Designers set the trends of autumn/winter 2013 on the New York runways

From monochrome to Mother Russia, US designers ran the gamut of trends for autumn 2013

Rodarte

Rodarte's palette this season was black, white, grey and nude, which allowed the styled layering to do the 1980s talking. A splash of tie-dye on silk-satin floor-length dresses signified that we were back in the Mulleavy sisters' dream-like interpretation of their Santa Cruz childhood.

Diane von Furstenberg

“I've become one of those women who shops all day, gets pedicures,” whispered a disco diva in the show soundtrack. This was high glamour and high 1970s in tan and burgundy suede wrap dresses, patchwork, a velvet tunic over velvet flares and a floor-length empire-line maxidress.

Alexander Wang

Wang's show was at the Cunard Building, built in 1919, when NYC was the largest metropolis in the world, but the collection harked back to the 1980s of the USSR. Concrete-block grey permeated the collection, as well as Astrakhan and angles on jackets reminiscent of Malewicz illustrations.

Oscar de la Renta

Reports suggest that John Galliano's residency at de la Renta was Anna Wintour's idea and there are rumours that he might take over the house. All this is vague and as yet unknowable: what is certain is that the collection benefited from the meeting of design minds.

Thom Browne

If Mobama wearing Thom Browne on the campaign trail and at the inauguration had any effect on his designs this season, it was to strengthen the resolve of his vision. Gothic fantasy mixed with menswear fabrics and flat kimono sleeves combined in a unique sartorial message.

Donna Karan

Karan related her autumn 2013 collection to the “Seven Easy Pieces” concept that was part of her original design ethos. Tight jersey formed the foundation, with separates layered on top to provide a hard-working woman of the 1980s with a hard-working wardrobe.

DKNY

“Get chic… and have some fun,” exhorted the DKNY show notes – perhaps in the yellow and red leopard-print jumpers, coats, jeans and boots, or the large “D” pendant necklace that wouldn't look out of place in a pop-rap MTV extravaganza. The collection's strengths were in its simplicity.

Proenza Schouler

Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez had softness in mind, seen in the curvature of coat shoulders, the low-heeled shoes, the ostrich-feather skirts and the pale grey, mint and peach colours that gently wriggled into the monochrome palette.

Michael Kors

Michael Kors' autumn 2013 spoke to a number of different women. The Matrix came to mind in streamlined black bodysuits with leather sleeves or peplum; Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl in a royal blue double-breasted and belted suit, worn with a masculine coat draped across the shoulders.

Victoria Beckham

Beckham, the woman, this season was described by VB in the show notes as having particular attributes: she drinks espresso and devours books. There was whimsy and an edge, underscored by a soundtrack from Popeye. Knee-high boots paired with school uniform-like pinafore dresses conveyed the mood.

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Puffs of hair and beautiful boys were easy on the eyes at the Marc by Marc Jacobs show on Monday. There was a strong sense of non-directional nostalgia – for the music of yore, for the 1940s, the 1950s, the 1970s, for being young and pretending to be older. Satin suits were wide-legged.

Marc Jacobs

Joan Jetts hair-spiration met the shimmer of the 1070s at Jacobs' main show, which introduced a new way to hold your bag: with one arm across your torso. Forest green made a fleeting but strong appearance as it has done elsewhere, and fun fur came in the shape of teddies.

Calvin Klein

Wide belts and cinched waists were far from demure, moving the Klein look away from the minimal romance of its past few seasons. More bottle-green was evident in a show that combined bullet-proof panelling and patent leather to convey a feeling of strength in sophistication.

Ralph Lauren

Lauren took us to Russia by boat this season: Cossack pants tucked into boots, styled with fisherman's jumpers and caps, and naval badges. He puts a theme for each season, but take each look apart and you have commercial pieces that can be worn apart from the context into which they were crafted.