NEW YORK — Finding that right middle point between body-hugging and billowy is a feat that designer Narciso Rodriguez should be proud of. His spring collection was a study of restraint on one side, and freedom on the other.

They came together at New York Fashion Week Tuesday night for a knockout finale dress, a fairly simple, silver silk tank-style gown with a shorter hemline in front and a flowing back that caught the wind of the runway and had a parachutte-like effect.
Not that Rodriguez needed an escape. The packed-house crowd, that included celebrities Jessica Alba and Courtney Love, and fellow fashion designers Tory Burch and Isabel Toledo, seemed quite pleased, and Mercedes-Benz, chief sponsor of the shows at Bryant Park, had already named Rodriguez its featured designer of the season.
Rodriguez, best known for his tight, architectural look, hit on one of the popular silhouettes of the day, spotted also at Vera Wang and Badgley Mischka: skirts and dresses that seem to hit one length, but actually have a sheer section at the bottom that makes them much longer. In this collection, Rodriguez tweaked the trick with a dress that was sheer down from an empire waist.
A white jacket with a double peplum (the bottom one also of a sheer fabric) over a white silk-mesh tank and skinny pant was one of the best daytime looks.
And Rodriguez did cool stuff with coats. Outerwear that he described as “cotton mud cloth” had the stiff sheen of leather but, presumably, would be a lighter weight. Remember, this collection is for spring, even if many designers seem to have forgotten that.
Falling in line with another trend, Rodriguez padded the hips of some silhouettes with extra fabric, calling attention to an area where many women don’t want it.
First lady Michelle Obama has worn Rodriguez on several important occasions, including Election Night last year and on her first trip to Europe in her new role. Things she might want to consider as additions to her closet included a rain-print embroidered V-neck sleeveless top with complementing slim pants and the crisp — almost stiff — black poplin and linen pantsuit that had a collarless jacket with gathering at the shoulder.