Born in China and a graduate of Parsons, Anna Sui presented fashions reminiscent of Mexican folk costumes and Klimt’s Egyptian-inspired patterns.

Cuban-American designer Narciso Rodriguez presented a dress with geometric patterns. Having worked at Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, he is best known for the wedding dress he designed for Carolyn Bessette, the bride of JFK Jr.

A minimalist, straight-cut dress by Vera Wang, the designer renowned for her wedding gowns.

A creation by “Leanne,” an emerging designer making her debut through Project Runway. The skirt recalls the columns of an ancient building or a lampshade.

Calvin Klein drew attention with tailoring reminiscent of architect Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

The body is a canvas. Designers, pick up your scissors and splash on the paint!

Several years ago, Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake held an exhibition at a gallery in Tribeca. His sculptural, architectural garments made a striking impression on New York’s fashion and art worlds.

Giorgio Armani has also held a major retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum, while Hugo Boss is a prominent supporter of the museum.

For fashion designers, art is a source of inspiration. In cosmopolitan New York, designers from around the world have drawn ideas from history and art, taking up brushes and scissors.

At a time when people are seeking “change” in politics, economics, culture and other fields, fashion designers have returned with colorful palettes and innovative tailoring. To them, a model’s body is a canvas.

The 2009 spring-summer fashion shows, held from the 5th to the 12th at Bryant Park and other locations across Manhattan, were nothing less than the designers’ declaration that they are artists.

The 2009 Spring-Summer New York Collection borrowed ideas from a wide range of art, from Impressionist paintings and works by Klimt and Mondrian to buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry.

Korean designers Doo-Ri, Richard Chai, Chris Han and Andy & Debb also presented their collections alongside some 250 other designers.

The shows by Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, Narciso Rodriguez, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi, Anna Sui, Vivienne Tam, Phillip Lim and Peter Som offer a glimpse of next year’s trends.

Text=Reporter Park Sook-hee, Photos=Park Sang-hoon (Best Wedding)·AP

Known for her zigzags and colorful patterns, Diane von Furstenberg mixed a hippie style with inkblot-like prints and rainbow stripes to herald a lively spring.