Rachel Zoe s collection has taken a drubbing in the blogosphere lately. The question at hand: Can the contemporary label sustain itself when Zoe s reality show isn t on the air? Perhaps to address the issue, perhaps not, Zoe is starting to think outside the SoCal Boho box that she s long been associated with. "Tough luxe" was the term being bandied about in her showroom, and there was a new emphasis on leather for pre-fall. Burberry seemed to have provided the template for a double-breasted trenchcoat in olive drab with black leather sleeves; other pieces had the shrunken, worn-in look that has defined urban cool forever. Elsewhere, it was back to the vaguely Saint Laurent-ish tailoring and sequins Zoe has done for a couple of years now. A black smoking with contrasting white lapels and tuxedo pant stripes will have hanger appeal, as will a little sleeveless dress beaded in an animal pattern. Much of the rest of the lineup erred on the anonymous side. The answer for this stylist-turned-designer may be to pack her clothes with more of the personality—the "Zoeisms"—that have made her TV show a hit.
