Buyers at Net-a-Porter, Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman shared their fall calls, from velvet, charmeuse and all-over leather to cashmere polos and a slimmer skirt. A few pieces touch almost every prediction at once. Alaïa's plum velvet straight-leg pants, Nour Hammour's black leather Passage jacket, Citizens of Humanity's brown knit polo and Staud's beaded satin Bea mules are a good start.

Head-to-toe leather was one of the strongest calls from Net-a-Porter's Brigitte Chartrand, and it is easier to wear in two different shades. Khaite's black Ryden leather trousers with Studio Nicholson's bronze Landau jacket avoids the matching-suit effect, and Saint Laurent's brown Venetia knee boots and Bottega Veneta's east-west Andiamo bag keep the palette warm.

Velvet and duchess satin both came up again and again. Anna Sui's devoré velvet maxi is the romantic option, Sharon Wauchob's black duchess-satin Tria skirt and Calvin Klein Collection's pink satin Sophie shirt make a sharper pairing, and Manolo Blahnik's lime crystal-embellished satin sandals bring in a little chartreuse.

Nordstrom's buyers pointed to cashmere polos and Bergdorf Goodman's Linda Fargo to slimmer skirts, and the two work well together. Allude's orange cashmere polo or Simkhai's charcoal fringed Natalia polo pairs neatly with Jil Sander's gray wool and mohair midi skirt, and Birkenstock 1774's brown Naples loafers keep it casual.

Gloves and stacked jewelry were the finishing touches buyers kept mentioning. Toteme's black croc-effect leather gloves and Burberry's sand checked cashmere gloves cover both moods, and Sophie Buhai's silver Katia cuff and Paola Sighinolfi's gold Maja bangle show how two metals can share a wrist.

Buyer predictions are worth paying attention to because they are backed by orders, not just runway photos. If you take one thing away, let it be that the strongest calls this season are about fabric rather than silhouette: velvet, satin and leather in shapes you already know. That makes them easy to fold into a wardrobe. We would skip head-to-toe leather in a single matching colour unless you love the look, since two shades feel more relaxed. A knit polo is probably the most useful single piece here, because it works with jeans, a slim skirt or wide trousers. Gloves are the easiest way to look finished in cold weather.