I walked past Bryant Park last week, as the workers were erecting the giant white tent on the lawn, and realized summer is really over! The weekly movies shown at dusk are gone, and fashion week is here. The top designers (and a few well-funded others) are presenting their spring 2009 collections at what they are now calling "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week". We get to see America's most recognized designers — Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Donna Karan.
Today, I went to check out the action at Vera Wang's event, as the wedding styles she is showing will certainly need jewelry to complement her designs!
We have some other designers like Tracy Reese, Phillip Lim and Yigal Azrouël showing who are building their brands, and the Project Runway finalists will show their collections on Sept 12th. One of the show's former participants, Malan Breton, will have a show of his work as well. You might not remember him, he was kicked out after only the third episode on season three, but he is here with his collection this week. Christian Siriano is here too, with a maternity line, of all things.
New York's fashion week is a major stage where new and established designers will make a statement. All kinds of other statements are made as well, with protesters on Sunday taking issue with Donna Karan's use of fur,
and some non-anorexic women were out on the sidewalk, angrily taking issue with the fashion industry's fixation on thin bodies.
Chanting, "Curves on the catwalk," they had signs saying "Hire Me! I Can Walk!". Today, in addition to fashion, there is Reverend Park's bible crusade going on in Bryant Park, which looks so beautiful this time of year. His supporters (in stylish attire, of course) mingle with the fashion crowd, handing out invitations to passers-by.
Karan's show was remarkable for the presence of (hold your breath here) jumpsuits and rompers. These garments have been seen in the spring 2009 collections from others, with some on the runway of BCBGMaxAzria and Yigal Azrouël. The actual look is different from runway to runway, but you have to wonder what's up with these clothes?
Donna Karan's show on Sunday was a celebration of 20 years of DKNY, and featured some modernized looks from the '80s. She showed a number of romper-like shorts that were fluffed out at the top of the thigh. They were cute, but nobody I know over 20 can wear these.
The rest of us enjoyed the jumpsuits that would look and feel better on an 'adult' body. Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham unveiled a short, boyish new haircut to go with her new fashion line this week as well. Her small collection is made in a London atelier and will be produced in very limited quantities. I kept thinking-Wouldn't she look great wearing my earrings!
Another hot ticket is for Justin Timberlakes runway extravaganza. With celebs like Jessica Simpson and
Jessica Biel wearing their William Rast jeans, his show will have one of the most star-studded audiences of the week. If you are here in town, it's fun just to walk by the tents, the music is throbbing, limos come and go, and you can probably get a glimpse of a star or two, rushing in or out of the fashion event of the year. Ciao!
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