdued New York sense. Seriousness aside, special attention first should be paid to young Denise, clearly a fashion worshiper, who wears the most original contemporary designs on television. Her wardrobe, created by costume designer Brad Loman, is as exciting as an empty cab heading your way on a rainy rush hour in The Apple. Itsy-bitsy suits and short tight dresses with bolero jackets are graphic and colorful in the mood of today’s best young New York fashion designers such as Zang Toi and Gemma Khang. That’s not all. On one day, Denise may show up in an oversized orange-and-green houndstooth jacket with smaller size houndstooth skirt, and the next she may be in a retro mood, dashing about in a full-skirted, floral “I Love Lucy” hostess outfit with matching capri pants.

Sydney consistently wears a neutral, putty palette meant to read with a certain grittiness. It appears in her Italian-style, quietly tailored straight fitted skirts, jackets and collarless silky blouses. No bows. No pants. No, not even pleats. Sometimes she opts for plaids and checks, but always in the same subtle tones. She hardly wears much jewelry beyond small drop earrings. Sometimes she’s just too blah, as if she had more important things than clothes to think about. But she has her good days--a sweater under those blazers softens her look, and a shapely royal blue blazer gives her a certain punch.

Sydney’s male counterparts are straight arrow Eli, and not quite so straight arrow Charlie. They’re suited up in traditional fashion, as is expected in a court of law. Wacky ties or braces are neither one’s thing. Much further down the professional food chain, check out Jeffrey, the bicycle messenger (David Marciano), an ongoing visual encyclopedia of up-to-the-minute cycling chic.

THE SOURCES: Loman designs Denise’s wardrobe with new and vintage fabrics found at stores such as Beverly Hills Silks and Woolens and Repeat Performance. He makes nearly half of Sydney’s separates, often with yardage from Elegance Fabrics, while most of the rest of her wardrobe is Armani. That fitted blue blazer is Jil Sander. Many of Charlie’s suits bear the Nordstrom label; Eli’s are from Stanley Blacker and Brooks Brothers. As for Jeffrey, he wears mostly Trek bicycle wear.

THE PAYOFF: Loman’s showcase work for Denise brings a talented designer to light.