L.A. vagabonds, Cal-artsy cool and more at Day 1 of New York Fashion Week

It’s a new mood for spring 2016 fashion. Call it “found chic.” Carefree, layered and mismatched — nothing that looks like you’re trying too hard.

The drive to create something individual and handmade, or at least the illusion of something individual and handmade, could be felt across several collections shown Thursday at New York Fashion Week, starting with mega-brand BCBGMaxAzria, which is the antithesis of small and special with massive production runs and 570 stores worldwide.

The look was L.A. vagabond, mismatched print kimonos, board shorts, sweater pants, Baja hoodies, patchwork bucket hats and fringed moccasin booties. More Coachella than polished New York runway.

It made for a spirited hodgepodge, even if some of the knitwear did remind me of the work of L.A. designer Greg Chait and his high-end, handmade Elder Statesman collection.

FULL COVERAGE: New York Fashion Week 2015

My favorite styling note? Sheer tie-dyed bodysuits and crewnecks layered underneath dresses and patchwork vests, underneath everything, really. Theoretically, you could make your own.

Later in the day, L.A. designer Raquel Allegra had a more authentic take on the multilayered Cal-artsy look, mostly because her clothes really are handmade. She had her New York Fashion Week debut, showing her collection on models arranged in a sacred circle, channeling what she called “mandala vibes.”

Allegra has a great origin story. She got her start upcycling T-shirts from Southern California jails, shredding and bleaching them to imperfection. And now, her tie-dyeing (a serious cut above your backyard bucket job) spans a range of wearable wardrobe pieces, including loose shirt dresses, trench coats, blazers and gauze beach pants.

For spring, she added some watercolor floral prints to the mix of dresses and blouses with fraying collars, and leather fringe to the shoulders of cool linen button-down shirts. She also teased an upcoming men’s capsule collection, including a dude in her circle wearing a T-shirt that will be exclusive to Barneys New York.

At Creatures of the Wind, designers Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters played a glammier tune than we’re used to seeing from them, complete with fishnet stockings, glitter eyeshadow and punky hair on their models. Sheer layering tops were here, too—in tulle embroidered with rock starry crystals, worn underneath a short sleeve twill shirt dress on one look, and an ivory jacquard stripe wrap vest on another.

As always, the fabrics were rich and unexpected — wallpaper patterned jacquards, fraying fil coupes and block-printed linens that could just as easily be used in interiors as in fashion.

But what made this collection the Chicago designers’ best yet were the silhouettes, which were sexier, more mature and cut closer to the body, with a drop shoulder dress here, and a zip-back skinny ankle pant there.

The overall result was still whimsical, which by now is part of the COTW DNA, but also polished and red carpet ready, which is just what these guys need to take it to the next level.

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