The 40 local VIP attendees for the evening also heard from the creative minds behind the collections and learned what inspired them and how the collections came together.

“We have all of the absolute must-haves for any gathering, getaway or gala right here in the showroom,” says Lisa Fleming, Carlisle’s Showroom Director. “With the bright winter whites, standout dresses, and beautiful jeweled cardigans, no one will be facing the winter doldrums this season.”

Carlisle top management came in from NYC to attend the preview including Bill Rondina, CEO and Chairman of The Connaught Group and Reed McMillan, newly appointed Director of Business Development for the Carlisle Greenwich showroom. Showroom Director, Lisa Fleming and showroom stylists, Angela Smith and Anne Friday were on hand to assist guests with any styling and wardrobing requests. Others in attendance for the evening included Priscilla Morphy, Noelle Ward, Charlene Coyne, Ginny Raymond, Carrie Pryor, Pamela Cornfield, Lisa Green, Grace Lau, Mary Donovan, Eva Stina Pehrson, Ashley Sorio, Kathleen Mangi, Jamie Tyndall, Melanie Garfinkle, Nancy Strong, Susan Fischer, Mary Donovan, Barbara Ripp, Nadine Bilotta, Brenda Bluestein, Penny Weill, Charky Armstrong, Noel Hughes, Amy Scarella, Holly Mellstrom, Cathi Arquilla, Jacki Vigil, Martine Strong, and Mary Osborne.

With the Holiday Look books in hand, women expressed their delight as models electrified the catwalk with some of the favorite looks this season including:

MODERN SILHOUETTES -- BLACK AND WHITE: Sleek. Minimal. Style lines like modern architecture. Graphic construction, photographic color. Standouts: reversible hounds tooth reefer; tapered cord jean; embroidered mesh skirt; two-tone dress taking cover under jackets of crafted milk wool or buttery black leather.

PRECIOUS - URBAN GEOLOGY: Sexy. Shimmery. Copper and bronze from a Byzantine dig. Jackets with molten patinas. Tops poured of luminous copper; knits beaded with bronze. Metallic-zapped animal print skirts; high-luster dresses; high-shine belts. Tweed cardigans and basket weave sheaths shot with bronze.

SIGNATURE - MAJOR STYLE STATEMENTS: The Season’s Best Suits. Pulled-together pieces. Mixed. Matched. Remixed to suit every plan. In luxe jewel tones that play back to charcoal and black.

COZY LUXE - EASY KNITS: Bye-bye winter doldrums. Knits hit with fresh color just when you need it. Standouts: drapey tissue-weight twins in edible-fruit hues—wrappy in snakeskin-belted peach glace; hooded in leather-tethered citrus. A cozy luxe sweater—hip-length, huge turtle, high-rise hem—in milk/black stripes.

LACE-UP -- TIE ONE ON: Uptown verve. Downtown vibe. Fabulous milk + black pieces laced with style. Standouts: perfect white shirt side-swiped with drawstrings through nickel eyelets; plaid skirt side-seamed with gunmetal-tipped laces over black glove leather; avant-garde dress waist-laced to join the black leather bodice to the milk wool skirt.

EMBELLISHMENTS -- HOLIDAY TREATS: Obsess. Indulge. Don’t spare the glamour. Standouts: dresses with braided faux fur, beaded ribbons, precious metals. Appliquéd skirts with ravioli-pinked felt on chiffon; shiny embroidered ribbons on tweed. Cardigans smothered in pave sequins; tops jeweled with bronze beads like crinkled foil.

Clients who shop with Carlisle enjoy free on-site alterations along with a dedicated personal stylists who will work with them each season, keeping a detailed record of their wardrobe preferences and purchases in order to build off of their existing closet of style. Women who find themselves in a bind searching for the perfect attire to wear to any holiday soiree can also shop online at www.carlisleboutique.com or call the showroom to have any garment shipped directly to them.

Carlisle Showroom
283 Greenwich Avenue
2nd Floor
Greenwich, CT 06830
203.422.2464

The entire Holiday 2011 collection can be viewed at www.carlislecollection.com and www.persecollection.com.