HALSTON Bradley Bayou brought a wild side to his spring collection of couture eveningwear. No more pink tea dresses with cutouts or paillettes. These dresses said “man-eater” – but softly. The best of the lot was a slinky halter gown of white silk chiffon with thin black stripes inset into the fabric, perfectly contouring the body. It’s a dress you could drink, dance, and be merry in, while looking like the belle of the ball. A short white dress with a black lace overlay was decorated with sequins and long, thin feathers. It produced a remarkable effect, though how one would sit down is a mystery.

Taking off on a natural theme, Mr. Bayou presented a long white dress with dragonfly wings at the bust line and waist and a tail on the back. It was beautiful, but almost creepy. More fun was a butterfly-motif wrap shirt (paired with leather jeans), as well as a cocktail dress with strands of sea-green and blue beads draped and sewn that inspired thoughts of spider webs. The well-tailored suits ranged from sleek – in a pewter wool with a corseted waist on the jacket – to colorful: a stunning blue crepe suit with accents of lime-green satin.

CARMEN MARC VALVO Color and shape found harmony at the Carmen Marc Valvo show. From day to evening, these looks combined sex appeal with grace for a certain kind of self-aware woman. A day dress to die for came in green floral-printed silk with pink accents, a full skirt, and gathered straps on the bodice. Another floral-print dress had a background of brown and used a basket weave for the top – a style that was seen often in the collection.

What do you throw on to go to the grocery store when you’re in Miami? Maybe a coral jersey tank and a brown-beaded and floral-print skirt; as simple as the shapes were, the rich colors gave those separates a glow. Eveningwear often had a Bond-girl feel. An avocado green halter top and palazzo pants in silk chiffon looked like just the thing to wear for a pool-side cocktail party. Floral print showed up again in a gown of large pink flowers, with fabric gathered at the bodice and twisted into the straps. The winner of the eveningwear was a sheer white blouse paired with a deep-brown sarong skirt that bared the leg – all connected by a wide gold belt.

GHOST Earthy but elegant clothing is what Ghost designer Amy Roberts is known for. You know it when you see it: her signature crinkly, cotton dresses, pants, and shirts hang with a loose, often carefree drape but somehow manage to cling (or offer peeks) in all the right places.

Her Spring 2005 collection continues this tradition. While paying homage to the sarong and sari, Ms. Roberts spun beautifully minimal halter and strapless dresses, the foundation of the collection, in lemon, coral, and teal blues. There was some embroidered tulle, but most of the fabric was left unadorned, typical of Ms. Roberts. A bright-green dress, artfully wrapped about the breast, was eye-catching, sexy, and witty. Ms. Roberts’s most laid-back luxe was revealed in a tissue-thin champagne silk knee-length dress paired with ivory bloomer-shorts.

NANETTE LEPORE Chances are you’ve seen her frocks filling the artfully crumbling racks at SARI Anthropologie G stores. Nanette Lepore’s retro-girly dresses, cardigans, sleeveless blouses, and suits are pleasingly pretty to women who like their clothing vintage but not smelly. Everything Ms. Lepore touches is handcrafted to maximum effect (though undeniably cute, there is nothing subtle about her clothes). Trim, buttons, closures, embroidery, pintucks, insets, linings – her clothes are for women who adore frilly details.

For spring Ms. Lepore continued her dedication to vintage cuts and peasant-like contrast: dresses, though knee-length, were cut thick at the shoulders in a style reminiscent of the 1930s but updated in shades of black, lavender, and yellow. Jackets were fitted and, more often than not, ruffled. Thick bands of black, or dark clusters of flowers, on pastel grounds of yellow or lavender decorated nearly every dress. There were a few prints, but those that were employed were all-over floral.

