From Runway to Workplace

See a selection of boardroom-ready looks that hit the runways in New York, Milan and Paris.

Fashion’s runways are supposed to set trends and gather attention, but the outlandishly dramatic looks can turn off people who are looking for clothes they could see themselves wearing. This season — for fall clothes that will appear in stores in June and July — we kept an eye out for outfits that are likely to work for professional women who want solid work clothes that are, nonetheless, a cut above. We looked for suits and dresses that will make a sharp impression at the office, and marked runway collections with a “boardroom alert” if they answered the call.

We found these looks on the runways in New York, Milan and Paris, though Milan seemed to be a prodigious producer, particularly as its fashion week is the shortest of the three. Click here to see a few of my favorite workplace-ready looks for Fall 2008. –Christina Binkley