MILAN, February 18, 2008 – Jewel-like color and peacock blues and greens are a story coming out of Milan, and that's where Alberta Ferretti took her Fall collection. What she does, of course, never strays from the pretty—you wouldn't expect a dramatic departure here—but now it's in a slightly different form. The clothes were less fluttery and with the embellishment toned down, though they still retained the femininity her customers love.

Instead of drifting, dresses were curved in the hem and gathered into the neckline, like the feather-print satin version that opened the show. Other shapes traced a trapeze line—one of them flowing into accordion pleats in back. Ferretti also paid special attention to making new volumes in coats, using shiny Mikado silk bonded onto a wool lining that holds structure without weight. Still, it was the simplest pieces that drew the eye most: a fine-gauge grape turtleneck worn over a wrapped chiffon skirt; two understated gray-beige draped jersey dresses; and, in the finale, deep purple, emerald, and brown velvets subtly detailed with burned-out effects marking the folds in a raised waistline. They struck a note of restraint that felt right for the mood of the moment.

– Sarah Mower