NEW YORK, February 8, 2006 – A quick read of Naum's press notes confirmed that designers Waleed Khairzada and Julia Jentzsch are still focused on high-tech textiles: materials described included "antibacterial cotton" and a scary-sounding combination of wool and Lycra with a "paraffin temperature-control system." Those notes also indicated that the designers have let some color into their somber, futuristic world—purple, green, and "Yves Klein blue," to be precise. Despite that welcome dash of levity, however, black was the basis of the designers' second outing, which had a Donna Karan/Thierry Mugler eighties feel.

Khairzada and Jentzsch are less interested in trends than in clothes that work, via fabric technology and quality construction. But their fall collection also works in another way, with a range of office-friendly pieces. A white cotton shirt worn under a gabardine dress updated Karan's "easy pieces" ideal, and color made suits look both feminine and professional. Khairzada and Jentzsch are talented tailors, but at times the severity of their clothes verges on Blade Runner territory (all those leather inserts on the inner arm). Pleated pants were overly voluminous, but two draped jersey dresses showed a softer side to Naum, a label still forging its identity.

– Laird Borrelli