Carolina Herrera runway shows and fashion collections

Spring/Summer 2005 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2005 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on September 9, 2004 at Bryant Park during Olympus New York Fashion Week. Although the designer's signature sophistication underscored the collection, many reviews cited it as more lighthearted, notably influenced by her daughter Carolina Herrera Jr.'s summer wedding to prized bullfighter, Miguel Baez. The collection of 46 looks included a series of chiffon dresses and tweed shifts in a palette of crimson, aqua, chocolate, green, ivory, and black. Daria Werbowy opened the runway presentation; while Karolina Kurkova closed the show. Erin Wasson, Liya Kebede, and Natasha Poly also walked the show.

Herrera is celebrated for elegant eveningwear, but the 40s inspired silhouettes featured laid-back chic daytime looks with raw hems, bandeau tops, full skirts, and vertical panels. The classic silhouettes of sundresses, shirts, and floating, flared skirts were described as light and fluid. The ladylike separates were accented by the use of patchwork, embroideries, and jeweled embellishments, inspired by mosaic tiles. While textiles and interior designs were a starting point for the Spring 2005, one of the collection's signatures was a whimsical diving print.

Fall/Winter 2005 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2005 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on February 7, 2005 at Bryant Park during Olympus New York Fashion Week. Style.com described the collection as old-world, but not old-fashioned. The collection of 42 looks was 40s inspired, stripped of embellishments with body-conscious ensembles that were chic, but never flashy—a contemporary interpretation of modern power-dressing that maintained a combination of charm and elegance that the designer is heralded for. The collection featured trumpet skirts and tweed hunting suits. The collection's signature patterns included an abstract and a windowpane check. For Fall 2005, Carolina Herrera trimmed her collection with luxurious accents of lynx, chinchilla, and broadtail. Daria Werbowy opened and closed the runway presentation. Karen Elson, Gemma Ward, Isabeli Fontana, Raquel Zimmerman, Heather Marks, and Liya Kebede also walked the show.

Renee Zellweger attended the pre-Oscar runway presentation. The former half of the show included daytime suits and shift dresses, while the latter featured more red-carpet gowns. Vogue UK described the collection as light as air with exquisite cuts, soft colors, and sheer fabrics.

Spring/Summer 2006 Ready-to-Wear Collection

According to the program notes, the Carolina Herrera Spring 2006 Ready-to-Wear Collection was inspired by early 20th Century Vienna. Presented during Olympus New York Fashion Week, on September 12, 2005 at Bryant Park, with a nod to arts and crafts, the collection's 42 looks featured embroideries, hand-painted appliques, and raffia belts juxtaposed against chiffon gowns. The designer who is known for elegantly whimsical prints, featured and playful gingham and a radish this season—granted that signature top with root vegetable was juxtaposed against a jeweled neckline.

Monikered as a ladies who lunch collection, instead of signature suits, this season's modern silhouette paired top and skirt/pant separates for daytime. Lily Donaldson opened the runway presentation while Gemma Ward closed it. Doutzen Kroes, Isabeli Fontana, Jacquetta Wheeler, Julia Stegner, and Caroline Trentini also walked the show. Camilla Morton from Vogue UK reviewed it as a collection "to empower future first ladies, actresses, or merely the American gal who wants to live the American Dream." Carolina Adriana Herrera, Hamish Bowles, Anna Wintour, Andre Leon Talley, Cindy Weber Cleary, Hal Rubinstein, and Jim Gold were spotted on the front row.

Fall/Winter 2006 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on February 6, 2006 at Bryant Park during Olympus New York Fashion Week. The designer was inspired by late 50s screen sirens Claudia Cardinale in The Pink Panther and Jeanne Moreau in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The collection's 42 looks featured a palette of black, chocolate, violet, cream, and red. Key silhouettes included skirt suits, sheaths, cocktail dresses, and evening gowns. Bold color and pattern combinations, plaids, and a Prince of Wales check made a big impact, while sheered mink and crystal detailing accented the pieces. Daria Werbowy opened the runway presentation, while Eugenia Volodina closed it. Anja Rubik, Behati Prinsloo, Freja Beha Erichsen, and Hana Soukupova, also walked the show.

"I wanted to do really a very feminine and glamorous collection and young at the same time… The rust and the red mixed with the brown and the black… Colors are fashion and they are universal; they have to go everywhere. Color is the fun side of fashion. You have to mix the colors in fun way to make them look newer… We have seen very somber collections for a long time and it needs a little bit of color. I think women are ready to wear color… Romance is important and I think in this collection, there was a game of seduction you could play and not showing so much skin," said Carolina Herrera backstage.

This tailored collection of cocktail dresses and boatneck jackets transitioned seamlessly from day to night; even tweeds and plaids exuded a sophisticated luxe with fur trims and cuffs. The palette was vibrantly autumnal with shades of orange, rust, turquoise, and greige. Additional guests included Glenda Bailey, Graydon Carter, Candy Pratt Price, Virginia Smith, Ivanka Trump, Jane Lauder, Dominick Dunne, and Padma Lakshmi.

