Flipping through Fendi’s photos on Style.com lead to a few observations:

1. If we didn’t know better, we’d think the dress patterns were woven in silk, not mink and leather - amazing.

2. The mosaic necklines on some of the dresses are both referential and futuristic - incredibly cool.

3. Lily Donaldson’s back looks awfully awful in this picture. It reminds us of the Mary Kate photos from her Hollywood Walk of Fame induction, just before the starlet was rushed to rehab with an eating disorder / drug problem (circle one).

If we combine the skeletal shadows on Lily’s body with her current It Girl status, we have to wonder - is Lily Donaldson the new Mary Kate?

It’s icky enough to distract us from the rest of the Fendi show, which (again) was a million layers of gorgeous.

When Chloe announced that Chloe Sevigny would be its new fragrance face, a jaunty game ensued.

Chloe for Chloe? What about Christina Ricci for Nina Ricci? And Travolta for Trovata? Paul Rudd for Paul Smith!

And though our name-game didn’t inspire any fashion pairings this season, we think the Chloe for Chloe match might unveil in the flesh next Saturday.

Why?

Because Chloe’s throwing a petite party to launch its new scent, and really, can there be a Chloe bash without a girl named Chloe - especially if she’s starring in their upcoming ad campaign?

We suspect non… and we’ll be watching Colette, Cafe de Progres, and that place with all the Bob Dylan boys for our second-favorite indie actress (sorry, Julie Delpy is still tops…).

Meanwhile, you should head over to Bluefly, because they just got in a new stash of the label - the last shipment from the brand’s pre-P.M.A. days. It’s still expensive, but actually about the same as what’s at the Chloe outlet right now - and the shoes have better sizes.

Compare the two pictures at left: Evan Rachel Wood pre and post Manson. What a difference.

Evan says her romance with Marilyn has opened her up to fashion experimentation.

Her recent looks channel everything from Gothic Lolita to campy 1940s Vampirella; a far cry from her days with Jamie Bell, when she typified the perfect ingenue aesthetic of sweet, simple, and safe.

Changing your style as often as you change your boyfriend is not atypical in the celebrity world, though it does raise an eyebrow or two when you and your significant other become indistinguishable from each other.

Let’s observe.

—NATALIE GUEVARA

Jenny, 29, librarian

Got her: While we walked down Prince Street to buy a cinnamon bun at Dean and Deluca.

Stalked her: Because her bright colors cheered up our day, and her moccasins made us nostalgic for our childhood Minnetonkas.

Shot her: Because she’s wearing three tough styles at once (citrus colors, patchwork, and moccasins) and totally pulls them all off!

She says: “I got this dress at a thrift shop in Pittsburgh for 50 cents, and my purse is from the same store. I nabbed the sweater from my old roommate!”

We say: You can’t Shhh us; we love this outfit!

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

One of this fall’s biggest trends is also one of the easiest to wear:

The school blazer.

Balenciaga’s has gotten the most attention but if something like tuition is preventing you from dropping 2 grand on a jacket, you might like these other options.

J.Crew is selling its double-faced wool Lexington jacket for $250…

Topshop’s striped version is going for £55.00…

And Tommy Hilfiger’s take on the nautical blazer — worn by cover girl Taylor Warren in this month’s NYLON — is on sale for $139.99!

At that price, you’ll still have money left over for textbooks.

—NATALIE GUEVARA

It looks like Emmy Rossum and Ralph Lauren are finally over.

Emmy was conspicuously absent from Ralph’s front row and anniversary dinner during fashion week—though she was in town, and did attend Catherine Malandrino.

The final nail in the coffin:

She showed up at a party this week wearing a bronze sequined Calvin Klein number.

What’s more intriguing:

The speculation that Emmy was the inspiration for Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf. They even cast an actress who looks more than a bit like her for the TV show.

Though if Blair starts wearing Ralph Lauren in every episode, it will no longer be a dead giveaway…

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Remember mail? Like, when you got stuff in the mail and it wasn’t endless bills from Quest Diagnostics?

Whether it was the 10 CDs for a penny deal of our middle school years or the fruit-of-the-month club membership that our Grandmother got our Mom for Christmas one year, there’s something very reassuring and life-affirming about consistently getting a present in the mail every month.

That’s why we’re so impressed by T-post - a Swedish company that does special hand-designed mail-order t-shirts.

Every six weeks they design a new t-shirt with a graphic based on a current news item - from mainstream to obscure, and they also print the shirt’s topic inside the shirt.

You sign up for a “subscription,” which works out to about $40 per shirt (including postage), and they keep on sending you adorable shirts. The tees are limited to the subscribers, so if you like what you see, you better sign up now!

—ALISON COOL

Dolce and Gabbana may not be the first label you think of when it comes to comfort.

Or modesty.

But the designers best known for perilous stilettos, suit of armor belts, and revealing dresses have been offering a thoughtful backstage cover-up to every girl in their show for the past few seasons:

D&G monogrammed black silk bathrobes.

Kneelength ones, at that, along with (completely flat-soled) matching slippers.

We think the models look very Garbo lounging in them backstage, especially with their dark red lipstick.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

In high school, people used to call New Balances “Nerds,” because they have a big “N” on them and because, well, they were generally worn by nerds.

But with the surge in popularity of glasses, the ubiquity of high-waisted jeans, and the revival of Mr. Rogers-style cardigans, we think it’s safe to say that the classic nerd look is in full effect right now.

So, does that mean that New Balances are cool?

Well - they’ve released this new update on the classic style - it comes in green or red plaid, and the nerdy “N” is now a mildly tough-looking painted on letter.

Would you wear these New Balances? They would definitely match your plaid flannel shirt, whether it’s from The Row or L.L. Bean.

—ALISON COOL

We think it’s perfectly clear that geodes are the coolest things ever. Who doesn’t like slices of semi-precious stones?

But let’s face it - the Hall of Gems and Minerals at the Museum of Natural History is way too far away from Brooklyn. Luckily, we found another way to immerse ourselves in the secret world of stones.

