San Francisco Fashion Week '07: Emily Jane Clothing

Sophistication dominated the collection created by Emily Dumitrescu, out on her own since last year.

The designer’s days of working at St. John in Irvine, Calif., as a design assistant for eveningwear and the high-end suit collection served her well.

Every single piece looked like it might have been worn by actress Grace Kelly, the epitome of elegance.

“My inspiration is a fun, sophisticated collection for a woman who always wants to look like a woman,” she said.

Dumitrescu employed lots of silk charmeuse, dupioni silk, silk taffeta and summer-weight wool gabardine. She limited herself to three basic colors: black, white and beige.

High-waisted black pencil skirts were worn with different blouses, such as a white cotton number with a pleated back or a silk charmeuse top with a silk georgette ruffled front. A dupioni silk pleated black dress with over-the-shoulder detail and a silk taffeta tuxedo dress with a cotton top and crystal buttons were stunning. —Deborah Belgum