Atavism runs deep within the veins of fashion, and each season the aggregate of sartorial powers-that-be unveil their collections at Fashion Weeks around the globe to reveal the return of past fashion triumphs such as 60s mod or high-waisted trousers or the ubiquitous legging. Writers lunge for their laptops with salacious fervor to be the first to report on the season’s best. Mingled among their clever headlines and au courant editorials we find repeated “_____ is the new black,” with some soft ballet pink, rich mahogany, or other magnificent color filling in the ever-rotating blank. True to fashion form, we are seeing the return of an always reliable throwback, an oft-repeated original that cannot be matched. Designers like Proenza Schouler, Zac Posen and Doo.Ri are taking their collections back to black, and doing so in a way that is anything but redundant.

It seems a bit odd to label black as the new black, but after several seasons of pop art-influenced brights and a mélange of prints fused with metallics, the reappearance of this dark, moody hue is a welcome one -- long-awaited and almost inventive. Expect to see a medley of values, from dark, shimmering obsidian to pale shades of midnight, and don’t be surprised by designers who boldly mix these varying hues. Look for the same ladylike details that are usually reserved for less severe color palettes (romantic pleats and soft ruffles) along with updated versions of classic silhouettes favored by fashion virtuosos in seasons past. Anyone who may have shied away from donning all black before will find the re-emergence of raven-colored fashions to be more glam than Goth, an observation that is well worth repeating.