Jewelry designer Erica Weiner’s Geode Link Necklace! A cute little oval of agate is interlinked with a brass chain link and dangles on pretty double chains. It’s so refreshing to see gemstone jewelry that doesn’t look like you bought it at a tacky souvenir shop in the Adirondacks.

Erica Weiner uses vintage materials and antique pieces that she acquires at estate sales and by doing a lot of travelling and a lot of rummaging. Sounds like fun!

—ALISON COOL

A few years ago, if you said “Marni,” people would go, “Who?”

It was a name for New York transplants who moved to Florida, not for a coveted clothing line. And yet, after one key season in Milan, they experienced Le Blow Up and became a must-see, a must-shoot, a must-have.

Next week, there may be another emerging name, and it’s Requiem.

The team of Raffaele Borriello and Julien Desselle have worked at Gucci, YSL, and Dior in the past, but so far, they’ve only gotten a small scatter of American press from ELLE and Bazaar since launching in 2006. Besides being under-the-radar, the label has another attribute that magazines love:

Its designing duo is young (34 for Raf, 26 for Julien) and very, very cute.

Accordingly, editors are sniffing - and apparently sparking a small frenzy with ticket requests, which is leading to bits of panic within the American press.

Fortunately, whomever can’t make it to the show can probably still see the collection in a showroom, since the label’s based in Paris and, for the moment, so is everyone else.

In about a month, Halloween will be here. We know this because we went to Whole Foods yesterday and got bombarded with Halloween treats.

But while there’s nothing we love more than gorging on “bite-size” Milky Ways (“bite-size” = healthy, right?) while dressed up in a fabulous costume, there are some things about Halloween that we really don’t like.

Like the flimsy costume-in-a-bag shiny costumes, frat boys dressed up like what they think women look like, and worst of all - the horrible wigs that people wear.

If your costume hinges on hair, may we suggest you head over to Shears Hustle & Blow at Ricky’s (124 Crosby Street)?

They are offering a Halloween hair-styling deal - starting at $35. They’ll do whatever you want, but they suggest Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst-style), Avril Lavigne, and Amy Winehouse.

So, is everyone going to be dressed up as Amy Winehouse this year? We were thinking about going as Robin Hood…

—ALISON COOL

Sensationalism is not a foreign concept in fashion advertising.

For every classic Ralph Lauren ad starring an elegant Valentina, there’s a racy Terry Richardson campaign for Tom Ford fragrances featuring a bottle of cologne wedged between a model’s sweat-slick breasts.

In the style world, ads don’t only sell a product — they promote an aesthetic, a lifestyle. However, the line between provocative and edgy and offensive and brand-damaging is thin.

The recent controversy over Italian fashion label Nolita’s “No Anorexia” campaign is particularly interesting as it addresses a medical issue much discussed in style circles: eating disorders.

But is Nolita’s campaign exploitative or enlightening?

Unlike Benetton, some of whose controversial ’90s campaigns were also shot by Oliviero Toscani, Nolita has not announced involvement with any charities or foundations concerned with the issue they seek to address.

And looking at Nolita’s other campaigns, it’s clear that while their models aren’t Snejana-tiny, they are certainly very thin.

When should a clothing company take a stance on a social issue, and when do they have the credibility to do so?

—NATALIE GUEVARA

Nautical-inspired stuff is all about big braided sailor rope and little anchors everywhere.

We like the ropey stuff, but maybe it’s time for us all to move on - from the rope to the tassel.

We’ve been seeing lots of accessories with tassels - necklaces, bags, and shoes. But our vote for the most full-on embrace of the tassel goes to this look from Central St. Martins grad Emma Cook’s S/S 2008 collection.

The tassel-print jumpsuit is not for the faint of heart, but Cook also uses the same pattern for more wearable dresses in the collection that have the same eye to detail and attention to draping.

Also - does anyone else see the printed headwrap as the successor to the turban?

If you don’t want to pay for international shipping, you can check out her stuff at I Heart - it’s the only place in New York that stocks Emma Cook.

—ALISON COOL

Fashion shows always start late, but sometimes that’s okay because you get good gossip while you wait.

That’s what happened to Lauren Goldstein Crowe of Fashion Inc yesterday in Milan.

She spoke with someone who was on the inside of the recent Valentino deal, and got some insight into a few things that have been puzzling fashion observers.

Earlier this summer Proenza Schouler sold 45% of of their company to Valentino Fashion Group for $3.7 million. Given their current successes, that seemed like a low figure to many.

Lauren speculated that there was a “hidden sweetener” that hadn’t been publicly revealed.

It turns out her hunch was right:

The Proenza boys were promised the design job at Valentino once Val himself retired.

But then Valentino got sold to Permina Holdings, and Mr. Valentino protested Jack and Lazaro’s appointment, saying they were too young. Earlier this month ex-Gucci designer Alessandra Facchinetti was given the position.

Poor Proenza!

We expect their next collection to feature lots of black, and maybe some red gowns deconstructed with a razor blade…

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

If it weren’t for the red sole, could you tell these shoes apart?

The pair on the left are $680 Louboutins…

The pair on the right are $99.95 Steve Maddens.

They’re identical, down to the to the pinked-edge black leather cross hatching over the toes.

Reader Crystal discovered them while online shopping for shoes to wear to a wedding.

Both are bridal white, but one pair is of less than pure origins…

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Australians are making a big splash in fashion this season.

Josh Goot, Richard Nicoll, and Jayson Brundson all showed strong collections for spring, Catherine McNeil is on every major runway, and Gemma remains a campaign queen.

And now we’re charmed by down under designer Fleur Wood.

We can’t get enough of the way she combines highly tactile materials, so what could be just a simple layered outfit becomes an adventure in texture!

It’s been a while since we braved the world of velvet, but seeing this combination of high-waisted velvet skirt and satin camisole got us back on board.

We love the idea of wearing the luxe materials in a laid-back thrown-together outfit, so it doesn’t look too much like a costume from a Merchant Ivory flick. You know?

