NEW YORK, United States — Brandon Maxwell's models bring it. Each season he recruits movement coach Stephen Galloway to encourage casting director James Scully's lineup — which this time included Jourdan Dunn, Bella Hadid and Joan Smalls — to smile, spin and strut down the runway. The collection's soundtrack, filled with power pop like Queen's "I Want to Break Free" and Michael Jackson's "Black or White," made it easy.

What wasn't so easy were many of the looks. Maxwell cuts a clean line, and several of his pieces — a black tank dress with a curvy sweetheart neckline, or a layered-lapel tux — possessed a modernist bent missing in a lot of evening wear. But the collection's petal hems, exaggerated puffed sleeves, unnecessarily short hemlines and split-side gowns were too close to costume. He needs to learn how to elevate the va-va-voom element in his clothes.