At the end of a week when some Fashion Week attendees have complained that the shows have been too safe, Anne Klein's second collection with Isabel Toledo at design helm couldn't have been more of a breath of fresh air. Toledo's clothes have their own standout esthetic; these are confident looks for women who don't need magazines or trendsetters who tell them what to wear. And just as those customers tend to be trailblazing professionals, this collection used modernized fabrics (like lacquered cotton and glazed silk) and flattering, fluid cuts to be focused, forward-thinking, and always feminine. Plus, although it wasn't an upbeat show per se, there's something about Toledo's sense of self in the midst of so many retail-driven collections which makes you want her to succeed. It just puts everyone in the good mood the way a great art exhibit does.

That mood was contagious and was felt backstage before the show as well as in the audience. "Isabel's an original," James Kaliardos, who created the makeup for the show using foundations and eye products from MAC, said. "She really is one of the few designers on earth that really do very original designs that aren't based on some nostalgia trip. She doesn't look through old Vogues and copy things. It's true design: she really creates from the pattern to the finished clothing. She channeling the spirit of Anne Klein but in her own way, which is the best way to come into a house like that."

Renowned hairstylist Orlando Pita, who worked on the show and has known Toledo since high school, agreed. "Isabel is extremely talented," he said. "It's always such a pleasure to work with people that no matter how commercial a side of fashion there is, there also needs to that element of good design and creativity. We're kind of losing that in fashion with people becoming designers more and more that aren't trained as designers-we must not lose the fashion and creativity side of what we do and Isabel is really strong at that."

Pita said the hair for the show was directly inspired by Toledo's designs. "It's very architectural and feminine minimalist," he said of the look. "It's very neat and then it gets into a drier texture in the back and we're putting extensions to make a blunt cut and the bottom. It looks very simple but it's a lot of work!"

It may sound contradictory, but the Tommy Hilfiger show which was held later yesterday didn't show much which looked new, but also made its audience feel good. With its crisp and wearable pieces in navy, white, and beige, these were clothes for average men and women instead of just the fashion crowd. It's worth noting that the show was held at Hammerstein Ballroom, where just a week earlier (although it certainly feels like ages ago after seeing a gazillion shows since) Van Cleef and Arpels held its massive fine jewelry event, which felt European and luxe. A week later in the light of day, Hilfiger's collection was packed with truly American looks for everyday, which after a week in Fashionistaville was a nice transition back to reality....


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Now that the shows are over, it's clear that we'll be seeing lots of white, beige, and seventies looks in the stores this spring. Many folks have found the looks a bit uninspired (thanks to somewhat flat shows from labels like Luca Luca and Jill Stuart) but there's plenty of fabulous looks out there to begin saving up for, from Richard Chai's beautifully-crafted dresses to the uplifting pieces by Michael Kors. And like it or hate it, the Marc Jacobs show has gotten people talking about fashion, which has got to be a good thing.

Speaking of talking about fashion, although there was a lot of complaining about the Bryant Park tents, at least they help focus on a city and its media on fashion for at least a week twice a year. (We promise not to focus on the lack of water or smell of the toilets in the Tents-hopefully both those elements will be improved next year.) And while some have criticized the existence this season of an American Express Platinum skybox (where cardholders could buy seats to watch a show in a raised box above the audience), what's wrong with letting people who love fashion that much see the shows from a vantage point which feels insidery but doesn't take away one seat from a fashion editor or buyer? It's important to remember that fashion is a business, with the goal of selling clothes which make us feel attractive and appropriate. And, although it's never consistently strong, there are loads of pieces from this week which do just that.

See you here in February for next season's shows!

The main topic of discussion on Tuesday morning at the Bryant Park Tents wasn't clothing but something unavoidable for most showgoers: exhaustion. After waiting over two hours for the Marc Jacobs show to begin after 11 pm the night before, it seemed like every conversation focused around being tired, needing coffee and concealer (we vote for the new one from the Body Shop, in homage to the death this week of its founder Anita Roddick), and how late people made it home the night before. As always, Marc Jacobs show was one of the week's standouts, but does making people wait that long blemish the experience so much that it's disrespectful?