Spring/Summer 2007 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2007 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on September 11, 2006 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Nicole Phelps described the collection as polished, but effortless. Unlike her Fall 2006 Collection, references to a bygone era were more subtle. Standouts from the collection of 42 looks included a trench coat with rosettes; a wool sheath with pleating details; a toile sundresses, and a cocktail dress with ribbon embroidery. Jessica Stam opened the runway presentation, while Tanya Dziahileva closed it. Patricia Schmid, Hilary Rhoda, Coco Rocha, Anouck Lepere, and Sasha Pivovarova also walked the show.

Backstage Carolina Herrera said the collection was inspired by the very independent and sophisticated woman of today. Hairstylist Odile Gilbert created a touch of sophistication with a loose chignon and make-up artist Diane Kendal wanted to keep the girls looking fresh and modern with a 50s twist.

Vogue UK described the collection as being cut for real women, neither dull nor stuffy, but rather classy and refined. The emphasis was on the waist, with wide and narrow belts alike used to create an hourglass frame. One of this season's whimsical signature prints was of Marilyn Monroe toile.

Fall/Winter 2007 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2007 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on February 4, 2007 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Style.com described the collection as brooding, even mysterious. The collection's 41 looks focused more on daytime sheaths and skirt suits; starburst plaids and wool jacquards perforated felts, and floral lame were artistically detailed with fur trims, embroideries, appliques, micropleats, and crystals. The palette included captain blue, grape, ash, poppy, and bark and was inspired by Edvard Munch's 1889 portrait Hans Jaeger. Key design elements included jeweled bib blouses, embroidered keyholes, flutter sleeves, and this season's print was a raindrop. The Bird and the Bee's "I Hate Camera," provided the runway soundtrack.

Freja Beha Erichsen both opened and closed the runway presentation. Bruna Tenorio, Lily Donaldson, Alana Zimmer, Solange Wilvert, Hye Park, and Magdalena Frackowiak also walked the show. Tim Blanks for Style.com noted that there is a very interesting dialogue between opulence and discretion. He described the clothes has evoking a feeling of discreet grandeur.

"This collection is about color, dimension, and texture… It's an optical illusion that I tried to create here. It's something new here and I love it! I had an inspiration for the colors from a Munch portrait… Yes, it's luxurious, because that's what fashion should be about," said Carolina Herrera backstage.

"It's a perfect marriage for us! She gives us such sophistication, such luxury, " said Linda Fargo, Senior Vice President Bergdorf Goodman.

Kim Cattrall, Andre Leon Talley, and Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss also attended.

Spring/Summer 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on September 10, 2007 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. This season, Mrs. Herrera found inspiration in the watercolors of Jeremiah Goodman. Reinventing the modern suit, the designer paired with shirtdresses and cocktail styles topped with sporty cardigans. Only one of the 39 looks featured pants. Catherine McNeil opened the runway presentation. Denisa Dvorakova, Snejana Onopka, Du Juan, Sasha Pivovarova, Kasia Struss, Ksenia Kahnovich, Erin Heatherton, Angela Lindvall also walked the show. Vogue UK called it an inspired tour de force.

"This collection is an explosion of color! It's all inspired by those watercolors of Jeremiah Goodman. It's for the women who like color and drama," said Carolina Herrera.

"There was new proportions. I think there was a kind of youthfulness. There's a lot of layering; there's almost like a look that is happening underneath the surface. It was really beautiful," said Linda Fargo, Senior Vice President, Bergdorf Goodman.

According to the program notes, the collection was a lavish expression of a woman's love for color and drama. The palette included ivory, black, pool blue, pear green, brick red, peony pink, and Clementine orange. The collection's silhouettes dresses, included cocktail shorts, elongated cardigans, and cropped jackets. Leslie Feist's "My Moon, My Man," provided the runway soundtrack.

Fall/Winter 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on February 4, 2008 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. The collection was built on a foundation of layered separates of capes, jackets, riding pants, and cashmere vests. The 44 looks featured a bird print with marabou feathers and windowpane plaids.

Karlie Kloss opened the runway presentation. Siri Tollerød, Magdalena Frackowiak, Jourdan Dunn, Heidi Mount, and Kasia Struss also walked the show. Anna Wintour, Angie Harmon, Andre Leon Talley, Aerin Lauder, Hamish Bowles, Tory Burch, Tinsley Mortimer, Hilary Alexander, Robert Verdi, Lauren Ezersky, and Fern Mallis were all front row guests.

"Women want to feel that they’re wearing something very special and they’re fantasizing about another life," said Carolina Herrera backstage. "In every collection there should be a lot of fantasy, but it's also mixed with reality."

"The workmanship and the intricacy of the fabrics and the dresses is amazing. It really is almost like couture, I think," Bob Colacella, Vanity Fair. "Her style is grand, but it also has a nonchalance to it, and a youthfulness and a sweetness it's like her."

