Nordstrom’s Designer Fall Preview at the National Building Museum Tuesday night was a benefit for Knock Out Abuse Against Women—a perfect excuse for Washington fashionistas to strut their stuff and stuff their shopping bags for a good cause.  The runway show featured a lot of black, thigh-high skirts, and exquisite tailoring.  Donna Karan returned to her roots with draped, figure-flattering jerseys. Jil Sander featured oversized jackets with skinny pants.  The brightest plummage showed up in the Versace and Roberto Cavalli collections—and in the front row of the audience. There wasn’t a boring black pantsuit in the room. See below for our photo slideshow of both the fashions and the fashionistas in attendance.

All photos by Rachel Cothran.

Want to see more photos from Washington events and parties? Click here for Washingtonian.com's photo slideshow page.

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