Last night was the highly anticipated Collections group show, which drew a big crowd, one with more familiar faces than any thus far. Free of intermission, each designer showed about five or six looks, back to back, each with their own foci, giving the viewer a lot of excitement to process in a short time.

First up was Emily Ryan (who teamed up with Galen Amussen, who provided accessories) who displayed a continuation of her sculptural ideas, which appear intensely haute and comfortable simultaneously.

Holly Stalder showed a range of garments from party frocks to a (hot) pant suit, displaying her knack for detailed adornment.

John Blasioli's a broken spoke gets both softer and tougher this spring, with Easter sweater vests as well as punky zippers and D-rings. Quiter dressing guys in search of a great jacket for the season will be appreciative of a beautiful gray specimen.

Liza Rietz channels and artsy girl chic into her clothing, complete with pockets big enough to carry puppies.

Kate Towers astonishing opening gown pieces of great detail, as in a jagged-hem dress, straps dangling from drama collars, and a touch of white ball trim.

Pinkham Millinery started with a cute skit in which a male model sauntered out, then paused, miming looking for his keys. At this point a woman came out dressed in a man's shirt and hat, which, after a romantic emrace, he took from her and put on, signaling to the audience that it was the hats they were supposed to be focusing on. The drama didn't end there, with a string of men showing hats of different styles, including an impressive collapsable hat the the model pulled from a slim entermodal bag (hello, cameo!), and unfolded it into impeccable shape. The show ended with a fantastically tall couple done up in Miami bling, complete with their Pinkham hats in white (his) and gold (hers).

Genevieve Dellinger was up next with some awesomely sharp ideas about shape and proportion:

Linea by Jess Beebe accented easy pieces with a favorite detail of the night—exposed zippers—to appealing effect:

Daniel McCall showed off his expertise in muslin pieces, beautifully tailored simple dresses, and ended with a wrap dress in a strangely beautiful print.

Elizabeth Dye started out on her playful side with a short playsuit in denim with big shiny buttons and darting. A beautiful evening coat with cape sleeves came out followed by swingy party dresses (one with great scallop detail in back) and a wedding gown ended the show, as per tradition.

All photos, Minh Tran!