"This was an incredible show. It had such drama and character to it," Michael Fink, Saks Fifth Avenue. The use of such rich and luscious fabrications, which we haven’t seen in the market for quite a few seasons. Just a return to beautiful clothes, well-made emotional"

Suzy Menkes noted that Mrs. Herrera followed "a general exodus from city to country by way of intriguing fabrics and a rich palette." Her "Tally ho!" designs signaled a movement "back to nature."

The models wore fedoras with long pheasant feather designed by Albertus Swanepoel.

Spring/Summer 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on September 8, 2008 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. This season's silhouette went beyond the after-five attire of cocktail dresses, showing day suiting with jackets and cropped cigarette pants, that Style.com described as having a toreador-effect. Toni Garrn opened the runway presentation and Heidi Mount closed it. Agyness Deyn, Karlie Kloss, Ali Stephens, Masha Novoselova, Georgina Stojilkovic, Alyona Osmanova, Lakshmi Menon, and Arlenis Sosa also walked the show.

Anna Wintour, Tory Burch, Lauren Santo Domingo, Marjorie Gubelmann, Terron Schaefer, Fran Lebowitz, Graydon Carter, Michael Roberts, Cathy Horyn, Stefano Tonchi, Andre Leon Talley, and Serena Williams, and Renee Zellwegger were seated on the front row.

"I’m seeing a lot of color and I’m seeing a lot of florals, so it looks very romantic to me,"noted Saks Fifth Avenue's Michael Fink backstage. "This is super sophisticated, which is what the Carolina Herrera customer is."

"I play a lot with the color in this collection," explained Carolina Herrera. "And the romanticism and the ethereal quality of the evening, which was very much inspired by the Botticelli paintings. You know, all the flounces and all the flowers and very romantic… I am responding to what I have in my mind that I want to see the women of the Spring 2009 wearing and I think it's very feminine and it's very romantic and I think women like to look that way."

"You know, she's the queen of the cocktail dress," offered Vogue's Virginia Smith post-show. "And I thought it was a collection that sort of just did what she does best… I mean this is the most chic woman on the face of the Earth and that collection is very much her."

According to the program notes, collection was a play on contrast and color, with a palette of marigold, persimmon, hibiscus, teal, white, and black. Inspired by Alessandro Botticelli's Venus and Russian Constructivist’s utilitarianism modernism, the collection's 43 feminine and romantic direction was underscored by ruffled bodices, embroideries, appliques, peplums, and embellishments.

Fall/Winter 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on February 16, 2009 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Style.com noted that despite the recession, the collection maintained a "sense of poise under pressure. Signature elaborate embroidered were replaced by rich, textured fabrications with a three-dimensional effect. Natasha Poly opened the runway presentation and Sigrid Agren closed it. Charlotte di Calypso, Anna Jagodzinska, Irina Kulikova, Anna Selezneva, Karmen Pedaru, Eniko Mihalik, Liu Wen, Ksenia Kahnovich, Alyona Osmanova, and Constance Jablonski also walked the show.

Inspired by 1700's architectural element, Mrs. Herrera unveiled a collection of 34 looks with sculpted silhouettes, powerful pantones, and tactile textures. The palette included aubergine, forest, lapis, smoke, caviar, and copper.

Make-up artist Diane Kendal kept the make-up beautiful and fresh-faced. Orlando Pita said he was inspired directly from the clothes to create an embellished chignon with pins and flowers.

"I loved that copper dress with the little bustier underneath and the sleeve hanging off," said Rachel Zoe backstage. "That's the best thing about Carolina. It's like every year it's just younger and cooler and edgier, but still she doesn’t alienate the women that want to wear her beautiful gowns… She's sort of designing for kind of every woman now.

"I think it was a bit of a young, kind of rock ‘n roll sensibility, observed Glamour Magazine's Cindi Lieve. "I think that everybody wants something that feels like luxury."

Sarah Rutson's Lane Crawford noted, "There was an urbanis, yet there was a strong romance to it. Who do I need to look for Carolina Herrera to go for now? And it's women that are still working and not relying on their husbands to buy their clothes"

"There's some asymmetrical draping going on. I think these are things that are very new for her and certainly new to the customer, "said Michael Fink. "New, young, wonderful Herrera."

"I think fashion should be very powerful!" noted Mrs. Herrera. "When there is an economic crisis, a social crisis, it's the only way that the women have to express themselves with optimism. This is a collection for that."

Spring/Summer 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on September 13, 2009 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Style.com described the collection's 38 looks as younger looking, adopting woven vests and shorts as the new summer suit. Natasha Poly opened the runway presentation and Magdalena Frackowiak closed it. Hanne Gaby Odiele, Snejana Onopka, Chanel Iman, Ginta Lapina, Ymre Stiekema, Edita Vilkeviciute, Charlotte di Calypso, Iris Strubegger, Rianne Ten Haken, and Yulia Kharlapanova also walked the show. Grace Coddington, Rachel Zoe, Patrick McCarthy, Graydon Carter, Arthur Elgort, Fabien Baron, J. Alexander, Fran Lebowitz, and Stephen Sadove were all seated on the front row.

