What was the Louisiana Superdome doing in the middle of the Marc Jacobs fashion show? A golden orb was the centerpiece of fashion week's most anticipated show, as if a domed stadium, a nuclear reactor or an alien spaceship had touched down on the floor of the New York Armory Monday night.

But Jacobs' uneven show wasn't nearly as explosive as the set, which rivaled a Broadway production, or the stellar presentation, which was live streamed on his website.

The show was divided into several acts, with a set of models exiting the orb in unison, walking in a large circle, and then reentering the vessel. A few seconds later, another set of models did the same thing. This went on too many times to count.

Each of the segments seemed to have a theme, none terribly original. There were copycat Missoni prints; 1970s-style hot pants in gold lame and other fabrics; floppy hats pushed up in the middle a la Jodie Foster in the 1976 classic, Taxi Driver; willowy dresses, some decorated with a big flower at the waist or shoulder; jump suits and boxy coats tied with wide sashes.

Jacobs' shows were once known for their repressed sexuality. Models wore prim blouses and long skirts; there were no plunging necklines or slits to the thigh. But as the designer became obsessed with sculpting his body to the point that he recently posed nude for his new men's fragrance, Bang, and gave each guest at the show a T-shirt stamped with the photo, his collections have shed their inhibitions.

This one had see-through pants, dresses that showed lots of leg and sometimes fit so loosely that models were falling out of them, and those obiquous hot pants. There was a strong '70s attitude, and, while the collection was infused by waves of purple, mauve, apricot, chocolate and some tropical colors, the overall vibe was much darker.

In a season where most everyone is showing pretty clothes, leave it to Jacobs to bring us back to reality with a murkier edge.

While I commend him for again starting a trend instead of following one, in times like these, I like pretty.

So I enjoyed Carolina Herrera's collection. It, too, had drama. A model in a wide-brimmed hat opened the show by striking a profile pose imitating a 40s-era sketch that flashed on the big screen. The show also had a spectacular ending that will be hard to top this week, as all 52 models stormed the runway before lining up in two straight lines and facing the audience while Herrera, in her trademark crisp white shirt and slacks, walked down the middle.

Herrera's collection featured lovely bird print jacquard fabrics and dresses marked with a big bow — or several. The designer explained in her program notes that she was inspired by traditional clothes in Korea. But at times the look was a little too fussy and would have been improved if Herrera had removed a bow or two from nearly every outfit.

Even so, the ball gowns with full skirts that closed the show are showstoppers. The woman Herrera dresses regularly loves to make an entrance — even if the gown is so full, she can't always squeeze through a narrow door.

Houstonians will get a chance to see Herrera's collection — and the designer — in November when she makes a personal appearance at the Catwalk for a Cure luncheon.

Elsewhere on the fashion front:

• Sarah Jessica Parker was the center of attention at a presentation of the Halston spring collection at the Gladstone Gallery in Chelsea, but that shouldn't come as a surprise because she was hired as a Halston consultant. Parker seems a good choice to revive the line because the legendary Halston made the type of dress that she likes — colorful and close to the body. The 45-year-old actress/designer wore a coral number that looked as good on her as it did on the model who is a good 20 years younger.
• Nine in the morning seems awfully early to showcase a collection of glittery evening dresses, but that's the time slot Jenny Packham had — and she made the most of it. Known for dressing young Hollywood stars, Packham led off with a sheer crystal-studded bodysuit that looked more fitting for a Las Vegas showgirl. But the rest of the collection was sophisticated and movie star glam, with pale colors, expert draping, and art deco touches in unexpected places on the back and shoulders.