Angel Sanchez's Ode to Architecture

Audacious architectural elements and a muted palette of olive and caramel and gold and silver put Angel Sanchez's fall collection, inspired by a trip to Japan, in fashion-forward territory. Pocket edges and collars jutted out and trims faced upward instead of down. Yet the collection looked more wearable than ever, with plenty of pants, jackets, and skirts, and dresses with simple lines. The decoration was spare but powerful. There were broach-size caramel appliqué flowers enclosed in three sharply edged squares down the front of a gold brocade knee-length sheath, and an organza and wool yarn embroidered flounce on a cocktail dress. Perhaps the strongest, destined-to-become-a-classic look was a pagoda-style neckline on a black cocktail dress that instantly conjured the cherry blossoms and lakeside pagoda at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.