Vogue UK noted the rough-refined silhouette, juxtaposing rugged texture with uber-luxe materials and characterized the collection as having "a dramatic tension between the designer's ladylike designs and their earthy inspiration." The palette was primarily earth tones with ivory, amber, quartz, stone, straw, redwood, and caramel.

"The inspiration for the collection was the technique of how they’ve woven the baskets in Japan," noted Carolina Herrera backstage. "So I decided why don’t we translate this to the materials, to the embroideries, to the prints of the collection… At the end of a summer day, you always have a fantastic light that is like amber; so, I wanted that palette to go with woven things, because they complimented each other. It's something that I’ve always been fascinated by. "

"It was like sitting on a beach in the lovely Caribbean somewhere and enjoying the sun as it went down behind the ocean," noted Ken Downing from Neiman Marcus, "I loved all the fantastic, very woodsy, warm shades… and all that amber and all that gold. It was very chic and very sophisticated."

Although the arts and crafts inspiration was a departure for the Venezuelan designer, the designer proved that even a more relaxed silhouette can still feel polished and refined. Carolina Herrera's aesthetic is intrinsically feminine, chic, and sophisticated. This collection demonstrated that even during an economic decline, clientele will still opt for something that feels custom-made, unique and special. Woven jackets, woven leather belts, a basket-weave print, and woven metal embroideries and crystals harkened to the ancient Eastern handcraft of Japanese basket-weaving.

Make-up artist Diane Kendal described the look as timeless, classic, beautiful, and fresh, with a neutral eye, black cream liner, peach blush and M-A-C. lipstick in Twig. Hairstylist Orlando Pita gave the models simple low twists that were decorated with beaded hairpieces, with silver for blondes and bronze for brunettes.

Fall/Winter 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Fashion Week Tents on February 14, 2010 at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Karen Elson opened the runway presentation and Karlie Kloss closed it. Frida Gustavsson, Jessica Miller, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Patricia van der Vliet, Maryna Linchuk, Taryn Davidson, Daria Strokous, and Ieva Laguna also walked the show.

According to the program notes, "There is an alluring confidence in the woman who inspired the Fall 2010 Carolina Herrera Collection. A sophisticated, feminine attitude and striking details reveal an integrity of luxury." Previous seasons drew references from more artistic themes such as baroque furnishings and artisanal basket-weaving to a more painterly aesthetic. The collection's 43 looks featured luxe fabrications such as sable, fisher, fox, mink, eel, and crocodile. The palette included shades of chocolate, grey, red, black, camel, white, okra, and azalea. The season's signature prints were brushstroke, portrait, mosaic, and floral. The proportions were also fuller more voluminous with bell-shaped skirts and wide-leg trousers; design details also included asymmetry, ruffles, sculpted pleats, and embroidered antique stones. The season's Russian influence was demonstrated with luxurious furs and wide-brimmed hats.

Tim Blanks from Style.com described it as a perfect balance between a balance between richness and restraint.

Cathy Horyn reviewed it as a mother-and-daughter collection with fur, asymmetrical pleating, and tailored dresses.

"This collection is opulent, that is what the women like," noted Carolina Herrera backstage. "Opulence is a fantastic word for fashion."

When asked what the best lesson was that her mother taught her, Carolina Herrera Jr. replied, "Less is more…" She added about her mother's process, "She's very curious, so she always her eyes open. She's constantly going to the movies. [She's] constantly reading. When she travels, she goes to every museum there is. It's her interest in life."

Spring/Summer 2011 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on September 12, 2010 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Mrs. Herrera was named "Mercedes-Benz Presents" designer. The award recognizes designers for their dedication to quality, unique style, and innovative design.

"Carolina Herrera's understated grace, precision design and attention to detail uphold the Mercedes-Benz commitment to quality," said Lisa Holladay, Manager of Brand Experience Marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA. "She is a symbol of great success within the fashion industry and especially in New York City and choosing her as this season's Mercedes-Benz Presents Designer represents the strength of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and the event's bright future at Lincoln Center."

Magdalena Frackowiak opened the runway presentation, while Karlie Kloss closed it. Heidi Mount, Hilary Rhoda, Joan Smalls, Chanel Iman, Jacquelyn Jablonski, Kendra Spears, Amanda Laine, Anna Selezneva, Daria Strokous, Yana Karpova, Tao Okamoto, Lily Donaldson, and Frida Gustavsson also walked the show.

Lauren Bush, Fran Lebowitz, Graydon Carter, Vanessa Friedman, Linda Fargo, Suzy Menkes, Paula Zahn, and Hal Rubinstein were seen on the front row.

Monikered the real-deal, old school glamour, the designer cited dual inspirations of traditional Korea textiles for her silhouette and 18th century botanical plates for her palette. The hues took their names from flowers like jasmine, hibiscus, aster, and lotus. Once again, milliner Albertus Swanepoel designed a series of wide-brimmed, high crown hats for this collection. The collection's ladylike silhouettes included pencil skirts, bustier gowns, and cocoon dresses, with notable design details of folds, top-stitch bows, applique brooches, bows, and layered belts.

