New York isn't short of the type of designer that caters to the girls that lust after forthright zany/quirksters like Zooey Deschanel. Rachel Antonoff is one of them but her pieces have enough wit about them so that you can overcome the saccharine sweetness to appreciate her sensibility. Pieces like this red snap clasp purse skirt stood out at her A/W 2012 presentation.

Calla made her debut at Milk Made this week as part of NYFW. Her sweet prints have been gaining momentum and she didn't veer off course this season with close-ups of wood grain, granite and crystallised florals being her motifs of choice.

Ostwald Helgason, a duo originally from Iceland and Germany but now based in London chose to present in New York this season and it was their best collection yet. They've nailed a contempo-cool niche that has ensnared stockists like Opening Ceremony. The deconstruction and colouring of the nautical stripe and the waffle knits are sure to stand out on the rails.

There's a hubbub surrounding Dean Quinn and it seems New York has treated the CSM graduate, Irish born designer well. Gaggles of people were gushing over this tight collection of brightly coloured cocktail dresses with hand cast zippers worked in to for an energetic touch. Quinn professed to looking at gypsies of the 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' sort. He's teetering on the precipice of bad taste but stays well within the guidelines with his precise construction and strong edit.

Joseph Altuzarra isn't scared of a theme - he's tackled Pocahontas, birds of paradise and Edward Scissorhands. It's his deft way of turning a theme into something 'classy', for want of a better word that has aided his rise as a designer. A trip to Morocco with the fictional sailor Corto Maltese resulted in a cracking gauntlet of sharp blazers, elegant peacoats and cargo trousers. Any reference to Moroccan motifs were reined back with Altuzarra's singular vision for his chic, well-turned-out and strong woman.  

I really need to stop referring to Victoria Beckham's line as a Vicky B show. That phrasing smacks of a patronising tone that can't really be applied to Beckham now that she has somewhat proved herself as a legitimate designer, lauded by critics. Her take on this season's emerging military theme had all the signature Victoria Beckham traits - the zipped-up back, the killer bod fit and sumptuous fabrics. It was these little details such as the slits in the sleeves and beanies worked with military caps that caught my eye.

Ok, there are a lot of 'urban layers' going on in New York. I'm not even sure what that means. These are clothes after all that can live in most areas, urban or not. However, Jeremy Laing, a young Canadian designer really does encapsulate that phrase. Much of the audience was made up of people trussed up in precisely that - layers of muted colours, varied textures with a protective vibe. Laing served up more of that in elongated shapes with slitted back tunics that were definitely a crowd pleaser.

Derek Lam along with contemporary Phillip Lim, is a New York favourite for amplifying American sportswear into something luxurious and elegant. Lam did have a bit of fun this season with a white satin bomber jacket dotted with flowers but it was these trousers, a recurring shape in the collection with its dramatic front pleat creating a waft of unexpected volume that really stood out.

Patrik Ervell dabbled with womenswear last season but ups his game this season with the use of a a cloud-like print on a PVC skirt inspired by police attire. Thankfully there isn't a hint of The Bill in there. Just slick, uniforms that were excellent for both genders.

A lot of the enlarged silhouettes that we have seen this season owe a lot to Yohji Yamamoto so it was completely appropriate for him to go with anything chunky and oversized in this texture heavy collection. There was a tough of nineties raver about some of the outfits as seen in this picture but it was mainly about parkas and bombers, perfect for people to make like Kenny from South Park and hide away.

The Row held an intimate presentation that was impossible not to like with its well articulation of the American woman, specifically New York fifties and sixties socialite Nancy 'Slim' Keith. It was as sharp as you'd expect from this label that is free from celebrity hub-hub and instead focuses on clothes that smack of quiet elegance.

My phone spellcheck typed out 'collaging' as 'collapsing'. I guess both would work in the context of Preen's latest collection which sees them moving more and more into print and embellishment territory as opposed to the structured tailoring from their earlier collections. This is no bad thing when the clothes have this much polish and finesse although you do occasionally get echoes of Dries Van Noten. Nonetheless, the Beatrix Potter florals, the sharp colour blocking and the application of fur panelling has a freshness that is refreshing in what feels like a darkened A/W 2012.

Not that I'm saying Olivier Theyskens is the Beast as clearly he is blessed in the looks department but what I meant by the title was the fairy tale element of this Theyskens' Theory collection, namely the stiffened polyester (which looked like satin) dresses that ballooned out in all the right places. Theyskens' romanticism is well documented and seeing it creep in to his work for Theory has been a joy to watch and even better to wear, given the somewhat accessible price points.

Ohne Titel was one of the few shows where they simply relied on the strength of one singular layer and thank god for that. Their graphic jacquard knits are plain to see and carry no baggage other than the duo's sensibility for textile artist Sheila Hicks.

Phillip Lim's shedding of glitz and embellishment could easily have been interpreted as a reactive hangover to Philo's heralding of minimalism at Celine. However, it is more that Lim has evolved as a designer and knows that his vast customer base (the stuff sells like hotcakes…) are after a fuss-free, cool and not intimidating wardrobe. There was a sharp edge to this super heroes collection but was always softened by Lim's consideration for the perfect trouser, the perfect jacket and the perfect coat in black and white.