With their latest collection, Nicole and Michael Colovos proved that downtown cool and polished sophistication need not be mutually exclusive. Take, for instance, the unstudied cool of a draped jersey maxi-gown paired with an oversized leather trench. The colors and cuts might be conservative, but oversized lapels, patent-glossiness, and thigh-high slit suggested otherwise. Moto boots peeking from shirttail hems and floor-sweeping skirts upped the grunge factor, while the Colovos' deft pinning and tucking lent ensembles a decidedly slouchy silhouette. At first glance, the materials appeared to be basic and familiar - cotton, leather, a touch of suede. Upon closer inspection, the insets on a white shift revealed themselves to be constructed of perch - a material akin to snakeskin. It's subtle innovations like these that keep Helmut Lang at the top of every cool girl's wish list.