NEW YORK, United States— Sander Lak has had an intense six months "trying to figure out what life is about." That quest defined his new collection. He wanted sensitivity: colours bleeding into each other, no harsh lines, clothes that flowed. The flou loaned itself to the waistband tuck, the casual flourish that is Lak's odd little signature, but this time, he added a swirl of sunray pleating a la Fortuny. He loved the idea that it had to be done by hand. "There's something about couture craftsmanship that is really relevant now." Funny that Victoria Beckham showed a similar effect earlier in the day, just as it was a curious coincidence that Lak showed pieces cut from the same iridescent fabric that John Galliano used for Margiela's Artisanal collection.

Lak likes shine. As well as the silvery iridescence, there were tonic-like fabrics and silken stretch mesh. The colours were odd and exquisite, peach, rust and eau-de-nil, fading organically together. There were fiery reds too, melting into sky blue, like sunsets. The languor of the collection was seductive, and, given it came together in a time of personal turmoil for the designer, surprisingly uplifting, even if the soundtrack did feature one of his favourite songs, Trent Reznor’s epic downer "Hurt."

“Moody,” Lak summed it up, “but in a positive way."