—ALISON COOL

Jeannie, 22, editor for New York Foundation of the Arts

Got her: At the corner of Mott and Prince

Stalked her: Her easy breezy All-American style stood out in a sea of Bape hoodies and hipster drones. Also, there was something very Mary Tyler Moore about her cute-girl-in-the-city smile!

Shot her: Her oversized bag, which proves you can wear this trend without looking a fashion victim.

She says: “The shirt is from A.P.C. and the jeans are from Earnest Sewn. The shoes are vintage, and I’m sorry you have to see the Band-Aids I’m wearing! The bag was a graduation present from my mom, since I just finished school in Boston. I’m not really into big bags, but I figured it’s perfect for New York.”

We say: We’re with David Bowie on this. “A small jean genie snuck off to the city…”

—NATALIE GUEVARA

This fall we are seriously enchanted by Giles Deacon’s big fat knits. And we’re craving a version of our own—

Though for less than the several thousand dollars his sweaters are going for.

So we are going to try to knit our own. We made a pilgrimage to our local yarn store, and stocked up on 6 skeins of Rowan’s aptly named BigWool (the biggest wool we could find, but unfortunately still not as big as Giles’).

We’ll be using the giant knitting needles we bought two years ago, when we wanted to make a version of Marc’s Gengis Khan-style toppers.

Our hat ended up bearing no real resemblance to the Marc version, except that both are brown and knit in chunky yarn. But making it helped kill part of a plane ride to Madrid, and it does keep our head warm.

We have never actually knit a sweater, so if the going gets rough we may decide to use the yarn for a Giles style scarf instead.

Is anyone else knitting runway-inspired styles this season?

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

With the Sex and the City movie filming all over Manhattan, this bit of news from WWD seems fitting:

Fendi is putting the baguette back on the runway today, in celebration of Carrie’s favorite accessory’s tenth anniversary.

This time the baguette will come in larger versions, to cater to the XXL-bags trend. Some of the bags will also have a detachable shoulder strap, so that they can be carried as clutches.

Maybe if they rush-order from Milan SJP can get one for Carrie to carry before filming ends…

With 800,000 baguettes sold to date, we think Fendi owes her one.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Fall does not have to mean the death of the dress.

We love the dresses from Montreal-based designer Renata Morales fall (or automne, if you will) collection.

We also got inspired by the way they are styled in the lookbook with super-bright tights and fun-colored shoes.

It’s the perfect way to make a black dress - which can seem a little too fancy all on it’s own - casual enough for your everyday activities.

Our personal favorite from the collection is this “Marjorie dress” - a beautiful confection of pleats and art deco-ish rosettes in black. It’s kind of like the Miu Miu origami-detailing from the spring or the intricately-folded Galliano for Dior fall collection, but a little younger and sassier.

—ALISON COOL

Not to be left out of the mobile mode trend, Zac Posen joins Prada, Armani, Juicy Couture, and Betsey Johnson in the designer cell phone game.

But instead of creating a Posen cell phone - which we imagine would have crazy pleats and some sort of train - the designer’s made several graphics only available to Samsung users.

Fashion fans can download the images to their cell phones for instant designer wallpaper - something some stylish techies have already tried making themselves.

The images will revolve every week, and come free to Samsung customers. We think the idea is brilliant, and really hope there’s a week when Zac pulls images of all his celebrity clients -

Gwyneth’s recent Oscar dress is exactly what we want to see when we’re getting a text.

We just spotted Cathy Horyn on the Sartorialist.

Then we jumped up and down, for two reasons:

1. Because we worship her (an open secret), and we’re thrilled Scott Schuman does, too.

2. Because sliver-sharp reviews of Prada and Burberry are great, but they’re doubly interesting when you can see what the woman critiquing the clothes actually chooses as her clothes.

Meanwhile, an update on choosing our clothes:

We didn’t buy a pair of Chloe heels, on sale for about $240, because it was alright to walk in them through the boutique, but we predicted it would be torture after fifteen minutes on an actual slab of pavement.

Good idea? Bad idea? Too bad Cathy’s in Milan, or we’d try to ask her…

Bottega Veneta is not a house that you’d think of as inspiring heated opinions.

Yesterday they showed a lot of beige, and perhaps beige is a good word to describe the collection. Like the color these were clothes that would work on everyone; light, simple, and summery.

Some critics swooned. Sarah Mower wrote, “you’d need a heart of stone not to think, There goes something gorgeous.”

Even the cynical Jezebels were charmed, praising the “feminine and sleek styles meant for real women” and crowning it as editor Anna’s favorite show so far.

Robyn Givhan, however, had fighting words:

“[I]f women wanted their wardrobe to go unnoticed, they would…go to Banana Republic… at Bottega Veneta…a woman…should get…more from her clothes.”

Cathy Horyn took a slightly more tactful approach, choosing to damn with faint praise by saying designer Tomas Maier plays it safe.

The sharp difference in opinions over the collection underscores a major debate that comes around during show season:

Where’s the line between accessible and boring?

Can a collection be great if it doesn’t show us something new?

Tell us what you think.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Also: Faran cannot spell the Chloe designer’s first name. You can blame it on jet lag, but we all know the truth…

You know how when you think you might run into your ex, you try to wear a super-fantastic outfit so he’ll have to check out all the hotness he’s missing out on?

But if living well (and looking good) isn’t the best revenge—

Maybe stabbing knives into an effigy might help.

That seems to be the idea behind this “The Ex Voodoo Knife Set” - a little plastic man that stores all of your knives while simultaneously broadcasting that you are TOTALLY INSANE to anyone else who you might take home in the future.

We love it.

—ALISON COOL

We really love Vivienne Westwood.

She’s bold. She’s brash.

She’s made shirts with Mickey and Minnie Mouse having sex on them AND beautifully draped gowns that look like they could have stepped out of a Constable painting

But today we’re disappointed with her. In an interview with the Telegraph she says:

“If you ask me what I think people should be getting next season, I’ll tell you what I’d like them to buy – nothing. I’d like people to stop buying and buying and buying.”

