Feminine looks, old Hollywood style feature at NY fashion week

Soft, flowing dresses with mid-calf hemlines in pastel shades of blue, sea foam and grays dominated the runway on Monday as designer Carolina Herrera showed her Spring 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week.

The look was feminine, subtle and light as models seemed to float down the runway in wool-crepe long dresses, twill blouses matched with crepe flounce shorts and elegant color-blocked silk gowns with tulle overlays.

"It is a flirtatious collection with a focus on the essentials and proportions including long fluid skirts and shorts," was how the Venezuelan-born, New York-based designer described her creations.

Shoulders were narrow, and Herrera hiked the waist toward the bustline with long, full skirts for an elongated silhouette that she paired with simple short-sleeved tops.

The designer who is known for her elegance and intricacy and is a favorite on the red carpet with her glamorous designs did not disappoint.

An ivory pleated silk gown included floral embroidery and an oyster snakeskin skinny belt. Another fully embroidered icy-white column gown featured a black tulle overlay.

Like the lace-backed Twilight wedding dress that Herrera designed for actress Kristen Stewart for the film "Breaking Dawn Part 1," the collection had a timeless appeal.

Herrera's love of prints was evident in a motif in pastel shades that she used in various dresses, blouses and skirts that gave a cohesion to the entire collection

"Every dress was stunning," gushed a member of the audience that included activist and former rock star wife Bianca Jagger, actress Julianne Hough, tennis great Boris Becker and "Vanity Fair" editor Graydon Carter.