Fall/Winter 2011 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on February 13, 2011 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. The collection's 41 looks key design details included sportif elements, winglike pleats, scooped backs, fur trims, and funnel collars.

Arizona Muse opened the runway collection; while Katsia Zingarevich closed it. Irina Kulikova, Siri Tollerød, Nimue Smit, Ksenia Kahnovich, Edita Vilkeviciute, Chanel Iman, Liu Wen, Anais Mali, Jourdan Dunn, and Joan Smalls walked the show.

Fran Lebowitz, Gabrielle Union, Lauren Bush, Linda Fargo, Tinsley Mortimer, Bill Cunningham, Christina Hendricks, Joe Zee, Graydon Carter, Roberta Myers, and Grace Coddington were seated on the front row.

"The inspiration for this collection is the real women of today," noted Carolina Herrera backstage. The collection's streamlined aesthetic included more structured, sculptural shapes with an emphasis on the waist, highlighting the femininity and sophistication for which she has long been celebrated. The palette included black, grey, cocoa, bone, amethyst, turquoise, rust, and sapphire. Signature prints featured a waterfall, feather, and ombre abstract. Higher waistlines and longer hemlines elongated the torso. Fox sleeves, sheared mink, and velvet belts added texture.

According to Hamish Bowles, the collection was reminiscent of Christian Dior and Jacques Fath with hourglass silhouettes and face-framing collars.

"It's always so chic. I think this season—it has a little more youthful feel to it and it's so polished," said Prabal Gurung.

"I think it's a very streamlined collection…The waist is very emphasized… I go around and I see all the women dressed for winter and I never see bright colors, very seldom," said Carolina Herrera. "That's why I say that I was inspired by the real women who goes around wearing the fashion."

Spring/Summer 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on September 11, 2011 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. With an Art Deco influence, the designer employed more geometrics and colorblocking. The starting point for the collection's 41 looks was the graphic modernism of the Bauhaus movement.

Aymeline Valade opened the runway presentation, while Frida Gustavsson closed it. Daria Strokous, Ruby Aldridge, Hanne Gaby Odiele, Patricia van der Vliet, Elsa Hosk, Lais Ribeiro, Ginta Lapina, and Josephine Skriver also walked the show.

Renée Zellweger, Virginie and Prisca Courtin-Clarins, Nicki Minaj, Elizabeth Reaser, Corinne Bailey Rae Olivia Munn, Veronica Webb, Glenda Bailey, Steven Kolb, and Linda Fargo were on the front row.

Monikered springtime ease for the ladylike set, this collection was described as more playful with patent leather panels, beaded embellishments, and bright spring colors. Inspired by vintage Bakelite jewelry, the bright palette included canary, peppermint, jade, cornflower, sepia, and grass. The dress-dominated presentation, with only four pant ensembles, featured shirt, sheath, shift, halter, boat neck, cap sleeve, and one-shoulder styles. This signature print was a sparrow.

"I have always been intrigued by the Bauhaus," said Carolina Herrera, "I thought about the modernity of the lines of the Bauhaus… I have two different things. I have some linear and I also have the birds… I like color for spring and summer."

Fall/Winter 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on February 12, 2012 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Vogue.com described the collection as uncharacteristically dark; the 41 looks offered a "functional luxury," that paired broadtail and knit tops with beaded pencil skirts and cropped jackets.Kati Nescher opened the runway presentation, while Aymeline Valade closed it. Candice Swanepoel, Jacquelyn Jablonski, Anais Pouliot, Arizona Muse, Alison Nix, Lais Ribeiro, Zuzanna Stankiewicz, Jasmine Tookes, and Cara Delevingne also walked the show.

This season's palette included indigo, black, grey, "haute" pink, lilac, purple, and mulberry. Featured design accents were ribbon overlays, embroidery details, and fur trims. The proportions created a longer, leaner silhouette with cropped jackets and pencil skirts; while peplums and wrap belts emphasized the waist. Signature prints shows were a chalked marble, a stripe, a swirl, and a kaleidoscope.

Backstage Carolina Herrera noted, "The inspiration for this collection is glamour! It's all navy blue and black. There is a new proportion; the jackets are cropped and the pencil skirts are a little bit elongated—so it makes you long taller and thinner."

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Anna Wintour, Prabal Gurung, and Renee Zellweger sat on the front row.

Spring/Summer 2013 Ready-to-Wear Collection

Entitled "Timeless Influence," the Carolina Herrera Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on September 9, 2012 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Fleetwood Mac's "Sisters of The Moon provided the runway soundtrack. The long and languid silhouette emphasized puffed shoulders and raised waistlines. The palette was a triumvirate of neutrals (ivory, black, and oyster) pastels (seafoam, yellow, and pink) and "lightening hues," of electric orange and neon yellow. This season featured reef, rain, and abstract prints.

