A model in a Ralph Lauren outfit at the New York Fashion Week on Friday. (AFP)

New York, Feb. 10: Ralph Lauren, the grand old master of American fashion, played a gleaming, minimalist card yesterday in his autumn/winter 2007/2008 collection at New York Fashion Week.

All extraneous accessories and details were rejected in favour of clean lines and beautiful shapes that flattered the body.

There was the merest hint of sparkle from the occasional pair of diamond studs, twinkling on the models’ ear-lobes, bared in neat chignons.

But otherwise, the des-igner allowed his fabrics to play a starring role in a show that could have been called “The Shining”.

Lauren went for gold, weaving a gleaming tweed from cashmere and antiqued gilt thread for suits and pinafores, and embroidering a tweed dress with “gold bullion” overlays.

Plain, black, cashmere polo-necks, tailored trousers and mid-calf pencil skirts were offset with gold leather quilted gilets, “aged” bronze leather bombers and gold shearling flying jackets.

The cocktail hour was envisaged in a black cashmere polo with a gold silk full skirt, while the Grand Entrance ballgown came in a long column of burnished gold silk lamé.

The black and gold palette was joined by complimentary tones of mink and chocolate brown, chestnut and lovat green. Suits featured neat, cropped jackets, which stopped short of the waist, over either a full, gathered skirt to the knee or a slim, pencil skirt to mid-calf.

The key coat style was fit and flare — neatly collared, hugging the bodice and waist and then flaring out, skating-style, over opaque black hose and black high heels.

Earlier, the “young pretender” to New York’s fashion crown, Zac Posen, delivered a red carpet collection of fishtail gowns in silver-leaf lamé, velvet and stretch silk, inspired by blooming irises, orchids and African violets.