Recession. Depression. Gloom. These are appropriate ways of describing the current global economic situation that has seen the loss of nearly 700,000 jobs in New York City in the past year.

Unfortunately, those words also refer to the feeling of taking in one of the most uninspired fashion weeks New York has ever seen. Designers with exclusively luxe clientele played to their base, while upstart designers reflected the mood of the times with muted collections. The majority of those who fell in the middle, including top designers such as Miss Sixty and Marc Jacobs, often seemed lost based upon their offerings.

Unrealistic looks, the misplaced homage to the ‘80’s, and a general feeling of disinterest marred a number of runways under the tents. Designers were given the seemingly simple task of designing a collection to inspire and attract the masses in the ultimate era of penny-pinching, and a disappointing percent failed. One of the major culprits, Diesel Black Gold, appeared to be designing in a vacuum, trotting one unwearable piece after another down the catwalk.

Marc Jacobs showcased some dazzling outfits in his fall ’09 collection, but more than occasionally went off the rails with shoulderpad suitjackets for women...in pink, cow-print leggings and outfits that did anything but flatter the feminine form.