Ask a designer to tell you about his or her collection and they'll either wax on for hours or stare at you mutely. This season we tried something different: We asked for just one word to describe spring 2009. The resulting list is comical, endearing, puzzling, and enlightening.

• “Sweat”
• Alexander Wang
• “Fantasy”
• Jill Stuart
• “Rauschenberg”
• John Whitledge, Trovata
• “Gnarly”
• Derek Lam
• “Architectural”
• Michael Kors
• “Femininity”
• Oscar de la Renta
• “Rigorousruffulous”
• Phillip Lim
• “Egyptomania”
• Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock, Vena Cava
• “Liquid”
• Donna Karan
• “Work-in-Progress”
• Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Proenza Schouler
• “Redemption”
• Michael Ball, Rock & Republic
• “Friction”
• Thakoon Panichgul
• “Magic”
• Max Azria
• “Earthworks”
• Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Rodarte
• “Sunny”
• Anna Sui
• “Sunset”
• Erin Fetherston
• “Live”
• Yigal Azrouël
• “Relax”
• Peter Som
• “Delicate”
• Narciso Rodriguez
• “Etch”
• Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, Preen
• “Adventure”
• Nanette Lepore
• “Sleek”
• Carlos Miele
• “Flavorful”
• Chris Benz
• “Gardens”
• Tory Burch
• “Love”
• Alexandre Herchcovitch

More in our Spring 2009 Fashion Week Preview:
The Fug Girls Answer Your Fashion Week Questions
Fashion Week’s Greatest Moments
The Freshman Class: Meet the New Girls of the Season
Designers to Watch: Joanne Cordero Reyes
Designers to Watch: Jen Kao
Designers to Watch: Miguel Adrover
Designers to Watch: Frank Tell
Designers to Watch: Abigail Lorick
Spring 2009 Fashion Week Party Guide