Relative to his usual exuberance, I think it’s fair to say that Brian Atwood was feeling a little bit subdued for fall. It’s not that Brian Atwood Fall 2012, or at least as much of it as we’ve seen so far, lacks luxury – there’s embroidery and thigh-high boots and embroidered thigh-high boots. Compared to the kinds of bold, zany flourishes that we’re used to seeing, though, this group of shoes feels decidedly more grown up.

First of all, I don’t see any feathers. Anywhere! Atwood loves to turn nearly any shoe into luxurious Big Bird footwear, but there’s nary a plume to be seen in this preview. There’s also relatively little color; where they designer has turned to vivid brights for the past few seasons, he’s now choosing black and burgundy. The full line will surely show more signature Atwood flourishes, but for now, there are all clearly shoes for an adult.