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‘What does modern romantic dressing mean to you?” I bellowed to Bette Midler as she tried to escape a scrum of reporters backstage at Michael Kors. “Oh, a little poitrine, the right shoe … and just keep fluttering those eyelashes!” she said, dashing off.

While the Divine Miss M clearly knows how to command attention, designers have other ideas – lots of them. And although the future of life and politics in the United States is uncertain, they're determined to ground us all in unbridled sunny optimism come spring.

Despite disparate approaches, certain trends were universal. The caftan is making a comeback. So is the safari look. Other favourites included bold prints, tie-dying, embroidery and plenty of colour – a rainbow of sorbet.

Gold accessories were ubiquitous. Tennis-inspired pieces appeared in several collections. And those of us who have been hiding the results of summer's hedonistic ways under empire cuts will want to join the gym. There's a new silhouette on the horizon and it features a cinched waist and a flared skirt: Only those with trim figures need apply. But there were plenty of relaxed looks too, and as established designers polished their products and younger designers delighted in bravely pushing the envelope, one got the impression that anything will go.

“I'm not really that into fashion,” confided Bryan Adams, an unlikely front-row guest at the Ports 1961 show. “Look at me. I mostly like to wear white T-shirts!” He was there to support “West Coast talent” – Tia Cibani, a Vancouverite transplanted to Hong Kong to design for the label.

She went for wearable yet edgy East African-inspired pieces: safari day suits ready for the urban jungle. Toronto's Tu Ly styled the looks, with garments constructed from humble fabrics such as gingham and poplin mixed with gold matelassé and silk. Tie-dye prints were a recurring theme. Head wraps and turbans topped things off.

Jeremy Laing, another homegrown talent, proved he is on his way to being the first Canadian in a long time to receive international recognition. “His artistic approach is so appreciated,” said Ken Downing, fashion director for Neiman Marcus. “We love the collection and really hope to get it in our stores.”

Laing's architectural approach was intellectually stimulating – his use of colour and digitally reproduced imagery (the work of Karen Azoulay, a Canadian-born artist now based in New York) visually arresting. His presentation included flowing, easy-to-wear silk dresses and intriguing cotton “origami” dresses with cape and wing effects.

“I really want my clothes to evoke a Northern sensibility,” Laing told me. “Not necessarily Canadian – most of us don't even know what that is – but a kind of quiet strength that we associate with Canada.”

Narciso Rodriguez, another intellectual designer, finally had the funds to fly (he sold 50 per cent of his company to Liz Claiborne). Until now, it was his sexy, yet minimalist sensibility that won him accolades. But for spring, Rodriguez showed modern Japanese-style kimono cuts, some embellished with fantastic detailing: delicate white-on-white embroidery, dazzling beadwork and rows of appliquéd georgette rosettes. The cinched-waist silhouette surfaced several times. It all lent a couture feel to the collection.

Actress Julianna Margulies, five months pregnant and looking radiant, hung out backstage pre-show with Rachel Weisz. “He sent a bunch of things over, and I was sure nothing would fit, considering my new size,” Margulies said. “But the first dress I tried on, this black empire-cut number [from his fall collection] fit perfectly, so I'm thrilled. He really understands women's bodies, and how to dress us.”

Marc Jacobs got heady by presenting a collection that put a new spin on sexuality. Riffing on the notion of undressing, his show was presented backward, beginning with his bow. The mix included conceptual designs such as “one-half gowns,” which flashed glimpses of silky lingerie underneath.

There was more romanticism from Vera Wang, who took us to ancient Rome with an eclectic collection that included satin drop-crotch cargo shorts and a pleated, silk jersey goddess gown. “I was experimenting with diverse silhouettes,” the designer explained.

Offsetting the burgeoning intellectualism were celebrity street labels such as Baby Phat, the new Nicholai by Nicky Hilton, and Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. Stefani drew on her love of eighties music, dishing out black-and-white checks reminiscent of 2-Tone Records, a legendary British ska label. There were plaid minis and pencil skirts, high-waisted shorts and cigarette pants to go with zipper-trimmed black lace blouses, schoolboy blazers and cool vests. And a healthy helping of animal prints.

Another story racing through the mix was “sporty luxe.” Cynthia Rowley set her sights on the yachting life, with cropped pants, glam tank tops and flowing chiffon gowns. Michael Kors, whose offering was one of his most romantic and colourful in ages, dealt out delectable pieces for “courtside or poolside”: sweater dresses in sorbet shades along with crisp white tennis-inspired pantsuits.

“The fantasy of escaping to exotic islands and the wilder shades of love,” is how Diane von Furstenberg described her spring vision. The runway erupted with bursts of rich colour and bold prints, many with a tribal feel or floral motif. These were clothes to sweep you away, with caftans, chiffon ruffles, beading and embroidery punching up the exotic feel.

Simon Doonan of Barneys best summed up the sentiments of the season when I asked him what he thought of von Furstenberg's show. “It's encouraging a woman to relax, take a vacation, put down her BlackBerry … and go out and pick real blackberries!”

Jeanne Beker is host of Fashion Television.