Aymeline Valade opened the runway presentation, while Karlie Kloss closed it. Lindsey Wixson, Cara Delevingne, Joan Smalls, Ming Xi, Andreea Diaconu, Magdalena Frackowiak, Anais Mali, Anna Selezneva, Melodie Monrose, Martha Hunt, and Frida Aasen also walked the show.

Hamish Bowles noted a 1930s reference, evocative both of a costume piece from the film Letty Lynton and Elsa Schiaperelli with "a nod to Hollywood Regency."

"Carolina Herrera is what the word chic means. If you think of the word chic and you think of the word elegant and you think of the word glamorous, you think of Carolina Herrera," noted stylist Mary Alice Stephenson.

"I think Mrs. Herrera is an incredible inspiration to me as both a business woman and as a designer," said Ivanka Trump. "She has an incredible sense of personal elegance, polish, and yet strength, which I think is a great combination. And I think that manifests itself in her designs."

"Mrs. Herrera is known for being incredibly elegant," offered Robbie Myers. "And giving a certain sophisticated woman exactly what she needs every season. She's just one of the great New York designers."

"The spring collection is all about softness and lightness and fluidity. I liked a collection that had a lot of movement," explained Carolina Herrera backstage. "All the skirts are made of chiffon and georgette, layers of tulle, anything that moves when you walk is in the collection. And it's a very flirtatious one! I have never worked with trends, because I find trends very confusing. I think fashion is all about originality and individuality. "

Bianca Jagger, Julianne Hough, Fran Lebowitz, Graydon Carter, and Ivanka Trump were photographed along the front row.

Fall/Winter 2013 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2013 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on February 10, 2013 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. The designer had a special piece of orchestral music commissioned for her runway soundtrack, a "Capriccio for Carolina." Inspired by Beethoven's Kreutzer Violin Sonata, Mrs. Herrera collaborated with Tom Jodge and Javier Peral, which was recorded by the London Contemporary Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. The romantically dramatic collection of 41 looks featured a palette of rose quartz, sandstone, tiger's eye, ruby, sapphire, and emerald.

The Herrera heroine references 40's screen sirens Rosalind Russell and Katharine Hepburn. Even with heavy rain showers, the house was packed.

Karlie Kloss opened the runway presentation, while Hilary Rhoda closed it. Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Dunn, Daphne Groeneveld, Alana Zimmer, Maria Borges, Ruby Aldridge, Fei Fei Sun, Melodie Monrose, and Josephine Le Tutour also walked the show.

"This season came the other way around. I got inspiration from the music we created for the collection," explained Carolina Herrera backstage." The reason is because when you listen to music, it's like a secret something that you have in your mind that has drama, that has romance, a bit of melancholia sometimes. And I said why not get inspired by this beautiful piece of music? And it's very amusing, because the collection starts in a very light way and it goes in crescendo, like a concert."

"Mrs. Herrera knows what a woman wants to wear, said Glenda Bailey. "She understands that we want to be feminine, we want to be elegant. She also is extremely good at giving solutions. She knows about our lifestyles. She knows what we want to wear and when."

"Carolina is the epitome of chic, as a woman, as a lady," noted Molly Sims. "She's just so elegant and I think she makes women feel elegant and she makes women feel rich… Her clothes are so luxurious."

"Mrs. Herrera's show was exactly how luxury should be," declared Mary Alice Stephenson. "The girls looked rich, sophisticated, sexy, glamorous. The clothes are so well made. They were just dripping luxury. Everything about the show was modern, glamorous, luxurious, very delicate and feminine. And I think the message here this season for Carolina Herrera is this delicate, feminine woman that is dressed to the nines! She looks like a very, very modern, glamorous lady; super polished, extraordinary; and worth every penny that she paid for those clothes."

Amy Fine Collins said, "The collection was fantastic. It was drop-dead glamorous, beautiful, slinky, exquisitely made. The ending with those jewel-toned long gowns, it was like an MGM movie, but in color instead of black and white—just extraordinary! I’m excited and I can’t wait to wear something, anything from the collection"

Anna Wintour, Paz Vega, Maggie Grace, Molly Sims Graydon Carter, Julie Henderson, Ivanka Trump, Brad Goreski, Julie Macklowe, attended the runway presentation.

Spring/Summer 2014 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented on September 9, 2013, during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, at the Theatre in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center in New York. It was inspired by the Kinetic Art Movement, specifically Venezuelan artists Carlos Cruz-Diez and Jesus Rafael Soto. More than an abstract reference, Herrera manipulated design and fabrication to create a kinetic movement within her silhouette. The ethereal collection predominantly featured fluid dresses and long, flowing gowns, with only four of the 45 looks including loosely tailored pants. She juxtaposed sheer fabrications of tulle and meshlike insets in opposing patterns to create an optical illusion, then enhanced the depth and dimension with appliqués, embellishments, and geometric embroideries, which were partially sewn to create a fluttering effect. The neutral palette of ivory, black, and taupe was punctuated by vibrant tones of green, clay, pink, and mauve.