We think it’s great that Vivienne is, in her characteristically candid style, speaking her opinions loud and proud.

But what she’s saying seems pretty disingenuous to us. Will she not be stocking her stores this spring? Will she not be showing in Paris next week? Will she be closing down her online shop and her net-a-porter kiosk?

We doubt it!

Way to go with the mixed messages, Viv.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

While perusing E online’s Fashion Police - because that’s where they put all the good outfits - we found this picture of Mischa Barton in a water-color cape outside of the Marc Jacobs show.

They scold Mischa with the cruel “No Capes!” headline, but we think this is a cool outfit.

We’re all about capes right now, and we’re not alone in this either - we saw capes for S/S 2008 at Luella and McQ.

And who could forget Andre Leon Talley’s long black satin cape at the Costume Institute Gala?

First she ODed in Mexico and then she died on the O.C., and now the fashion police are after her. Is the world too hard on poor Mischa?

—ALISON COOL

It’s no secret that ELLE’s masthead renovations are more extensive than the ones Anne Curry wants on her townhouse. And though most apply just to the magazine, there’s a new development taking place online:

FLIP editor Holly Siegel is moving to ELLE, starting tomorrow.

She’ll be the senior editor of ELLEGirl, the website that was the magazine that we used to really like.

We hear some renovations will happen on the site soon, and we can’t wait to see what happens.

But can ELLEGirl.com can regain the brand’s readership (once bolstered by Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, and an entire sequence of Top Model)? That’s even less predictable than Balenciaga’s upcoming shoes, and even more anticipated than next week’s Gossip Girl episode.

One suggestion:

Perhaps Emma Watson would like a blog?

Think of your favorite model.

Now think of yourself.

Any similarities?

Faran has a theory that people like the models they like because they resemble them.

Some of her favorite models are Cintia Dicker and Lily Cole, who both have wavy/curly hair and round faces—like Faran.

This summer intern Sarah’s favorite model was Irina Lazareanu, with whom she shares her ’60s rocker style and dark blunt bangs.

Our favorite models tend to be other light-haired pale girls with prominent cheekbones (Lara Stone, Sasha Pivovarova).

And we’ve always thought it was funny that Natalia Vodianova got her solo Vogue cover after she cut her hair into an Anna Wintour style bob.

Maybe we like models that we can see as our ideal versions of ourselves;

Taller, with perfectly applied eyeliner, and killer clothes.

Maybe they’re the grown-up version of the American Girl dolls you can customize to look like you and dress in matching clothes (except in our case the models have the clothes first).

Do you share features with your favorite catwalker?

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Teresa, 22, accessories designer

Got her: At the Paper magazine “You Wear It Well” party/screening

Stalked her: We thought she looked SO Desparately Seeking Susan meets schoolgirl chic, and Anna said the hair and make-up were more Siouxsie and the Banshees, but we both agreed she had a great outfit.

Shot her: Isn’t it obvious? Check out her jumper!

She says: “The jumper is Betsey Johnson. I design accessories for her - shoes and bags. This is what I wore to work today!”

We say: ’70s punk rock and ’80s Madonna is a pretty formidable combination. Keep up the good work!

—ALISON COOL

Every season when we look at the Prada collection we’re conflicted.

Is it gorgeous? Is it hideous? Miuccia traipses along the line between the two.

Her clothes continually remind us of the French phrase “jolie laide” which translates literally as “pretty ugly”.

The French most often use it to describe women who are striking looking, with strong features, but not beautiful in a traditional way. Think Iekeliene or Daiane (or our favorite oldschool model Kristen McMenamy), not Hilary or Catherine.

We think it makes sense to apply it to clothes that don’t make you swoon like a swishing Valentino gown, but have their own knotty, complex charm. Clothes that challenge and even provoke, which entice and repel simultaneously.

We think about our favorite cardigan, a bright yellow synthetic Comme des Garcons with misaligned seams. We deliberated in the store for ages, wondering if we really wanted to wear something the color of a highlighter.

We do.

And we think that by spring, we’ll probably be wanting Prada’s thrift store bargain bin prints—

Though we don’t know if we’ll ever warm up to the Terry de Havilland style shoes.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Cartoon characters and superheroes wear the same outfit every single day. But would you?

Andrea Zittel thinks you should.

The artist, who is well-known for her previous fashion/art projects, commissioned twelve young artists to create dresses loosely based on a pattern she created. The resulting dresses are intended to be worn for an entire season - every single day.

The project all started years ago when Zittel landed her first post-art school job as a gallery assistant at uber-hip Pat Hearn Gallery.

Instead of shopping at H&M and sample sales like the rest of us, or cashing in her trust fund like the other gallery girls, Zittel took the work wardrobe challenge as inspiration to design a daily uniform for herself.

She created dresses that she could wear day after day for an entire season, and launched her career in the process.

After working for years on other projects blurring lines between function and form, she’s returned to her fashion-art roots and brought us the “Smockshop” - a conceptual flagship/installation of dozens of adorable one-of-a-kind dresses, housed in Chelsea’s Susan Inglett Gallery through October 13.

Then they’ll be sold at what’s euphemistically been described as “ready-to-wear prices,” which is kind of vague, but probably means you can’t afford one on a 22K art gallery assistant salary.

—ALISON COOL

We don’t care what anyone says, we know you all love Sex and the City. Don’t try to hide it.

We’re psyched about the upcoming movie, which will hopefully fill the huge emotional void that opened up in our life ever since the show went off the air.

Our favorite thing about Sex and the City is how Carrie is supposedly the most fashionable woman who lives this amazing life as a newspaper columnist, but actually she just wears seriously insane outfits that don’t even look good. That’s why we love her.

Would it be half as much fun to watch her wipe out into that giant puddle in the TV show intro sequence if she wasn’t wearing that sheer pink leotard and gigantic tutu? We think not.

And the movie promises to deliver the same SJP thrills - people.com has a preview of some of the outfits the girls will be wearing in the movie. Our favorite is this gigantic flower dress.

