Tailor-made suits get cut-up, disassembled, and rearranged for next fall. Ashlynn Park, who trained as patternmaker with legendary designer Yohji Yamamoto, demonstrated her command of the craft with beautifully cut puzzle-pieces that fused tailoring with dressmaking. Raúl Lopez of hot new label Luar evolved his strong-shouldered light gray gown from an 80s power suit. Thom Browne has long used the suit as a starting point for creativity. Here, an inside-out blazer becomes a skirt, along with half of a dress-shirt; a classic repp-striped tie sashes the waist. Alpha cut a menswear plaid into a corset-like minidress that seemed to fly off the body with floating pattern-piece panels.

The way we dress always has a narrative quality, but this season several designers took storytelling to fairytale levels. Laura and Kate Mulleavy’s fairy-inspired collection at Rodarte included goth nymphs in black negligees, complete with scary-governess bonnets. Rentrayage’s Erin Beatty also went a bit goth with a little Peter-Pan collared frock that looked like it could hang in Wednesday Adams’ closet. Victorian Maiden, an established Japanese label, brought its “kawaii” (meaning cute or endearing) looks to NYFW this season. Maison de Hoe, designed by Hanwei Su, showed layered ensembles that conjured fictional heroines. And PH5 showed their signature offbeat knitwear, this time with wavy hemlines over cellophane-like layers for looks that were both avant-garde and approachable.

The maxi-coat, that 1970s favorite, is back with a vengeance for next fall. Michael Kors showed a covetable camel version, matched to a slim poor-boy sweater, hot pants and knee-high boots. Christian Cowan’s muse this season was Judy Garland; he did the maxi-over-mini proportion as well, but his coat and short-shorts were jazzed-up with jet beads and layered over a wide-collared white maxi shirt. Joseph Altuzarra went long-over-long with a spectacularly dyed topper over a matching ankle-skimming silk column. Proenza Schouler’s double-breasted version was cut from nubby wool in a toasty brown, and ensembled with matching sweater and chocolate leather pants. Young-Eun Lee of FromWhere did a soft ivory coat worn over a sweet pajama pant-and-bralette set (bras are an ongoing must-have). And Catherine Holstein of Khaite offered a luxe sweep of fur in an intense shade of bottle green.

One of fashion’s functions is psychological escape, especially in periods of uncertainty. For next fall, designers deliver much-needed flights of fancy with plenty of sparkle, fringe, splashy prints and vivid color. Colin Lacasio, known for his playful crafty looks, offered a crochet-blossom strewn cardigan worn over an obsession-worthy sequin-covered pencil skirt that was festooned with 3-D flowers. Alpha’s happy-crafty look is pieced together from patterned knits, appliques, mismatched belts and scrappy fringe. The Mulleavy sisters’ mother, an artist, created the trippy fairy motif for Rodarte’s ruffle-trimmed caftan. Thom Browne appliquéd giant surreal flowers for his “The Little Prince” inspired collection. Vidur Adlakha of La Fuori showed a shimmering painterly-patterned column, and Custo’s plunge-neck abstract-printed velvet dress was given an extra dose of imagination with an abbreviated blouse top, attached with garters.