Fortunately, the Carmen Marc Valvo show on Tuesday morning was worth getting out of bed for. Probably best known for his bright, attention-grabbing red carpet wear, this show had a soft color palette (a beautiful slightly metallic middle blue with lots of white) and beautiful scalloped details (literally: sea shells were an influence on the designs) on silk organza pieces. There were plenty of wearable jackets which gave the show a solid root in reality. It was the sort of show which made you hope for an occasion to have an excuse to wear these flattering, very feminine creations.

Monique Lhuillier's show, which immediately followed Valvo's, was filled with similarly ladylike and covetable designs. Her show focused on dressy, airy chiffons in soft shades of café au lait and pale gray along with black; there were flowing ruffles around the necklines which would flatter virtually every wearer, no matter what their age or figure. The audience, including LeAnn Rimes and Michelle Tractenberg, seemed to love the show, and why wouldn't they? Doesn't everyone essentially want fashionable clothes which make them look and feel great? This was a collection which delivered on those criteria with grace and finesse.


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No matter how cranky their lack of sleep made some Fashion Week attendees, Tuesday afternoon snapped everyone back into a good mood. Betsey Johnson's bouncy prom influenced show was a pink party of poufy crinolines straight out of a yearbook from the 1950's. The show was admittedly a bit hokey, but it was too fun to get nitpicky about. Around the corner in its New York flagship, alice+olivia showed its trademark cool girl clothes in an inviting and whimsical presentation including cupcakes and giant cookies ala an "Alice in Wonderland" tea party. The wear-them-in-real-life dresses were terrific, but a high point of the collection was its shoes, which are the first installation of designer Stacey Bendet's collaboration with Payless. There were lots of patent pairs and wedge bottoms (from black near-flats which would be great for work to Kelly green high wedges for a night of clubbing) and even some adorably kids' designs which would make any young girl the coolest kid in the playground.

A couple hours later Heatherette showed its red, white, and blue collection at nearby Gotham Hall. Their show always feels more like a fabulous party than a poker-faced runway collection, and this year was no exception: everyone seemed to have a blast, from the audience (including editors, drag queens, and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs), the models, rapper Lil Mama (who opened the show with an energized performance), and particularly the five children who modeled Heatherette's new kidswear near the end of the show. It's worth mentioning that in the midst of the fun, there were actually a few looks which edged towards commerciality (in a good way), like a lightweight red coat and a simple pair of mens' swim trunks with a print of picnic table ants which seemed straight out of a vintage Moschino collection.

The show began with a series of white pieces and then showcased more brightly colored pieces. To balance out the clothes, MAC makeup artist Kabuki created two different looks for the models. "For the first, it's very clean black and white eyes, with a thick white eyeliner with black on the lid to get a beautiful leaf shape," he explained. "You get a really elongated eye. I keep thinking of tuxedos while I'm doing it-it has a classic feel about it with the black and white. We're just doing matte lips and making it all about the eye."

"For the second, it's just a full lash on the top and the bottom," he continued. "It's the glamour of the 'Valley of the Dolls' eye. It's just about full lashes in a wide-eyed, sunburst effect."

Afterwards, justsweet's show a few hours later in Chelsea was admittedly a bit of a downer. Although it was great people watching (with cast members from 'The Fashionista Diaries' along with a brief end of show appearance from Jennifer Lopez, who is the force behind the line), the collection was filled with type of girly minidresses we've all been living in this summer...while every other designer showed a different and newer silhouette on the runway. With the show starting at around 10 pm, Lopez' wave at its conclusion to the pit of photographers shooting the show was most people's cue that it was time for bed.


Come back tomorrow for coverage of Tommy Hilfiger, Anne Klein, and an overview of the week as a whole!

It's sometimes hard to have loads of sympathy for fashion editors (jetting to shoots in fabulous locations, hanging out with designers, etc), but yesterday might make you want to pull out at least a couple violins. For many of Fashion Week's most influential attendees, the day began at Carolina Herrera's midtown show at 10 am and didn't end until the Marc Jacobs show finished at around 11:30 pm. Sure, they were treated to everything from sightings of Victoria Beckham in the front row to a performance by the Polyphonic Spree (both at Oscar de la Renta's gorgeous show), but yesterday sometimes felt more like an endurance meet than a preview of what we'll be wearing next spring.

