Suzani Express. Models at Oscar de la Renta's Pre-Fall 2010 Collection. Photo: Dan Lecca/Courtesy of Oscar de la Renta

Designer: Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2010 Collection

Inspiration: Toreadors and Uzbekistan meet the Upper East Side

Who was there: Fashion icon, Loulou de la Falaise (who designs the house's jewelry), Adam Lippes, socialite Lauren Dupont (in a Suzani and Mongolian lamb coat--which was clearly Pre-Fall Oscar), plus top editors and buyers including Vogue's Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington, W's Alex White, and Bergdorf Goodman's Roopal Patel

Top looks: Suzani-embroidered skirt with canary tweed jacket; Turquoise embroidered patchwork dress with vermillion cardigan and pumps; White embroidered shirt, navy embroidered jacket and navy toreador pants; Pale pink shadow fox coat; Grey organza blouse, multicolor sequin embroidered skirt suit

Accessories: Massive costume jewelry created by de la Falaise. The first look was dominated by an attention-grabbing red enamel carved necklace worn over a prim gray cable knit sweater. Models donned oversized earrings and chunky gems throughout. To complement full-skirts, there were platform sandals and sling-backs in black and gold. There were lots of belts, worn over lots of cardigans. And in a few instances, tulle was wrapped loosely around the head as a halo-like bonnet.

What we thought: The collection was a bright spot on a cold and dreary day in New York. Oscar opened with color-saturated Suzani prints and bouclé tweeds in canary, mixed together with abandon. (Well, almost. It is Oscar after all, and his ladies leave little to chance.)

A patchwork print dress, capri pants and jacket are sure to be editorial super stars--in the vein of Chanel's country romp from Spring. But sophistication was in no short order, with dark floral prints, pale pink fur, and the designer's signature beading, embroidery and dense ruffles on sequin suits, dresses and gowns.

A kaleidoscope of color was trotted down the runway.

Consider it a flash of beautiful optimism.