Fabric often comes first with Jonathan Saunders. In previous seasons, his work has explored experimental, textile techno-craft (spring’s holographic metallics were stellar) but for Pre-Fall 2013, he took his digi-cloth in a decidedly more ladylike direction.

Spring’s “future-flash” gave way to a more prim-and-proper set of proportions, yielding clothes that felt much more refined in attitude. Shapes spoke to the classic sportswear lexicon–the trench, the balmacaan, the pencil skirt, the twinset–but were realized in a range of optically “outta-this-world” prints and patterns (a striated camo and broad-band ombre were standouts). Hemlines hovered around the knee in tailored, soft, and voluminous skirt shapes, their variety democratically offering every woman a way to interpret Saunders’ pop-polish come August.