To be honest, it's hard to imagine wearing a lot of yesterday's looks on a real life day of work, friends, public transportation and a stop at Starbucks. Marc Jacobs' always-highly-anticipated show last night was captivating with its undressed/dressed theme, but would you really wear most of these pieces even if you could afford them? Even Jill Stuart, whose clothes may not be fashionable with a capital F but usually bases her creations firmly in reality, showed an inaccessible collection of poufy mini-dresses which seemed aimed at anyone but the people who typically buy her clothes. And did we mention that many designers, like Nanette Lepore, have been showing shades of orange and yellow which clash with nearly every skintone?

Admittedly, there were some impressive (albeit conservative) shows yesterday from Herrera and de la Renta, both of which used a beautiful rich palette to make you want to start saving now to try and by even one of their pieces at the end of next summer's sales (even at 70% off, these clothes are reserved for the rich and/or famous, but they are great to look at and dream about.)

The most fun show of the day was Anna Sui's buoyant collection of bouncy dresses and separates which were influenced by a groovier 70's girl (someone like a 19 year old in the front row of a David Bowie concert in London circa Ziggy Stardust) than other designers have used for their inspiration this week. With flippy shorts and spunky puff-sleeved short dresses, the show was filled with pieces which would put you in a good mood as soon as you threw them on on a hot summer morning. Plus, this show gave its audience the sarkiest gift bag of the week so far: a bag filled with a fan, some cosmetics, and t-shirt featuring a print of an old-fashioned wanted poster with the faces of the two founders of the chain store Forever 21, who have been accused of copying Sui's designs.

Come back tomorrow for coverage of Monique Lhuillier, Betsey Johnson, and more!

Regular fashion week attendees have become accustomed to certain designers showing at the same day and time season after season. This time around, with the schedule altered and moved up for the Jewish holidays Wednesday night, that routine has been shaken up. Case in point: Michael Kors' show, which this season was held on a Sunday morning instead of in its usual weekday morning spot. "I actually think it's nice to show on a Sunday," Kors said backstage beforehand. "People aren't as crazed, they don't have to rush back to work or kill themselves in traffic-you can get around New York. Also I know a lot of people who have always wanted to bring their kids and husbands and they were never able to come. I love young faces in the audience, so I think it gives a happy mood to the festivities, and it's a happy show."

It was indeed a happy show, filled with the type of confident, comfortable pieces which make you feel good every time you put them on. It was a departure of sorts of Kors-lots of a classy shade of pale pink, some gauzy prints, and chiffon, none of which might initially sound Korsy-but the show just plain worked. "This is about color and-god forbid!-the word pretty," he explained. "We've never done anything like this before in 20 something years before, but I love the idea of all these prints. They're very impressionistic; it's playing around with Monet and the idea of these colors intermingled, which I think is more interesting sometimes than wearing a head to toe solid garment, which can get a little flat."

The positive mood of the show was infectious and almost tangible. "It's very optimistic," Kors said. "I'm a believer of when the world's in a tough place that fashion has to go upbeat. My job is to make people feel about themselves and look great. Clothes have to have a little bit of an entertainment value about them."

Also showing yesterday was Diane von Furstenberg, whose models got dressed under huge posters with photos circa the late seventies with shots of the designer as well as Angelica Huston and a young Manolo Blahnik. While so many designers have looked to the French Riviera for inspiration this season, von Furstenberg has drawn from holidays in French Polynesia to create pieces that seem easy to wear and perfect for 100% humidity. Some designers show creationss which seem earmarked just for celebrities and photo shoots, but these are real clothes for real working women who need lightweight, crisp looks to throw on to get to the office on a steamy summer day.

As he has for many seasons, Frederic Fekkai created the hair looks for the show. "I identify so well with Diane's sense of style and lifestyle," he said. "For the show, it's a reflection of the woman Diane embraces so much: she has strength and style; she loves life and she's successful."

