ALEXANDER WANG PRE-FALL 2010.

ALEXANDER WANG

PRE-FALL 2010 COLLECTION.

"My girl, she's got to go to work sometime," Alexander Wang joked.

Presumably, the designer's cultish fans have been wearing what he calls his "casual sportswear" around the clock—to the club and to the office.

But for pre-fall, he's zeroing in on trousers (in narrow, almost legginglike knits or cropped and full in menswear wools) and jackets that came long, lean, and lapel-less, as well as short and tiered.

Wang's also feeling for layers, throwing shorts or a mini over those skinny pants and adding sexy, peplumed leather corsets on top of a shirtdress or under a suit.

The collection's banded sweater and long, mid-calf-length skirt were definite departures from his edgy downtown vibe—yet decidedly winning. Wang should push this serious thing further.

But, of course, it would be foolish to abandon his fan base entirely.

For his party girl (and the stores who can't keep the frock in stock) he did another one of his draped goddess dresses, this time with a leather bra-cup bodice and sequins.

MODEL: LIU WEN