NEW YORK, United States — The Montana-bred, Bolshoi Ballet Academy-trained Julian MacKay flew in from Russia to perform in Ryan Roche's Spring 2017 presentation, where his gliding figure was framed by models wearing a gradation of seven makeup shades, from alabaster to mocha. The colour palette allowed Roche's textural knits and increasingly sophisticated tailoring to take centre stage.

The Upstate New York-based designer has moved a good deal of her production from Nepal to Italy, where it’s possible to turn out elegant pieces like a puffed-sleeve cashmere jumper in a loose jersey knit, crepe high-waist trousers and a silk-knit cardigan floating inside two layers of organza. There, she is also producing leather square-heel pumps and sleek-but-sturdy belts in the same factories used by big-time brands like Chloé.

If there was ever an heir apparent sensibility-wise to Donna Karan, it might be Roche. Wearing a crepe black blazer and a sand-coloured sweater dress of her own design, Roche, and her clothes, exuded the quiet power Karan has championed.