The hair was simple and easy with a glossy finish (for which he used several products from his new Coiff line) and a low pony tail. "It's very clean, very healthy," he said. "It's ready for a tropical mood. It could be with jeans, a suit, with anything. It's so easy, sophisticated, and effortless-it gives the woman a lot of freedom, because it's a 1-2-3 hairstyle in the morning. It's for an independent woman who travels well and has it all."


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The award for the most beautiful dresses of the day has to go to Richard Chai. You may not have heard of him, and he may never become a household name, but Chai's exquisitely structured dresses for day and evening deserve recognition. He certainly has the right pedigree (having worked at Marc Jacobs and TSE Cashmere) and works with beautiful materials, like a glossy black silk charmeuse which made a simple dress simply pop. And there were gorgeous shifts for daytime as well, with tweaked details that added a delicate punch without too much effort or statement. This is a name insiders and fashion editors have been talking about for a few years-you should be too.

Other pretty shows of the day included Reem Acra's collection of rose prints and silk dresses in Crayola shades of green, red and yellow. Acra can always be counted on for feminine, elegant looks which always look appropriate, and this season was no exception. The Willow show earlier in the day also included some feminine but not overly-girly pieces. The same, sadly but somewhat predictably, can't be said of the last show of the day: Nicolai, Nicky Hilton's collection. Literally every piece seemed like a reject from her and her sister Paris' closet of clubwear. Yet another reason to go to be and look forward to Monday's shows....

Come back tomorrow for coverage of Luca Luca, Anna Sui, and more!

It's the point in the week when many fashionistas, at around 25 shows in, are beginning to take stock of the season and the shows in general. But before thinking about the clothes, many attendees at Fashion Week are thinking of the weather: balmy and sticky, with tents which are too hot, traffic which is too bad, and key shows in Chelsea which necessitates schlepping around and trying to look chic when it's 90 degrees outside.

A big complaint so far has been the lack of water in the Bryant Park Tents. In prior seasons, sponsors like Evian and Desani have laid on copious amounts of cold water bottles in every corner; not this season, as it's coincidentally so hot, so the big plus of backstage credentials is that you can actually grab a drink. The front of house option is admittedly delicious-Nespresso espresso and ice cream "cappuccino"-but may explained why some editors are so punchy this season.

As far as the clothes go, many attendees have commented that the looks so far seem a bit tame. Admittedly it's early in the week, but many feel there hasn't been much inspiring on the runway yet...although many pieces look heavily inspired by Marc Jacobs' strong show of 70's looks last season. But in a climate with the threat of a recession, global warming, and war, who can blame designers for creating clothes which are simply wearable and easy?

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Saturday morning began with the Lacoste show, which this season marked the brand's 75th anniversary. It was just what you'd expect from this ubiquitous sportswear line: comfy but stylish pieces for men and women which pack a lot more weekend punch than just jeans and a tee. Designer Christophe Lemaire was inspired by the Pays Basque region of France, which gave the show a 20's resort feel. Lemaire fervently believes in the brand for which he designs. "There is a true originality in Lacoste," he said. "It's easy to wear but chic, sporty but elegant. It's timeless. I would say Lacoste is to sportswear what Chanel is to luxury."

Vacationing in France was the key influence of many of Saturday's shows. Alice Temperley's lovely collection of feminine pieces was dubbed La Plage Privee (the private beach.) Demi Moore and Duran Duran's Simon le Bon and Nick Rhodes were amongst those who watched the delicate ruffled and lace looks come down the runway.
The genesis of Catherine Malandrino's show, which included a standout textured dress in bright orange, was also a trip to her native France. "France is the place I get my inspiration," she explained backstage. "It was inspired by all the organic things and the lightness that you find there in the summer."

Rosa Cha's show of glitzy bathing suits also brought France to mind-in this case, the French Riviera in around 1972-but with their metal appliqués and detailing, don't try jumping in the pool with most of these pieces. To match the vibe of the clothes, MAC's Gordon Espinet created a similarly glamourpuss look. "When you think of 70's beauties, they were photographed by Francesco Scavullo: the Jerry Halls and Lauren Huttons of the world," he explained. "That woman is really glamorous and fully made up. It's sexy but not slutty, elegant but not untouchable. It's really about swimwear as fashion."


