Nicky Hilton proves herself as a designer

The master of structured garments presented a breezy and feminine spring collection Sunday night for a New York Fashion Week audience that included actresses Rachel Weisz and Julianna Margulies. Yet the overall look was still completely Rodriguez.

A white dress with tie-dye sunbursts in pink and orange seemed downright funky for this designer, but a closer examination showed all the seams and careful proportion that are his signature. Same goes for a sexy nude-colored, tank-strap sheath dress sprayed with black beads, and a dark purple slipdress under a sheer black overlay that had a lingerie feel.

One model wore a white silk slip under a gray dress with an open front, and the peek of the slip that stuck below the hemline added a sexy touch.

A creamy cocktail dress had an overlay of metallic circles over the bustline as adornment; a more subtle companion dress was a metal-embroidered dress with an overlay of sheer black fabric.

Some of Rodriguez’s fans demand his architectural suits and he did deliver those, too — mostly pantsuits. Jackets had asymmetrical fronts and peplums at the hip, paired with slim ankle-length trousers.

The men’s suits ranged from a more traditional two-button blue silk suit with fitted pants to a more relaxed “suit” with a two-button, short-sleeve jacket and matching dark blue shorts. Yes, shorts.

However, there was an emphasis at Rodriguez’s show, and the broader Fashion Week as well, on seasonless styles — as in clothes that can be worn any time of year. On this catwalk, there was an outstanding asymmetrical cobalt-blue silk coat that completely covered the black cotton shirt and white silk skirt that were supposedly underneath.

Diane von Furstenberg
Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg used her upcoming spring-summer collection, presented Sunday during New York Fashion Week, as an excuse to escape from everything she’s known for.

The wrap dress that is her hallmark was barely visible on the runway at the Bryant Park tents, and the best one that was there — a shiny shantung dress done in safari style — was almost unrecognizable without von Furstenberg’s reliable jersey fabric.

She also did fewer workday ensembles, instead concentrating on outfits for a summer vacation to a remote locale, or at least for hanging out poolside. Safari-inspired looks dominated, with a white linen suit looking particularly fresh. However, there also were a fair share of loose, airy dresses in tropical floral prints best pictured over a swimsuit.

Von Furstenberg used plenty of the pink and orange that have emerged as key colors of next season but she also played with the ocean shades of blue and green, as well as sandy neutrals.

A strapless dress with alternating horizontal rows of triangles and lines in brown and black against a white ground was called the “totem” dress.

A group of chiffon “pirate” garments were romantic without fussy trappings. Maybe Kiera Knightly could borrow the ethereal white blouse with rope-style trim if there ever is another “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.

Diesel
Hello, Miami.

Italian-denim brand Diesel revisited the steamy scene of Miami in the 1980s to set the mood for its new spring collection, presented Saturday at New York Fashion Week.

Hot pink? Check. Neon yellow? Check. Graffiti print? Check.

But there was nothing seedy about these clothes. The kitschy theme of the show was actually laundry detergent.

That might explain all the white: white jeans, white shirts, white jackets. The neon was the exclamation point to all the skinny jeans and slim skirts with gathered paper-bag waistbands.

On the softer side, there also were a series of light, flowing white tunic tops and dresses made of a sheer, gauzy fabric.

Jumpsuits are poised for a resurgence next year, with many designers showing them on the runway — including Diesel’s Renzo Rosso. One was in the spirit of what Norma Kamali did 25 years ago with a soft sweatsuit-type fabric, while another had oversized pockets.

The big pockets turned up elsewhere at Diesel, including a nice yellow raincoat, but not even those enormous pockets were big enough for the giant butcher-block bangle bracelets the models were wearing.

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