A model displays a creation from Carolina Herrera during her Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2008 collection show at Bryant Park in New York City.

NEW YORK - Early on during New York’s fall Fashion Week, mass retailer Gap presented its fall collection by new designer Patrick Robinson on models posed on a raised platform. The press, buyers and stylists walked around the staged area to get a close look at the anorak jackets, slim-fit cargo pants, chunky sweaters and henleys the company, based in the San Francisco Bay area, plans to offer six months from now.

It wasn’t high fashion, and the prices are sure to be far, far less than the average cost of a skirt offered by most of the 100-plus designers who showed this season. But after a week’s worth of ready-to-wear collections, the significance of the Gap’s presentation became apparent: It underscored the intersection of fashion and economic reality, reflecting the current mood among most of us wondering if a recession is about to hit and whether we should save instead of spend. It’s also another example of the pairing of accessible fashion with established designers.

For the Gap, the show introduced Robinson, who was the designer behind Perry Ellis, Anne Klein and most recently, Paco Rabanne. His name alone will bring in style-savvy customers who now think of the Gap only for casual wear and basics.

There wasn’t a specific direction that emerged from the fall collections this season. The message was one of individuality for the woman who wants to look sleek. With jackets, vests, skirts and trousers overtaking the runways, next fall will mean versatility for those confident enough to mix up proportions and try new shapes.

‘‘There’s definitely more of a sportswear than a couture influence this fall,’’ says Tom Julian, longtime fashion analyst and director of trends for McCann Erickson, a global advertising agency. Women are less inclined to be ostentatious and more willing to buy if something looks like a good investment, has versatility and might do for more than a season or two.

While certain luxury goods are still selling well, according to retail analysts, the willy-nilly spending on It bags and high-end labels of the moment has slowed, adding pressure on designers to offer just the right items for fall.

‘‘Fashion has been increasingly dressing up for the past several seasons and is in the feminine frame of mind,’’ says June Rau, Nordstrom’s fashion director for the western region. ‘‘Women will take certain pieces they’re familiar with and work it into their wardrobe.’’

The overall aesthetic is ‘‘polished and precisely put together,’’ she adds, and what will make a jacket or a skirt look fresh is a color choice, a winter floral print or a fuller, boxier shape.

American designers seem to have decided on a more practical approach for fall, what with all the basic black, bundled silhouettes and traditional, winter fabrics. Much of it was richly sophisticated, as if they realized that there was more substance to courting a woman rather than an ingenue. Rather than showy gold glitz, it was a warm, mustard-gold shade that prevailed on runways.

Marc Jacobs, whose runway ensembles at first glance always appear odd and unwearable (cocoon-shaped coats with ballooning backs, belted below the hips? Long knicker-shorts with dropped crotches?), remains the most-watched American designer. For the first time, his slot was the last show of the week this season, and except for a color palette that included winter pastels, his clothes were unlike anything seen all week.

The coats were at once long and lean, voluminous and complicated. The evening gowns were melancholy and slinky. And once you got past the tricorn hats and lust-inducing handbags, there were sweaters and pants and jackets that could be construed as . . . classics.

While frivolity was scarce on most runways, there were still plenty of fanciful and luxe touches. Metallic jacquards showed up in the collections of Vera Wang and Angel Sanchez. Fringe swung from bags, boots, skirts and vests at Zac Posen, Anna Sui and Betsey Johnson. Fur and feathers were flying on the catwalks of Badgley Mischka, Monique Lhuillier, Naeem Khan and Behnaz Sarafpour.

Themes and designer inspirations were made apparent at many shows.

Michael Kors, whose signature is luxury American sportswear, sent his models out in oversized specs and ‘‘Mad Men’’ fedoras, wearing coats and belted shifts that would look grand on Eva Marie Saint.

A huntress theme at Carolina Herrera translated to autumnal colors of squash, pumpkin, China blue and brown along with tattersall plaid. Riding jackets, capes and feathered hats were aristocratic touches that made the point.

Diane von Furstenberg related an entire story for her collection, starting with a muse who sews diamonds into the hem of her dress to flee from Berlin to Shanghai, then moves on to the art deco glam of New York. No era is specified in her program notes, but the clothes had a touches of the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s in the form of flapper dresses, belted jackets and loose-fitting trousers.

The Bay Area has reason to proudly proclaim designers Peter Som, Derek Lam and sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte as its own. Their presentations each season have become must-attends by influential magazine and newspaper editors and top retailers.

Som had one of the best shows of the week with a collection that was both dreamy and practical. A blue and black metalasse full skirt and fitted black washed patent leather jacket was fresh and edgy for a designer who usually sticks to pretty. Among his best pieces were side-draped dresses and skirts.

This is Som’s debut collection for Bill Blass, and he captured the late designer’s essence with a number of trouser suits, cocktail dresses, gala gowns and substantial ruffles. Also noted were a few Som-ish touches in the playful details, prints and color combinations.

Lam took inspiration from Isak Dinesen, the pen name of Karen von Blixen-Finecke who wrote ‘‘Out of Africa’’ in 1937. His collection played with proportion, serving up elegant suits and layering that flowed from one garment into another. While the dark tones and tailoring could have been too heavy, the clothes were lively, with movement and drama.