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The last of Saturday's shows was a highlight of the entire week so far: Ralph Lauren's 40th Anniversary collection, held all the way uptown on 105th Street inside Central Park, with champagne and good cheer served up in generous amounts. It felt like one of those special New York nights you remember for ages, with no one complaining about heat or inconvenience. (Even fellow designers Vera Wang and Donna Karan turned out to show their support, alongside celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker and Dustin Hoffman.) The show didn't tread new ground for Lauren, but showcased what he does so brilliantly: crisp black and white pieces, equestrian inspired looks, an idealized but simply beautiful look at Americana. Nobody does this type of clothing better than Ralph Lauren, and this show reminded everyone of that, 40 years on.

Come back tomorrow for coverage of Michael Kors, Diane von Furstenberg, and more!

The French Riviera and the 1970's have been big influences so far this Fashion Week, but cartoon characters? "I was inspired by Charlie Brown's crazy zig-zag striped sweater," Issac Mizrahi said to explain the genesis of the party dress he created for one of Friday's runway shows. "I've always adored that garment. It has etched itself into my psyche indelibly."

That inspiration makes complete sense when you consider the dress was made for the Snoopy in Fashion show, a fun group show held in the Bryant Park Tents. Mizrahi, as well as designers like Betsey Johnson and Heatherette, created pieces for the show which will be auctioned on ebay starting on October 1, with proceeds going to Dress for Success. "I support Dress For Success because I think they help women get their lives back on track in a very simple way," Mizrahi said.

The dress was Mizrahi's only runway look this season: he's showing his collection this time around without the hoopla of a runway show. "I decided this season to create a little book with pictures of the collection," he explained. "For my customer right now it seems like a great tool. I like going my own way as a designer and a good way to enhance that is to think of each collection as a separate entity. This collection screamed for a photo shoot and screamed to be kept off the runway." If you're screaming to see it, go to www.isaacmizrahiny.com.

Backstage before the show, guests enjoyed a proper bartended bar and food courtesy of the Food Network. Elsewhere in the large backstage area, Heatherette's Traver Rains and Richie Rich were getting ready to show their creation, a Snoopy bridal gown made of small stuffed animals. "How can you say no to Snoopy," Rains smiled. "Our dress is a Heatherette conconction: we took little stuffed toys and sewed them together with rhinestones and sequins with a pouf skirt."

Who's their favorite Peanuts character? "I always liked Peppermint Patty the best," Rich said. "I thought she was the most scandalous. She was kind of mean on Marcy and I love that-it was cool."

Behnaz Serafpour's Spring 2008 collection was classy and sophisticated but wearable (as long as your pockets are deep enough to afford these high end pieces.) The show started with some burlappy looks (which brought to mind a somewhat organic theme to the show, for which invites were sent solely via email instead of on paper to conserve trees); Some pieces had a vintage feel, like mustard colored separates and a series of looks with coral flower details. It was clothing which was super-elegant but felt like it didn't try too hard-this is what the glamorous woman at the next table at lunch at the Four Seasons just threw on that morning. And somehow Serafpour managed to maintain some of her trademark elements, like delicate ribbon details, while feeling like she'd taken a major step forward.

The show's makeup, created by Lancome makeup artist Gucci Westman, was glamorous but wearable. "I was thinking Valley of the Dolls combined with a natural, sexy beauty," Westman said. "Everything is peach and coral with a glossy, light lip. I haven't done a glossy, light lip in a long time-I thought that would be nice. It's sexy.

Westman and Serafpour collaborate for the show every season. "I love working with her in terms of our communication," Westman says. "I feel like I always understand what she's going for. It feels like we have a good working chemistry. I always feel like when she says one thing, I know where to take it, which is really important when you're working with designers. The most important thing is that they feel like they're communicating their message."

A few hours later, J Mendel showed a super-sexy collection for Spring/Summer back in the tents. "This collection was very much inspired by the polished sexiness of the photography of Guy Bourdin," designer Gilles Mendel explained backstage. "There's a mix of the couture element that I always put into the collection-sophisticated and sleek-with in this case a lot more sexiness. It's a little more naughty."