Oh, Carrie.

—ALISON COOL

Belts are popping up on more than a few runways. But rather than holding up high waisted trousers, for S/S ‘08 they’re holding otherwise open coats and cardigans closed.

We first noticed this look on the Proenza runway, and yesterday Christopher Bailey showed it at Burberry for nearly every outfit.

This weekend we noticed a belt over an open animal print cardigan in the window of J.Crew in Rockefeller Center, so maybe the look is here to stay.

We’ve experimented at home but can’t seem to get the proportions right. Is it because our torso isn’t as long as Agyness’s? Or is there a trick to making this layered look streamlined enough for everyday wear?

We’ll keep trying but what about you? Would you wear it? How?

—BRITT ABOUTALEB

We love Toms shoes, not to mention its founder Blake Mycoskie, so we were thrilled to hear that he had been nominated for the Cooper-Hewitt People’s Design Award this year—

Along with the Iphone!

Mycoskie developed the shoe after a traditional Argentine design and vowed to give one pair to an Argentine child for each pair of Toms purchased.

We think the shoes are both comfortable and chic, which has made them the footwear of choice for stylish do-gooders like Lauren Bush.

Last year Mycoskie delivered over 8,000 pairs of shoes on a trip to Argentina and this year he’s heading to Africa hoping to drop off 50,000 pairs. On the Toms website you can choose your fabric and color (we love the red and white striped) or you can stop by Bird in Brooklyn or even Urban Outfitters to pick up a couple of pairs—for $38 a pop.

If you love these shoes as much as we do, don’t forget to vote for Toms!

—BRITT ABOUTALEB

Last night we checked out a screening of You Wear It Well, a program of fashion-related short films presented by Paper as part of their annual “UnHollywood” film festival.

The program was curated by style blogger Diane Pernet and artist Dino Dinco. Their open call for films for the traveling line-up was met with submissions ranging from Nick Knight’s kinky collaboration with Alexander McQueen, ‘The Bridegroom Stripped Bare’, to Jeremy Scott’s telenovela spoof ‘Starring’.

We particularly enjoyed Scott’s film; it features friends like Asia Argento, Tori Spelling, Lisa Marie, and Amber Valletta camping it up in Scott’s designs. Which in this case look like Thierry Mugler on ecstasy.

There’s blackmail, there’s bribery, there’s a murder in a Beverly Hills swimming pool…

And Amber Valletta explaining in perfect deadpan that her remedy for cramps is Jeremy Scott couture (in one of the faux-commercials spliced in).

If you can’t catch You Wear It Well’s next showing in LA on October 11th, we recommend at least checking out ‘Starring’ here on Youtube.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Those familiar with Wes Anderson’s films will know his characters - from
the estranged patriarch in “The Royal Tenenbaums” to the eccentric Steve
Zissou in “The Life Aquatic” - tend to carry around a lot of emotional
baggage.

Now fans can get their hands on baggage of a different kind—-

The whimsical Louis Vuitton luggage featured in Anderson’s latest, “The Darjeeling Limited”.

The luggage is available through a silent auction benefiting UNICEF and the Rawal Mallinathji Foundation, a medical treatment charity in India.

Though the film premieres at the New York Film Festival on September 29, you can start bidding now at the LV store on 57th and 5th Avenue.

If LV luggage is not in your budget, you can also check out the auteur’s 17-minute short, ‘Hotel Chevalier’, starring Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman, for free at 9 pm tonight at the Soho Apple Store.

—NATALIE GUEVARA

We know. Birds are everywhere, even places that they don’t belong, like silk-screened on pin-striped sports jackets. And don’t get us started on owls…

But, some birds are just really beautiful. So we don’t want them all to go extinct.

It’s just that we wish that all feather and fowl-related fashion statements would look more like this beautiful cotton tunic dress from our favorite Finnish designer Ivana Helsinki.

If you aren’t planning any trips to Helsinki in the near future, you can also buy her stuff online here, or check out Brooklyn boutique Otte which sometimes stocks the label.

And don’t be surprised if you find yourself overcome with a desparate urge to fly south for the winter.

—ALISON COOL

Fatima, 26, artist

Got her: At the Paper magazine “You Wear It Well” party/screening at Tribeca Grand.

Stalked her: Is it a dress? Is it a coat? We needed to learn more about the evanescent metallic tulle that this girl had artfully incorporated into her head-to-toe black outfit.

Shot her: We love an outfit that looks good from the front, back, and side. It’s such a crowd-pleaser.

She says: “It’s a coat. I got it at Beacon’s! The earrings are vintage.”

We say: Show me show me show me how you do that trick.

—ALISON COOL

You may be under the impression that show season is over after the Paris collections end October 9th.

But the global parade of fashion weeks will march on with LA Fashion Week, from October 12th-19th.

The funny thing?

The biggest shows could have second helpings of some of New York and Paris’s runway favorites. Grey Ant will be on the runway in LA after opening New York’s week in September, and Jeremy Scott will zoom with his clothes to LA mere days after his Paris catwalk.

Meanwhile, Heatherette’s tireless team will present an entirely new collection (!!!) geared towards the celebrity red carpet set, just weeks after they showed an entire ready-to-wear line in New York’s Gotham Hall.

We’re so excited… and craving Coffee Bean.

In this episode of Girls Gone Styled, Abby and Faran ask New Yorkers what’s inside their shopping bags…and find everything from python Louboutin pumps to a Diane von Furstenburg Barbie doll.

They also present their first reader-submitted closet peek. Michelle shows her Portobello Road finds and the pair of shoes she hasn’t worn yet because they’re “too pretty to wear on the streets of New York”.

Maybe it will inspire you to submit a look at your closet!

Remember in Clueless how Alicia Silverstone had that crazy computerized machine that made her clothes spin around and helped her pick out her outfit?

We totally wanted one of those, but as far as we know the technology was never perfected. Or at least not available at Target…

But we found the next best thing. The Shoe Wheel!

