What's new?: We're excited to see more jackets and the long day dress, and the focus on shorts worn with vests or jackets. There haven't been a lot of work options to come down the runway. Josh Goot's colorblocking was truly genius: icy, sherbert tones and neon brights.

Must-haves for spring: Anna Sui's puffy-sleeved blouses and Phi's vests.

Lance Lawson, an owner of Jake, which has two locations in Chicago and one in suburban Winnetka, Ill.

What's new?: Richard Chai looked especially fresh. We loved the long, slim blazers over skirts. It was a departure from the voluminous trend, which our customer is systematically rejecting.

Favorite collections: Behnaz Sarafpour best captured the mood of the season. The models and clothes had such an easy beauty. Her ladylike A-line skirts and chic dresses in bright colors embellished with wood and coral seemed fresh. We also loved the ivory hopsack jacket with the turquoise-beaded collar. Doo-Ri [Chung] delivered a collection that captured her stunning design ideal and commercial viability. Chris Benz's dead-on use of color perfectly reflected this season's color obsession.

Young designers: We previewed Katherine Tsina's capsule collection, Avion Feminin, and understand why everyone is buzzing. The collection reflected a key spring trend — black and white optic prints.

Wished I saw: Contemporary collections. There was a void. We couldn't find a single one we were impressed with this season.
— With contributions from David Moin and Marc Karimzadeh, New York, and Beth Wilson, Chicago