Jason Wu Spring 2013

Leather, lace, and a strong opening walk by Carolyn Murphy made for a dramatic collection by Jason Wu, who played with the sexy/sweet balance for Spring 2013. Wu cited Helmut Newton's photographs as inspiration, which explains the presence of Murphy in her tight leather dress — she was a model in many of Newton's works. It was a collection about strong looks, where Wu juxtaposed the ultimate in femininity — lingerie-inspired pieces (and indeed, La Perla made the lingerie pieces for the collection) with tough leather and harnesses. It led to a theme of seduction versus innocence that will play well for cocktail parties next Spring.

• Trends: Leather, lace, harnesses, lingerie.
• Colors: Black, cream, pink, navy.
• Key Piece: Black tuxedo trousers trimmed in lace, a gorgeous navy tulle gown dotted with stars.
• Accessories: Hatboxes, travel case, lace pumps with embellished heels, patent-leather pumps with pearl-studded ankle straps.
• Who Should Wear It: Who craves drama? We think Kristen Stewart could pull off the leather dresses, while we would love to see Diane Kruger in the midnight-blue closing gown.