The Shoe Wheel holds up to 30 pairs of shoes (yeah, I know, but we wear all of them!) and it actually looks cool, which is more than we can say about most Martha Stewart-style organizing thingies.

And…if you spin the wheel, you can just wear whatever shoes it picks out for you, so it could end up saving you hours. Judy Jetson would fully approve.

—ALISON COOL

Burberry Prorsum continues to astound with its cool shapes, neat fabric folds, and star-studded lineup.

But although we suspect the talk of the town (or of both towns, New York and Milan) will be Agyness’ revolving hair dyes, there’s something else that made us laugh out loud:

Freja Beha dressed up as Posh Spice.

You may think it’s too common a reference for Christopher Bailey to bite, but let’s remember:

This is the designer who got major flack two years ago for courting Mrs. Beckham. Insiders fear it was this move that opened the floodgates of Chav to Burberry, which had to bury its signature check because of constant knock-offs, and associations with fried blond hair and fake nails.

So Freja dressed as Posh on the runway - she’s serving as a little bit of a middle finger, and wearing the coolest sunglasses we’ve seen in a while…

We’re not even in Milan this Fashion Week, and yet we still know something funny:

Mischa Barton’s surrounded by the entire Iceberg design and PR team right-this-second, waiting for the perfect outfit that she’ll wear to their show tomorrow.

Okay, so that’s not so surprising. After all, Mischa is the new face of the brand, which we’d never heard of until she took their spokes girl spot.

But it seems Mischa’s fitting (all in the name of good press) is causing some snags with editors:

According to a source caught in a Miranda Priestly situation right now, American magazines can’t get their seat assignments for Iceberg, or even directions to the venue (notoriously complicated in Milan), until after Mischa’s done with her try-ons.

The good news is, it shouldn’t take too long -

Mischa Barton looks good in everything.

Copyright infringement starts young these days…

Witness the photo at right, from the runway of New Zealand children’s line Trelise Cooper.

While the toddler model may look not look as sultry as Irina on the S/S ‘07 Anna Sui catwalk, their dresses are strikingly similar—

Though the toddler’s version is a bit more modest.

Check out the matching white and black vertical stripes, the red sash tied in a bow, the rose print at the hem, and even the lace underskirt.

Will Anna add Trelise Cooper to her copyright infringement lawsuit?

Would she really sue anyone represented by such a cute little girl?

We have a feeling she might let this one slide…

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

P.S. Thanks to the wonderful Susan at Glam for tipping us off!

Sometimes “self-taught fashion designer” translates as “doesn’t know how to sew hems or cut on the bias.”

But other times, it means someone who takes a more sculptural approach to apparel and isn’t as constrained by traditional sartorial conventions.

And we are pleased to say that Brooklyn-based designer H. Fredriksson belongs in the latter category.

We love love love the fall 2007 collection - we think Frederiksson has an almost genius for color that reminds us of the best Chloe collections.

The proportions are pretty perfect too - in that irresistable “impossibly-cool-girl-not-trying-too-hard” way. And as far as we’re concerned, that’s pretty much the ne plus ultra of style.

The website is a little wonky, but you can find the H. Fredriksson awesomeness at Greenpoint boutique Alter, one of our Brooklyn favorites.

—ALISON COOL

For a long time, we’ve been looking for an understated gold chain necklace. You know, subtle but not boring?

But it’s been so hard! Until we found the memorably-named and totally fantastic “Dirty Librarian Chains” collection from NYC jewelry designer Susan Domelsmith.

All the pieces are made from vintage materials and so each one is a little bit different. That’s all fine and good, but we are especially excited about the names that Domelsmith has given to each of her designs.

They range from the mildly nerdy (“Glossary”) to the over-the-top hilariously dorky (e.g. “Card Catalog,” “Collation,” “Database”).

Our personal favorite is this “Dissertation” necklace (about $170). One day we’ll write one, but until then we’ll wear one!

—ALISON COOL

Today WWD has an article about the rising clout of accessories designers.

It points out what most already know; that the sales now driving luxury labels are from shoes and bags, not coats and dresses.

Just look at Gucci: even though Frida Giannini’s clothes have been panned by some critics, the house’s profits are bigger than ever. It’s her shoes and bags that are selling—which makes sense, given that she started off as the house’s accessories designer.

Though Frida’s current position as creative director is regarded as more prestigious, salaries for accessories designer are now on par with ready to wear designers (at about $560,000 and up).

We were very struck by this remark to WWD by Pierre-Yves Roussel, chairman and CEO of the LVMH fashion division:

“We are keeping ready-to-wear, but almost as an accessory.”

It may sound silly, but it rings true in fashion right now.

Many style guides tell you to invest in a “good bag and good shoes” and save money on clothes.

And we know that lots of women save up for a Chanel 2.55 bag, but hear of few saving up for a Chanel suit.

Are you investing more —both financially and emotionally— in your accessories?

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We know we’ve been shopping too much when we have to go out and buy more hangers. Although, of course, we pretend that we “lost” some of our hangers, not that we just have more clothes…

And then when we purge our closet and sell clothes at Beacon’s Closet (even though they totally rip you off and only gave us $22 last time we took stuff over, what’s up with that?), we have lots of leftover hangers.

We’ve never really thought of the wire coat hanger as an aesthetically interesting object in its own right, just as a place to store our favorite weird 70s dresses that are too ugly to wear and too treasured to throw away.

But thankfully, young designer Simon Daniel-Brown is much smarter than us. He’s designed this cool, undulating bench based on the lowly hanger and as a result, he took home this year’s RSA Wired Award.

Now if only he would apply that brilliant mind to solving the inevitable storage problems of the NYC-based clothing-obsessed!

—ALISON COOL

Armani is unveiling their newest acessory—

A cellphone.

Though when we reported this in July, Armani PR issued a denial, the phone will be launched today during the Armani fashion show in Milan.

It’s a collaboration with Samsung with more to follow, including a TV.

The question:

Will the Armani-clad models be walking down the runway chatting on the Armani phone?

