NEW YORK, January 9, 2008 – Donna Karan's relaunched bag collection got most of the attention at a small cocktail party at her Tenth Avenue showroom tonight, but there was plenty to admire in the nonchalant ease of the pre-fall line that was also on display. Mixing masculine and feminine elements, Karan paired tailored, military-influenced jackets with fluid skirts made from gauzy layers of tissue-weight fabric, and draped soft musketeer blouses over relaxed jodhpurs. In fact, layering was a key motif, with Mongolian lamb vests topping jackets and coats. As for colors, she described them as "shadows": browns and grays that you might see in the Northern woods. They contributed to the overall mood, which was as sensual and urban as always, but softer and less aggressive, too.

– Nicole Phelps