New York Fashion Week is officially off and running as Nemo bears down on the city. But the shows must go on, come sleet or snow. Here are five quick, early recaps from the fall collections. Be sure to stay tuned for more of these mini-reviews as the week progresses.

From left:

Creatures of the Wind's Shane Gabier and Chris Peters unwrapped plenty of buzz from their fall '13 collection, "Candy," a nod to all things fake. The duo made fitting use of synthetic fabrics such as vinyl and poly-film, fused together to create artful incoherence. The patchwork theme felt a little like Proenza Schouler spring '13, but all in all, the taste was sweet. 

Daisuke Obana, creative director of the relatively new men's label N. Hoolywood referenced the mannishly dressed pilot Amelia Earhart for fall. Yet while his jump-off was old-time aviation, particularly in a subtle, simple WW1-era figher-plane motif,  his collection appeared thoroughly 2013. Wave to the new urban sky-dweller. 

Taking off-kilter inspiration from “the natural defense mechanisms in animals and insects,” Kimberly Ovitz’s collection vacillated between the banal (bodycon bandage dresses, Lurex knitwear) and the bizarre (sarong-like maxi dresses and drawstring pants in hokey hippie-dippy batik prints) with precious little in between.

Leather was the dominant motif in Kenneth Cole’s triumphant return to the runway, lending an edgy, cyberpunk patina to wearable staples like elongated vests, slit-front tulip skirts, and motorcycle jackets.

Norma Kamali made a welcome throwback to her eighties glory days with stretchy raglan-sleeve dresses, updates on her famous quilted sleeping-bag coat, and a slew of seductively vampiric black tulle and lace party dresses.