Somerset Collection Setting the Trends for Fall

Fall fashion was out in force Thursday night at Troy's , if not the crowds.

, which started in 2009 in New York to celebrate designers, collections, and fashion's impact on the world, came to the Somerset Collection with a host of runway shows and special deals for shoppers.

Though the shopping mecca remained sparse throughout the three-hour event -- crowds seemed to stop for just moments to steal glances of the models -- there was plenty of fall fashion to take in.

A special lookbook published by Somerset waxed poetic on the fall fashion trends. Some of the more obscure include Swiss dot tights, capes and head-to-toe plaid. Classics like animal prints, lace skirts, pointy-toed pumps, and laced-up booties look just as pretty and fresh, too.

Beautiful earth tones with names like "quarry" and "nougat" will dominate the color palette, as well as brights with names like "emberglow" and "honeysuckle."

Designer Betsey Johnson, with her store at Somerset North, showed off the brights and animal prints flawlessly with luscious sweaters that combined the two trends.

"Purples and dark pinks are really in," said Betsey Johnson sales associate Cali Bowen. "Layering is very big, too, as well as plaid. And of course Betsey does her own thing, like acid wash dresses."

Linda Frank of Troy particularly liked the animal print theme.

"It kind of goes with anything," she said while watching the fashion show at Somerset South.

Stores from  to showcased their latest looks on runways in both the south and north ends of the mall. Other retailers offered up refreshments to shoppers and some sweet deals.

, for example, offered a 15-percent discount on purchases for Thursday night only, while shoppers could get a 25-percent discount at . Intermix offered a $300 gift card to anyone who bought three or more pairs of shoes.

But the night wasn't just about getting on trend or scoring good deals.

As a sponsor of the Detroit Institute of Arts, Somerset helped coordinate donations to the museum through 5 percent of purchases made at certain Somerset retailers Thursday night. Somerset also held a special reception for members of the DIA to show appreciation for public support of the arts.

"It's good to know that Somerset is giving back," said shopper Kate Jones.