CALVIN KLEIN As fashion week drew to a close, the weary crowd that piled into yet another over-congested room seemed in dire need of a reviving trip to the spa. Thankfully, the clean and serene Calvin Klein collection was the next best thing. It seems that Francisco Costa is finding his identity at the legendary house, not an easy task, especially when you have your iconic predecessor watching from the sidelines – as Mr. Klein literally did Tuesday evening. But as the tan and dapper exdesigner stood quietly in a corner watching over the collection that bears his name, he looked nothing but pleased. And why shouldn’t he have? The simple, luxurious, and modern clothes were absolutely beautiful. Fluid silk jersey-dresses in khaki, turquoise, pink, and mustard were easy and elegant with subtle but decorative construction details like faux layers or racer-cut seams that extended around the waist. Layered, white A-line silk gowns were lightly voluminous, like clouds. Shiny and sharply cut leather blazers added edge to the look, while chunky leather knits were earthy and slightly raw. For evening, Mr. Costa sent out a selection of stunning maxi-length, color-blocked tank dresses that we expect to see more of in both fashion and tabloid magazines come spring. At the end of the show, Mr. Klein summed up the mood when he turned to a friend and made an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

WUNDERKIND BY WOLFGANG JOOP Wolfgang Joop took his show stateside this season, and presented his label Wunderkind Couture in New York for the first time. It seems that Mr. Joop, who has retired from his eponymous label Joop and founded the exclusive Wunderkind line in 1999, is having a wonderful time sinking his teeth into a smaller brand. The beautiful and luxurious clothes were constructed with great skill and care and had a gentle playfulness that was very appealing. Relaxed and elegant suits featured softly cut blazers and wide, fluid trousers. Draping was a recurring theme, from the gently twisted collars of silk blouses that had a shawl-like quality to the fluttery chiffon gowns. The fabrics were rich, opulent even, with smooth tweeds and sparkly floral overlays in thick lace. The looks were not exactly edgy, and more likely to end up on Nan Kempner types than Jessica Simpson. But it was delightful to see an accomplished craftsman taking such pleasure in his work.

NARCISO RODRIGUEZ The usually restrained and tailored Narciso Rodriguez loosened up for spring and sent out a light and lovely collection that had a slightly unraveled quality. The fitted and strict linen shift dresses of last season opened up into soft and fluid silk gowns with empire waists and billowing, layered skirts. However, the clothes still adhered to the same construction principles: jackets, skirts, and frocks were pieced together with a complex pattern of sheer and opaque panels and undulating seams. The color scheme was cool and clear with black, white, blue, and coral shades. Certain looks even had a tomboy-ish and athletic flavor; bra-shaped tops, scuba tanks, and fitted knee-length shorts looked like they could have been made for a very sophisticated game of beach volleyball. Day ensembles such as a corn-blue skirt suit worn with a matching corset like an oversized sash were innovative and sexy. But it was the evening dresses that were breath-taking. The easy and elegant gowns were beautifully balanced between the close-cut and minimal tops and full, flowing skirts. It seems that Mr. Rodriguez has reached the point of his career where he can afford to relax and let go, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.

RALPH RUCCI If the world were perfect, every fashion student would be able to attend a Ralph Rucci show. In a DEREK retail climate dominated by Juicy Couture and Paris Hilton sweat suits, Mr. Rucci insists on treating his craft as an art form. The Philadelphia-born designer (the first American since Mainbocher to be embraced by France’s Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture) consistently serves up hyper-exclusive clothes that exude exactitude and innovation. Even if one wouldn’t necessarily call, say, a black wool crepe suit with a cutwork pattern that resembles a magnified doily wearable, there is always a reason to marvel at the magnificent quality and craftsmanship of each garment. Mr. Rucci’s collection featured both straight and simple pieces – such as luxurious wool shift dresses with curved seams as a subtle embellishment – as well as extravagant numbers, like the ombre chiffon gown embroidered with fluttery feathers that extended like a sail in the back. This was not a collection that could be rolled up into trends and themes; each garment had its own distinct look. Evening gowns LOS were MIELE executed in a custom-made fabric, which made the final line-up a breathtaking spectacle of heavy silk columns, spider web-thin embroidered blouses, and futuristic, stitched alligator bodices. Ralph Rucci closed fashion week on such a high note that we look forward to it starting all over again in February.