Diane von Furstenberg is arguably the grande dame of New York fashion, and not only because she’s the president of the CFDA. Just try to walk to your seat at one of her shows; you’ll bump into a powerful bunch of folks, who also happen to be her dear friends. This season was no exception–I almost tripped on Barbara Walters, who was sitting front row next to Oscar de la Renta. Anderson Cooper, Fran Lebowitz, and Rachel Zoe were there to show support, too. The Theatre at Lincoln Center was packed to the rafters.

In between settling show scheduling conflicts with Milan and Paris and issuing CFDA guidelines about underaged models, DVF managed to find the time (with creative director Yvan Mispelaere) to create an amazing and sophisticated fall collection. When I saw the puzzle-piece-themed invitation and show notes, I was a bit concerned that the pieces were going to be an over-arching design element. While deconstructed puzzle piece shapes showed up on a few pieces, it was more a metaphor (I think). “The pieces are coming together,” Von Furstenberg said in her line sheets. Of her “girl” she said: “The night is young; she is timeless.”

So was this collection. Much less print-heavy than in seasons past, DVF relied on color-blocking to make her statement. Before you say, “Oh, no, not more color-blocking,” she combined unexpected colors, like lime green and raspberry in a fresh way. And I’m predicting that aqua/red is going to be the new pink/red color combo. The puzzle piece shapes that showed up were subtle, and a peppy quotation mark print was a standout. For some inexplicable reason, a dress printed with silhouettes of grabbing hands creeped me out a bit, but maybe that’s just me. And this collection totally makes me want to wear elbow length gloves.

Obviously von Furstenberg designs with a woman’s shape in mind. The draping on tops and skirts was subtle and perfect. While a lot of wrap dress shapes didn’t make it to the runway, we don’t doubt that this collection will be interpreted in her famous shape for retail.

It’s an honor to attend a DVF show, and we hope she continues trying to solve the fashion puzzle for years to come.

Photos: IMAXtree