How is he going to celebrate once the show is done? "I'm going to go home, take a hot bath, have a glass of champagne with very close friends of mind, and go to sleep," he said." "I'm so tired! I think I'm finally going to have a good night's sleep!"

Other designers showing on Friday included Tracy Reese (who showed many pieces which seemed just too heavy for spring, plus some cute print dresses), Chaiken (whose first show under a new design team was a bit drab, but had a nice Bianca Jaggeresque white pantsuit early in the show), Cynthia Rowley (whose palette of white, beige and blue underlined what the colors of the week have been), and Buckler (whose cheeky menswear always makes for a fun show.)

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The highlight of Friday night for the cool crowd was the party of Prada's Soho flagship. Sure, there was a launch event at the Just Cavalli store uptown which attracted Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson, but the real fashion crowd was at Prada, listening to the Hours play, surrounded by custom-designed Damien Hirst wallpaper, with a gallery-worthy film show on one wall and big tubs of Peroni everywhere. There was no shortage of celebs-from the Olsen twins on down-but this felt like a real New York downtown event, with models and music industry folks and a big crowd of hipsters outside for hours. In other words, this party was worth every moment of exhaustion during Saturday's shows....

One distinct advantage of this season's moved up Fashion Week schedule is the ease at which you can imagine wearing the summery looks on the runway as it's 80 degrees and humid outside. So far many collections have included flowing lightweight fabrics in pretty prints-exactly what you can imagine putting on to go to one of the many parties of the week.

Some of the loveliest dresses yesterday came down Carlos Miele's runway. With Frank Sinatra singing "The Girl From Ipanama" on the loudspeakers, the show featured beautifully cut dresses in lime and champagne, many featuring a snazzy starburst of embroidery called a fuxico. Miele always creates wonderful eveningwear; This season's pearl colored gowns would look as appropriate on a bride as they would at a black tie party.

Badgley Mischka's show also showcased (as it typically does) the team's trademark evening dresses, but yesterday's collection also included crisp little short sleeved jackets which would look great for a daytime lunch or meeting. Don't be surprised to see actress Teri Hatcher in these pieces-she sat in the front row and seemed to love it.

The feel of the show was inspired by a vintage European resort vibe. As designer Mark Badgley explained backstage, "We started out with an easy, languid, French Riviera feeling then we added a lot of crispy 70's tailoring to it."

Why the seventies? "There was just something about the way women put themselves together then," James Mischka said. "It's very soft but tailored at the same time. It was really elegant and a great look."

Like many of the evening looks, the color palette was soft and pretty. As Mischka put it, "There are a lot of neturals in the collection. For sportswear it's mostly neutral and then for evening we go into pretty midtone pastels and a lot of ombres where we go from pale to dark." The makeup look, created by MAC's Tom Pecheux, mirrored the softness of that palette with some added glamour courtesy of bright pink lipstick.

How do the designers explain their broad fanbase, which spans the Olsen Twins through Teri Hatcher? "Today it's not about age-it's more about an attitude," Mark Badgely reflected. "I think if a woman really loves clothes she's going to love our clothes. Young girls are dressing more sophisticated and older women are continuing to look great as well."

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How does Demi Moore watch a fashion show? Wearing big dark sunglasses ala Anna Wintour-at least that's how she checked out the Miss Sixty show yesterday. Seated between actor Clive Owen, who she laughed and chatted with before the show began, and Hilary Swank, with whom she commented on a few of the looks on the runway, Moore attracted a predictably manic paparazzi crush when she arrived. Our favorite celebrity in that front row? Maggie Gyllenhaal, decidedly dressed down and wearing the ultimate non-Manolos: a pair of comfy Birkenstocks. Chances are none of those celebs will be seen wearing the show's nightclub-friendly looks anytime soon, but it was fun to see them at the show.

Much prettier was Lela Rose's early morning show in the Bryant Park tents. The collection was all about its details: chunky buttons on a beige dress, orange embroidery on a series of looks, layers on a middle blue skirt. These are clothes for real women: fashionable but not fashion-obsessed, appropriate and sweet but never clawing.

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