"The Carolina Herrera woman has always been a classy, cosmopolitan character," noted Katharine K. Zarrella of Style.com. Backstage post-show, Carolina Herrera described her muse as "active and international, stopping in France one day and South America the next." "You’re going to be dizzy!" she said at a preview of her spring 2014 collection with Vogue. "It's eye-popping!"

Hair stylist Orlando Pita was inspired by cone-shaped shells for his structured French twist. MAC Cosmetics Artist Diane Kendal created a modern-day Twiggy look with the emphasis on the eyes and rosy pink blush.

The show was opened by supermodel Karlie Kloss, and celebrities in attendance included Uma Thurman, Christina Ricci, Michelle Dockery, Christina Hendricks, Graydon Carter, and Fran Lebowitz.

Fall/Winter 2014 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2014 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on February 9, 2014 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. According to Vogue.com, the collection's 41 looks was evocative of Cristobal Balenciaga. She broadened her silhouette by widening and molding the shoulder; extending the neckline with funnel collars, which emphasized a nipped waist. The hemlines were also raised for a more youthful approach. The season's signature print was a graphic pattern of triangles. This geometric influence also translated to the embroideries. The palette included black, mahogany, and firestone red.

Karlie Kloss opened and closed the runway presentation. Emmy Rossum, Anna Kendrick, Tina Fey, and Dita Von Teese, Prabal Gurung, Ivanka Trump, Jamie Tisch, Olivia Palermo, Miroslava Duma, and Nasiba Adilova were seated front row.

Harper's Bazaar described it as an exploration of soft construction and volume with beautifully feminine clothes that always imbue some whimsy.

"For Fall 2014, it's all about the new proportions," said Carolina Herrera. "You know I did volumes in the jackets, round shoulders and skinny on the bottom. There is a lot of daytime with jackets that have lots of details and mixed with fur and wool."

Teen Vogue's Gloria Baume added," It's a moment in time. It's like everytime I walk into one of the shows, I feel as though there's nothing quite like it. It's so pristine and so beautiful and those dresses, they were so amazing. All you want to do is wear them... It was just magnificent!"

"I was so in love with Carolina's collection, shared Ken Downing from Neiman Marcus. "I loved how polished the girls look and I love that there was such a strong use of color on the runway. She's such a chic woman… The ultimate of style twenty-four hours a day, she's the type of woman that you would just expect to be working in fashion, because she, herself is such a perfect icon and truly her own muse in many ways!"

"I saw a lot of Thirties and Forties influence in the clothes," observed Dita Von Teese. "Carolina has the same obsession that I do with that era: the Thirties and Forties and Fifties. That's why I wear her clothes whenever I can. They suit my personal style, which is really about ladylike glamour."

Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on September 8, 2014 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Vogue.com noted that the designer pushed the boundaries beyond merely pretty with her starting point of a flower with new fabrics, unexpected embellishments, and technology. The designer pieced together embroideries and appliques with a tiling technique that gave her 45 looks an enhanced texture and three-dimensional effect.

Mrs. Herrera transformed her runway into a modern garden party, but instead of topiaries and rose bushes, her production team built conical green sculptures. This set design echoed the rough-hewn modernity of the collection with unlined separates and raw edges. The "techno fabrics" she used were more malleable, which allowed the designer to mold and manipulate her silhouette. The newer neoprenes and foam embroideries were softened by more classic textiles. Flower prints of tulips, magnolia, gardenia, and rose were reimagined and magnified to create more depth. Whether digitized or pixalated, blooming flowers gave the collection a graphic quality. Origami folds and angular points served as an architectural counterpart to the botanical inspiration.

Daria Strokous opened the runway presentation, while Elena Bartels closed it. Mina Cvetkovic, Elisabeth Erm, Josephine Le Tutour, Alana Zimmer, Kate Grigorieva, Ming Xi, Ieva Laguna, Pauline Hoarau, Devon Windsor, and Herieth Paul walked the show. Coco Rocha, Jessica Hart, Erin Wasson, and Olivia Palermo were seated front row.

"It's in full bloom!" shared Carolina Herrera backstage on her process. "This collection is in full bloom. You know how I started? I started with the color code of a flower that I digitalized and every color that came out from that flower is what I am using in the prints… There is a new technology in the fabrics, which I call techno pique, techno crepe, techno chiffon—everything has been mixed and the way those fabrics mold make the collection very seductive and very feminine."

"The Carolina Herrera show was magnificent," raved Mary Alice Stephenson, "Colors like iris blue, soft yellows, pinks, and lots of hints of linen were throughout the show. This was a feminine show, this was a very Carolina Herrera show, but she is pushing boundaries. These are evening clothes that people are going to talk about!"

"This was one of the great Herrera shows of all time!" offered Vanity Fair's Amy Fine Collins. "She combined the techno fabrics, the very futuristic touches with her classic elegance and refinement. It was a perfect marriage of modern, contemporary and beauty of a classic, eternal time."

