NEW YORK >> Three days into New York Fashion Week, and it was starting to feel as if we had taken a wrong turn on the way to the catwalks and ended up on the basketball court at Madison Square Garden instead. After all, the biggest news was coming not from sportswear, that most American of style concepts, but sports.

From Kanye West’s collection/performance for Adidas to Tommy Hilfiger’s football-themed show, it was all about athletics. Forget designers. Who needs ’em?

Well, we do. Because at their best, they show us not just who we think we should be, but rather who we didn’t know we could be. So it was a relief to finally see someone take the ball and run with it, as did Alexander Wang. 

Wang has arguably done more than any other designer to popularize the idea that athletic wear could translate to the catwalk. His last collection was inspired by sneakers, and he recently had a runaway success (pun intended) collaborating with H&M on a line of sport-to-street clothing. So a reviewer could be forgiven for anticipating a season of intarsia leggings and sweatshirts.

Instead, out came sharply tailored culottes. Also shearling bathrobe coats and silk-satin pajama suits; leather T-shirts and flak vests; bias-cut skirts that swirled around the calves and quilted miniskirts, almost all of it black (save a studded fisherman’s sweater or two and some silver bombers) and almost all of it edged or otherwise trimmed in gleaming ball bearings, strung out along seams and hemlines and delineating curves like so many heavy-metal pearls.

Subtract the head-stomper combat boots (yes, I know they will be a must-have for someone) and the stringy hairstyling; line the sheer chain-mail skirts, as supple and see-through as latex; and what was left had an urbanity and strength that looked relevant. And it suggests Wang’s ambitions lie in a different league.

TOMMY HILFIGER

Guests at Tommy Hilfiger’s runway show arrived at the cavernous Park Avenue Armory on Monday to find it had been transformed into a football field, with each end zone marked "Hilfiger." Naturally, the prime seats were at the 50-yard line. 

After a huge monitor counted down the final 30 seconds to kickoff, models began streaming out of an entry marked "Locker Room." Their attire was a whimsical riff on football wear, down to the lace-up platform ankle boots that resembled football cleats.

In a collection aimed at channeling what the label called "an American Love Story inspired by Ali MacGraw," the colors of burgundy and navy gave the collection a vintage college football feel. There were capes, duffel coats, and colorful sweatshirts bearing the number 30 — to mark 30 years of the Hilfiger brand. 

There were fluffy, furry football jackets. There were varsity-type sweaters and bags with football appliques. Huge furry hats accompanied many of the outfits. And there were skirts and dresses galore, pleated like cheerleader skirts — in casual fabrics or, for dressier occasions, in chiffon or velvet.

Hilfiger, ever the showman, came out at the end carrying his own football helmet, jogging along the field and waving to the crowd.

— Jocelyn Noveck

DONNA KARAN

Karan’s New York City never ceases to inspire. For fall she interpreted the towering architecture into sculpted origami designs and offered sparkly gold lame worthy of a really great party.

In metallic brocades and gunmetal silk, Karan’s signature line did the glamour of the city’s skyline justice with geometric planes of fabric that flowed loosely on dresses and coats. Touches of organza danced down the runway against her backdrop of the city at night.

Gold glam not your thing? The collection was punctuated by tuxedo detailing on several tops and trousers. And she threw in some warm shearling coats worthy of the frigid weather.

— Nicole Evatt and Leanne Italie

DVF

Diane von Furstenberg says it’s a mere coincidence that her runway show took place on opening weekend of "Fifty Shades of Grey," but there was nothing coincidental about the seduction theme that came through loud and clear on the catwalk.

It was all about lace, skin, satin and the color red, which, paired with black, gave DVF just the sensibility she wanted.

  "It’s THAT woman," the designer said in a pre-show interview Sunday. "She’s a little bit of a double agent. During the day she commands the room, and at night she inspires fantasy. It’s very seductive."

The looks for daytime included updated takes on DVF’s timeless wrap dress, including the first item down the runway, a sleek version in white, worn by model-of-the-moment Kendall Jenner, half sister of Kim Kardashian. 

Tweed and pinstripe — both in soft, feminine iterations — were part of the daytime scheme as well. Moving to night, out came the more daring looks involving lace, satin, plunging necklines (and backs) and that red-black combo.

— Nicole Evatt and Jocelyn Noveck

CAROLINA HERRERA

Moved by the element of water, Herrera sent out dresses Monday that fluttered with long metallic droplet embellishment and prints evoking ripples and ocean sprays. A touch of crimson red popped among the muted whites, blues and grays, in a touch of alligator skin on a multitextured wide scarf and full-skin short looks for cocktails and day.

Herrera paired a cozy sweater with cashmere pants and fox gloves. She used a swan motif in embroidery on another cashmere top in black, worn with wool felt pants in ivory.

But it’s her gowns that rarely disappoint. She worked in silks and jersey, form-fitting and full, using swirls and digital prints to achieve her water effects.

"I like women to look glamorous," Herrera said. "Why not?"

— Leanne Italie and Nicole Evatt

JOSEPH ALTUZARRA

In fox fur and houndstooth, the luxury ready-to-wear golden boy evoked the dandies of the 18th century and the inner-circle "swans" of Truman Capote.

Would Gloria Vanderbilt, Babe Paley, Slim Keith, Lee Radziwill or Gloria Guinness feel right in his long, camel wool flannel coat with the flounce hem and outsize sapphire fur collar? How about the caramel houndstooth blazer with a single button? 

Well, yeah. But they’d probably lose the white leather knee-high lace-up boots and see-through Chantilly lace blouses that accompanied some standout skirts and fur jackets.

There was a show of Tibetan sequin embroidery in ’70s swingy chiffon dresses done in navy, burgundy and pale blue, along with a touch of delicate velvet. But it was his lush fur collars on coats, flippy hems on coats and skirts and feminine touches in lace, like a keyhole opening on blouses, that made the fall collection stand out from previous turns. 

This time around he also offered his first handbag collection, "Notch." The hobo and saddlebag shapes sported braided tasseled straps and gold hardware.

— Leanne Italie

BANANA REPUBLIC

Forget the traditional office wear. Banana Republic wants to be an edgy lifestyle brand. 

The retailer, a division of Gap Inc., made its debut at New York Fashion Week, presenting its first full-fledged men’s and women’s collection under the direction of Marissa Webb, who had earlier brought J. Crew to New York Fashion Week.

The collection featured oversize pea coats, ripped jeans, cowl-neck sweaters and coats with cocoon silhouettes. There were also fun touches like fringe details and accessories including tights with racer-back details and handbags with sayings like "beautiful" and "Quote Me." 

— Anne D’Innocenzio