It would look like an ordinary day on Park Avenue.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We’re all about the new Page Six magazine. Our only question is why Sunday should be the only day the Post comes with a free gossip magazine tucked in.

Naturally, our favorite feature was the “25 Best Dressed Women at Fashion Week.”

We were amazed to see on the list: two fake-glasses sporting ladies (Jesse Kamm at #20 and Georgia Frost at #24), our middle-school style icon (Kim Gordon at #25), and Irina in acid-washed denim (#8).

After all this joy, we were only slightly baffled to see Bijou Phillips channelling Mary Poppins with a goofy umbrella and clad in the kind of dress we wouldn’t even bother trying on at Salvation Army.

How does that get you five places ahead of the fierce styles of Carine Roitfeld (#13)?

Can someone please explain?

—ALISON COOL

Some designers blame inspiration on their exotic holidays, others on their tranquil nature walks, and still others (cough, Ghesquiere, cough) just look at Coco Rocha until something gets whipped.

But then there’s the wizards of UNIQLO, who have Gareth Pugh and Phillip Lim doing occasional guest-spots in their style kitchen… and playing with paint chips to create their Fall cashmere line.

For the second time in a year, the Japanese brand pairs with the color company to make a sweater range, imbued with hues from their legendary pigment library.

We’re normally opposed to buying colored cashmere - too expensive for something you can’t wear twice a week - but considering UNIQLO sweaters are under $80 each, you can kit yourself out in Crayola homages well into winter this time…

When do you know you’re at a fashion party and not a rock concert?

When the snare drum is stuffed with a Barneys coat instead of a nylon sound muffler.

Witness the balled up bomber jacket we caught at the Rodnik for TopShop concert this week in London.

They claim they’re not a rock band, and this little gesture almost proves it…

But if you’re heard them belt out their not-hit single “Lovely,” you might dispute their claim -

They’re way better than Fall Out Boy.

Watch their fashion show here.

We love a nice wooden heel. It just feels so solid.

Luckily, U.K.-based shoe designer Tracey Neuls is on the same page. This oxford-style bootie from her fall/winter collection stands out from the crowd because the heel is so awesome.

The heel is half-covered by hand-tacked leather, and then all of a sudden it’s a wood cone! The wood is smoke-stained to give it a cool texture and color.

With the tragic exchange rate, the booties cost about $600, but a girl can dream, right?

—ALISON COOL

Yesterday Hedi Slimane gave his first interview since leaving Dior in February to French newspaper Le Monde.

Hedi discusses his departure, saying that the issue was his desire to start designing womenswear. This wasn’t possible under the Dior name.

Hedi says that when he announced to Dior in January that he intended to quit, Bernard Arnault tried to convince him to stay by agreeing to finance Hedi’s own label. But negotiations broke down over the use of Hedi’s name, which Slimane refused to sell, saying that he views Helmut Lang’s story as a cautionary tale—

Helmut sold the rights to his name, and a label called Helmut Lang is currently being designed by ex-Habitual founders Nicole and Michael Colovos. The label has transitioned from being a high end designer brand to a mid-priced contemporary line (something you buy at Barneys Co-Op, not Barneys). Helmut is not involved in any capacity.

Hedi also talks about bringing hedonism to menswear, how a brand that doesn’t have a foundation in youth can’t be modern, and how he’s always really photographing the same person.

If your French is up for it, we recommend reading the whole interview—

Ours is a bit rusty, but we’re glad we did.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Our favorite fashion item is a sweater so thin, you can wear it as a t-shirt.

We layer them under strapless dresses. We pull them over tanks. We even fold them into long rectangles and sport them as scarves when we face a sudden wind.

For this, we are eternally grateful to Vince, the clothing label that seems obsessed - even more than us - with the slim cashmere sweater.

But someone else seems equally enamored, and it’s Ellen Tien from The Times. First she name-checked them in 2004 as “ideal for layering.” Five more mentions follow in the next four years. Eric Wilson also did a big piece on the label, about 13 months ago.

And then yesterday, her Pulse section (which, confession, Faran has worked with) featured the online headline “A New Label Called Vince” - that’s its graphic, by Tony Cenicola, at left.

We had to smile, and to post something about it, although maybe metaphysically, the newness is true:

If you keep buying fresh Vince pieces, perhaps even the label itself reincarnates - the same way your style can turn over tenfold with all your new layering tricks (thanks to those sweaters, of course).

We keep meaning to post our photos of the Claire Tough show, not because they’re newsworthy but out of sheer admiration.

We were told that the recent St. Martin’s grad would put on quite a show, and so we raced - literally, in Converse sneakers and a Puma tennis dress - to her catwalk, almost too late.

Squeezing into the front row with five seconds to spare, we were treated to Iekeleine out first on the runway (yay!) followed by the darling Patricia Schmid, and then the pure bliss of a sweater dress collection with Basquiat prints woven - not silk screened or even embroidered, but actually woven - into the wool and cotton knits. There was also some puff paint.

Instead of accessories, Claire made bags and hats out of foam core that featured the New York skyline. They were perfect, in a ’90s Fresh Prince sort of way, and reminded us of another fearless designer:

Jeremy Scott, whose latex ice cream dress and infamous food fight print kept editors and party babes giggling for days.

Claire, welcome to the Scene. Stay for a while.

The shows in London are over, and the countdown to the Prada show on Tuesday has officially begun. But before you say cheerio to British fashion, check out the clothes from these three designers you might have overlooked. Their clothes aren’t as brash and bright as House of Holland, but we think they still have lots of impact.

Roksanda Ilincic Roksanda is a Serbian by way of Yugoslavia, now living and designing in London. This fall she says she was inspired by 30’s-’70s fashion illustration, and we could definitely see Greta Garbo lounging in one of her flowing charmeuse gowns. They’ve got an understated glamor and elegance that speaks volumes, softly.