"Carolina Herrera was the show of the season for me so far!" said Modern Luxury's James Aguiar. "It was really one of her strongest collections I’ve seen in a long time, filled with all of the elements that make her chic, but really stepped it up. There was one dress that was spectacular, which looked like a floral mosaic that someone had smashed and it was just broken and trailing all over this beautiful gown. To me, that was the dress of the season! It was extraordinary!"

"Oh it was so beautiful. Mrs. Herrera is such an elegant, poised, and polished woman and I love when I see that spirit on her runway," observed Ken Downing of Neiman Marcus. "She also knows how to bring a little bit of an edge to it. And I like that she has that exoticism of an orientalism throughout the entire collection… Really elegant show and nice to always start the morning with something beautiful like with Mrs. Herrera, because she is so lovely person… And fun how she did the presentation too with the very geometric topiary trees and the models wandering around in their beautiful clothes as if maybe in the Tuileries or Versailles or something, but in fact, we’re in New York City."

Fall/Winter 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented in the Theatre Tent on February 16, 2015 at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Instead of referring the past, the designer seemed more forward-looking. Shifting from last season's starting point of a flower, the designer explored the theme of water in all its forms for her 46 looks. Karlie Kloss opened and closed the runway presentation. Elisabeth Erm, Sasha Luss, Imaan Hammam, Alana Zimmer, Kate Grigorieva, Irina Sharipova, Lais Ribeiro, Mina Cvetkovic, Blanca Padilla, Taylor Hill, and Fei Fei Sun also walked the show.

Diana Agron, Jordana Brewster, Coco Rocha, Olivia Palermo, Alexandra Richards, and Ivanka Trump were seated front row.

We saw water in all states from the undulating waves and raindrops in prints to the reflective quality of her fabrications. Even the set production took its cues from the natural elements. Towering glass installations mimicked futuristic frozen sculptures. According to the program notes, Carolina Herrera explored interpretations of the water element, nuanced and literal. Long dresses were designed to flutter with undulating seams. Cascading tulle and gazar float on the body evoking a season marked by calm elegance. The palette of greys, blues, and whites was highlighted by hints I red.

The thematic fluidity was personified by the movement and shapes, such as ruffles and layered tiers, of the collection as well as the painterly prints in shades of oceanic blue, inky black, and smoky grey. The hair was also slicked back with a dark berry lip that complimented the red lacquered pieces. Design details included inset waves of contracting fabrics; cherry ref alligator separates; and sea anemone fronds. While some references were more literal, other translations were more subtle. Mohair, wool, and astrakhan treatments created a ripple effect "Soft Rain" by Andre Obin provided the runway soundtrack.

"The whole concept of the collection was about water," noted Carolina Herrera on her website. The importance of this collection is making waves. It's connected with the concept of the water." "You now how I call the collection?—Making waves," explained Carolina Herrera backstage. "You know why? Because I’ve been inspired by water--all the elements in water—the movement, the shapes, the color… When it's raining, when you go to the sea and see the waves, so the dresses you’re going to see, they bounce, because it's all collected with water, all the materials have been designed, especially with water in mind and some touches of red. I think the Carolina Herrera girl is the girl form today," added Mrs. Herrera. "They are all modern. They’re very active. They do many things. And they like fashion"

Spring/Summer 2016 Ready-to-Wear Collection

The Carolina Herrera Spring 2016 Ready-to-Wear Collection was presented at the Frick Collection on September 14, 2015 on Manhattan's Upper East Side during New York Fashion Week. Although many designers had previously requested, this was the first fashion show staged at the small private museum. This season, the designer incorporated artful pleats, sheer paneling, and shades of pink for her 45 looks.

Lily Aldridge opened the runway presentation. Romee, Strijd, Martha Hunt, Irina Sharipova, Blanca Padilla, Anna Cleveland, Alana Zimmer, Herieth Paul, Anais Mali, Mina Cvetkovic, Maria Borges, Riley Montana, Ksenia Kahnovich, Bhumika Arora, and Sung Hee Kim also walked the show.

"This is my rose period," noted the designer. "Fashion should be optimistic."

The backdrop of the Frick's Beaux Arts Garden Court setting seemed the perfect compliment to Carolina Herrera's signature feminine and elegant collection. Although, she is celebrated for her sophisticated and ladylike aesthetic, she maintains a modern sensibility with techno mesh and neoprene fabrications. Designs details included feathers and appliqued flowers, with softly structured geometry. Transparency, layering, and graphic elements created a sense of dimensionality and depth.

The rose period palette was balanced by shades of white, black, grey, lilac, and the season's print was a hydrangea. Monochrome looks were both modern and modest in construction. Each look featured a skirt or dress combination: sheaths, trapezes, shirtdresses, and ballgowns filled the museum's enclosed courtyard.

Penélope Cruz, Victoria Justice, Lee Daniels, Fran Lebowitz, Bob Colacello, and Steven Kolb attended the show.

"It's important to keep a little mystery. I design clothes that are seductive and sensual, but I always leave something to the imagination," said the designer. "Fashion, after all is about fantasy."