Red carpet darling Monique Lhuillier presented a confident collection of sweeping gowns and cocktail dresses in colors like "red apple," "stardust" and "ocean blue." Day looks included flirtatious nipped-waist shirt dresses in soft florals and startling red trousers with a little cap sleeve blouse, but even these came with a heightened dose of glamour, less day-at-the-office and more evening-work-event.

Ms. Lhuillier showed several pieces in sparkling gold, in the way other designers show off ivory neutrals. One Lhuillier iteration of a "basic" is a toffee trouser with a fitted strapless gold-beaded bustier.

The centerpieces of the collection, of course, were the ball gowns, which came in flavors to suit women from ingenues (a sweet floral printed one-shoulder gown with a soft bubble hem) to grand diva (gowns dripping in metallics and small galaxies of sparkles).

In a lighter moment, a model wearing a blue gown festooned with blue petals shed two petals on the runway, prompting the audience to giggle quietly.

The titters turned to applause as ball gowns closed the show and the designer took a bow. It's not inconcievable to imagine that many of these gowns will grace a red carpet very soon.