Fall 2009 NYFW trends: Surface effects

Origami folds, precision cuts, collage, sculptural and wrap effects — texture is where designers’ true artistry came into view for fall. Rodarte’s collage creations, Marchesa’s ball gown with stiff, paper-airplane-like folds, J.C. Obando’s micro-pleat dresses and Proenza Schouler’s shredded-burnout velvet sheaths were clothing as art. The trend also appeared on more everyday garb, including gray sweat shirts with sculpted power sleeves at Marc Jacobs, not-so-basic workaday skirts with origami folds at Nicole Miller and Michael Kors, and coats and dresses with sparkling net overlays like spun sugar at Carmen Marc Valvo.

— Booth Moore

J.C. Obando outfit, pictured

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  (Peter Stigter / For The Times)