Thursday's shows opened with a nod to nautical at Max Mara, where sailor stripes, stars, ropes and porthole graphics flooded the runway. It was the details that kept them from falling lockstep in line: the models' brightly painted brows, too-long sleeves and buttons all askew. Here and there, sheer fabric revealed a little more.

At Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini Fendi claimed no references, but were clearly indebted to fearless females. Billowy sleeves and bloomers, high necks and whipstitched leather called on Renaissance fashion, though the results were fit for the future. Sure, the looks were feminine, but powerfully so: these are the women you want on your side in case of apocalypse.

In his first collection for Emilio Pucci, Creative Director Massimo Giorgetti took it back to the seaside, where the fashion house first debuted. A Pucci script taken from the archives consorted with aquatic prints, netted fabric, coral appliqués and shells of delicate lace, some styled with sunglasses like scuba masks. As usual, kaleidoscopic color reigned, a reminder that the sea is more than just blue.

If anyone knows the power of a woman in a skirt suit, it's Miuccia Prada. Considering she pretty much single-handedly conceived not one, but two of Italy's biggest design houses, it made sense that her spring 2016 collection was an ode to strong females. Sticking with a cohesive collection of boxy, oversized silhouettes, the designer added eccentricity with an overhaul of stripes (take your pick from metallic, patent leather, fur or silk), scaled sequins, disco ball earrings and netted neckwear overlays.

The overall aesthetic was more mod, with a sixties feel instead of the popular seventies vibe that's saturated fashion month. Conservative black and white tweeds with moody reds and browns opened the show, lightening up as it went on to introduce sheer fabrics, playful microprints and shimmering embellishments all in a retro-tinged palate of burnt oranges, mossy greens and super pale pastels.

Models at Moschino have more fun. They danced, winked and even smiled (!) on the two-lane runway crowded with "Model Xing" and "High Heels Only" signs, showing off Jeremy Scott's latest collection of construction and car wash couture. Reflective strips, hard hats and traffic cone handbags ruled the first half; the second, signaled by rotating car wash brushes and bubbles, saw Pop Art prints take over. The show may have closed out the night, but it definitely started the party.

- Katie Christian