Clothes Vs. Fashion

"How was it?" asked the editor of an avant-garde fashion magazine. "Was it ... clothes?" Yes, was the reply. "We don't cover clothes," the editor said, "we cover fashion."

Clothes versus Fashion. Therein lies the crux of the fashion business today. Plain "clothes" — a long, belted coat at Jil Sander, a loose black suit at Hermès — generic looks that (save for the cashmere and silk blends) could come from anyone, fail to generate the kind of excitement that lures luxury goods consumers. But by the same token, undiluted "fashion" — a kelly-green shearling mini-skirt with fur stripes at Bottega Veneta, the Egyptian floor-length caftans at Miguel Androver — is even more likely to end up on sale racks.

The most successful designers are the ones who manage the balancing act between the two — the ones who create interesting, arresting pieces that people are proud to wear on the street. This season, some brands are trying to move from the fringes towards that desirable center. Dries Van Noten, who usually presents a colorful assemblage of fabrics, opened his collection with a white trench coat. Max Mara, long the safe choice for working women, featured sexy jersey tops and luxurious beaded evening gowns.

Other labels struggled to identify themselves as anything at all. Jil Sander showed its first collection by the new designer Milan Vukmirovic, who had been creative director at the Paris store Colette. Sadly, his collection looked like one designed by a retailer.

But several houses are poised to take Sander's mantle as the label of minimalist luxury. Bally, in the flush of a revival funded by Texas Pacific Group, showed the elegant — and expensive — pieces that Sander's customers would love, including crisp cotton blouses and narrow leather trousers. Burberry would also please followers of Jil. It had its best collection yet by designer Roberto Menichetti, a Sander protégé. Sadly, it's also Menichetti's last collection for the company — he's leaving to pursue other interests.

On the forefront of fashion, it's the young designers who are pushing the new ideas. Ruffo, a leather company that produces for the likes of Versace, hires a hot young designer a year at a time for its Ruffo Research label. This year's pick, Sophia Kokosalaki, took the label's meaning to heart. Her leather and suede dresses and coats were not only imaginative, they also demonstrated the material's potential.

Olivier Theyskens, reportedly Bernard Arnalut's choice for the Givenchy job that went to Welsh designer Julian Macdonald, showed a mature collection of elegance and complexity. And, yet again, Nicholas Ghesquière's collection for Balenciaga stole the hearts of fashion editors — this time with intricately pleated skirts, sculpted suits, and fitted trousers adorned with metal. All three have what it takes to be a legendary designer: an ability to create art that customers can wear. This season's best collections were created by masters of this skill: Tom Ford for Gucci, Miuccia Prada for Prada, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi, Michael Kors for Celine, and Stefano and Domenico for Dolce & Gabbana. They all demonstrated how true fashion stars are those who make fashion that functions as clothes.