Carmen Marc Valvo inspired by sea sirens

Carmen Marc Valvo is a consistent source of gala-worthy eveningwear and splashy swimwear, so what was unexpected at the presentation of his spring collection Tuesday at New York Fashion Week was the strength of the daywear.

Two of the best outfits on the runway at the Bryant Park tents were a raw-silk officer's jacket in a sandy color with gold buttons, worn with a brown organza blouse with a cascading ruffle down the front and a tropical wool "mariner's" pants that hit mid-calf, and super-sophisticated organza trench coat in a light oyster color. The coat was paired with an attractive brief-style navy swimsuit, but it actually seemed a waste of such a good topper.

In his notes, Valvo said he aimed to craft clothes to dress the sirens of the sea, tempting them with seashell colors and mimicking the ocean's ripples with ruffles.

White silk gazar made a strapless corset with fanlike pleats light and airy, and it looked chic with black cocktail pants _ a pleasant break from the harder-to-wear cocktail shorts that have seem to have been all over other catwalks.

Valvo's dresses included a cerulean-blue cocktail dress with pleated ribbon appliques and a delicate white gown with a feminine ruffled back.

His swimsuits continued the broader fashion week trend of modesty. The suits weren't dowdy by any means, but Valvo and his peers seem to have made the collective decision that a lot of skin isn't in.