Runway Report: Pre-Fall 2012 Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta

Park Avenue Ladies Need a Wardrobe Post-Spring...

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2012: Bronze-Brown one-shoulder gown with side cowl drape detail and royal blue wait-tie accent

Pre-Fall 2012 Collections are here!! Yes, kids, we are barely into Fall/Winter 2011 and fashion designers are showing NEXT YEAR'S Pre-Fall Collections (It's crazy, I know!). Here are two collections from some of my favorite designers--who just happened to be of Latino descent, Venezuelan-born Carolina Herrera, the "Doyenne" of Park Avenue Chic, and Oscar de la Renta--Dominican Republic-born Master of "Ladies Who Lunch". Let's take a look:

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2012:

Highlights: Bold prints; blue, silver-gray, bronzed-brown goddesses, royal blue "pops" of detail; silk taffeta and duchesse; tie-neck blouses; fitted pencil knee-length skirts; fitted gowns with pleated and bow'ed details:

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2012: Blue-and-white printed blouse and knee-length fitted skirt in silver-gray and blue exaggerated "python print"

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2012: Violet silk taffeta gown with "Mermaid-Lite" shape, waist seam and neckline detail

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2012: Bronzed-brown, black and white colored one-shoulder gown

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2012: Bronzed-brown knee-length dress featuring long sleeves, mink cuffs, and waist pleat detail

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2012:

Highlights: No Ball Gowns. There you have it...for his Pre-Fall 2012 Collection, the Monsieur of Ball Gowns, did not send one down the runway. Instead, there were lots of flowy sensual silk gowns, fan-pleated or bias-cut. Rose pinks, deep royal blues, lilacs, violet, bright canary yellow, geometric prints and luxurious fur (of course). Take a look:

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2012: Fur vest-coat, red cardigan jacket-sweater, printed skirt

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2012: Blue, lilac, black with white trim geometric-print cropped jacket with 3/4 glove-length sleeves, silk satin blue-colored blouse, black-and-white with multicolored hem knee-length skirt

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2012: Black coat with white applique, canary yellow trousers, and relaxed, ruffled white silk blouse

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2012: Ivory-colored bias-cut cowl-necked silk satin gown

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2012: Rose-pink fan-pleated sleeveless gown featuring a high neck, gathered midriff and full skirt

Click below for the Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2012 Collection Runway Video: