NEW YORK, February 6, 2008 – Last season, we saw Carlos Miele in the midst of a clean-up act, jettisoning some of the excess that has previously weighed down his collections. His Fall show was an evolution of the same process, with the designer trying harder than ever to utilize his powers of restraint—insofar as that's allowed under Brazilian law. Fresh off the accomplishment of designing his 8,000-square-foot São Paulo boutique and his beach house on the island of Florianópolis, Miele had architecture on the brain. In seasons past, this reference wouldn't have been subtle, but here he worked it gently into the curved seams and twisted straps of colorful, fluid gowns that snaked gracefully around the body, and into the texture of square pleating on coats, skirts, and sculptural cable knits. An injection of menswear—particularly a black blazer worn over an evening skirt—was unexpected but wholly welcome: It was a great counterpoint to Miele's typical va-va-voom femininity. With his new ad campaign now hitting magazines, the designer's more restrained approach is picking up steam.

– Meenal Mistry