NY Fashion Week Fall 2011: Derek Lam

George Balanchine once said, "There are no new steps, only new combinations." This is what inspired Derek Lam's fall 2011 line. Known for his sportswear, Lam created clothes that were sophisticated, and definitely made with the working woman in mind. He tweaked a few classics, with plaid and color-blocked trousers and by pairing baby blue wool coats with bright red trousers. and created looks so chic and easy, that any woman could pull them off. Wide leg trousers (aka one of my absolute favorite trends of the season) made an appearance of course, accompanied by pea coats which again are huge this season. Lam amped it up a bit with the shearling vest, as it is not made from wool as most are, but from the warmer and softer alpaca. I've got an alpaca scarf, and I must say the idea of having an entire coat made from it sounds amazing. Comfortable, classic, and chic sums up this collection fairly nicely. You can check out a Q & A session with Derek Lam (and several other designers) on Rachel Zoe's website.