Richard Nicoll

Like Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll played with pumped-up shoulders this season. But in his muted color palette the clothes definitely felt more sculptural than sporty. The next Central St. Martins grad to make a big splash? Maybe…

Jonathan Saunders

Jonathan Saunders has a masters in printed textiles, but his clothes don’t look the way you might expect them to. Instead of running riot with plaids, paisleys, and stripes, Jonathan does simple color blocking. If you like what you see as much as we do, take heart; he’ll be showing in New York next season.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

You may have noticed Mooka Kinney when their dress landed on Lily Donaldson, or a few months later, when you could make a serious killing on their jumpers at the Barney’s Warehouse sale (from $300 to $30, not bad…)

Now it’s time to get to know the girls, Alison and Rachel, as they take Abby around their studio and show her their fabulous prints!

Lily Donaldson not included…

At least not yet - we are going to Paris next week, and then we’ll probably have a few good sightings for you.

When people talk about “disposable fashion” they’re usually referring to H&M, Forever 21, and the other fast-fashion chains. But artist Annette Meyer takes the concept one step further.

She makes clothes that are actually disposable - as in, they’re made out of paper.

Our favorite is her paper wedding dress project - she custom designs wedding dresses made out of the flour bags from different countries. As she explains it:

“The dress plays with the paradox of the romantic dream, traditional femininity and extensive consumerism of the modern wedding. But despite hinting about the transitory nature of all things, including marriage, and the disposable nature of a dress that so much effort has been put into, the respect for the romantic vision is intact. “

We say: it makes sense because you only wear it once, so it doesn’t need to be durable. But couldn’t it be sugar bags instead of flour sacks?

-ALISON COOL

For those keeping score, London’s fashion swag has been pretty decent:

Kim Jones tote bags at the TopMan show, Luella tees from her party, and amazing party girl colors from M.A.C’s BoomBox bash.

But everyone’s favorite gift seems to be something unintentional:

The sunglasses case from the Biba show, which is cute enough to carry as a clutch (as long as your cell phone is a Razor, you leave your wallet at home, and you don’t take business cards / an asthma inhaler / too much lipstick).

But if your sunglass case becomes your clutch, what should you do with your Biba shades?

“Oh, don’t worry about those,” a fashion editor laughed. “They’re hideous!”

Not as bad: The actual Biba show, described by the same style babe as “a lot of knockoff Prada” - which means, to us, Club Monaco.

In an interview about his new fragrance, “Unforgivable Woman,” Sean Combs was asked how he expects to fare in the celebrity perfume market against stiff competition from ladies like Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani.

His answer?

“I am a man, and I know how a woman should smell.”

Celebrity fragrances usually appeal to those who believe they are wearing the “essence” of a particular star.

Diddy’s scent, however, banks on the sensuality factor, implying that wearing a fragrance designed by a man makes women feel sexier—

because then she’ll know she’s giving guys (at least the ones who smell her) what they want.

While the campaign behind the fragrance maintains that the Unforgivable Woman “finds a scent she loves and sticks to it,” we couldn’t help but wonder:

if she’s so independent and decisive, why would she want Diddy telling her how to smell?

—NATALIE GUEVARA

There was no lavish opening party and no PR explosion, but Kate Moss’ second collection for TopShop is still flying from their Oxford Street store.

We stopped by the scene of the crime this afternoon while searching for a trench coat, and although the rest of TopShop was bustling, the built-in Kate boutique was mobbed. Blouses and dresses were furiously grabbed by packs of girls, jeans were hurriedly scooped, and the salesgirl in charge of the section frowned when asked about the heart-button cardigan: Apparently, it zoomed from the store in a few hours, though they can replenish it from stock.

If you’re planning on ordering online, here’s some advice:

The striped sweater is made from great wool and fits very snug, which we think is really sexy. The floral dress has the exact same cut as our favorite frock from the first season; the only difference is its darker colors. And the shrunken leather jacket is totally the one piece that only looks good on Kate - seriously, do not attempt.

Although, from the looks of things, that jacket will be the only thing left in a couple of days…

YSL, Chanel, Dior, Anna Sui, Armani…lately it seems like every luxe label has a make-up line to match its clothes.

Now Calvin Klein is getting in on the action, with a make-up collection that will launch with a Christina Ricci-hosted party next Thursday in Milan.

Designer mascara makes sense for the brands; it opens up the label to a new bracket of consumers who might be able to drop $25 on a lip gloss, but not $2500 on a shirt. It also seems intuitive that girls would be glad to buy make-up that might make them look a little more like Catherine McNeil on the Dior runway.

Still, we’re not sure that we buy into the designer make-up craze. While we have clothing from labels with make-up lines, we don’t own a single tube of lipstick from any of them—we prefer to pick up ours from giftbags, which means it’s mostly MAC.

But our sister swears by her Chanel glossimers, and maybe we’re missing out. So tell us:

Is YSL’s blush to Benefit’s as Calvin Klein’s dresses are to Banana Republic’s?

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

In the middle of Brooklyn, there’s a little piece of Ohio.

For about a year now, sweater aficianados have been heading over to Ohio Knitting Mills at 231 Smith Street to check out the store’s amazing collection of deadstock vintage knitwear. All the sweaters are original, unworn designs from the 40s - 70s, and the stock is changed seasonally.

But these days, it’s hard to walk down Smith Street without getting whacked with a double stroller or trampled by over-exuberant brunchers, so we recommend checking out Ohio Knitting Mills’ new website where you can look at their premium vintage pieces (about $100-$200) and order online.

Our favorite is this 1960s Missoni-esque cozy cardigan, what’s yours?

—ALISON COOL

We know you would never have a problem getting into a show at fashion week.

But the presence of large security guards guarding the tents does indicate a certain level of physically-enforced exclusivity.

The ladies at lookonline.com interviewed the site manager and president of Citadel Security, who provide the guards for NY fashion week, and compiled this list of the top ten excuses of the uninvited:

“#1 “My friend is inside and she/he has my invitation”

#2 “I’m the one who put the bathrooms in this joint”

#3 “The designer asked me to come by today”

#4 “I KNOW I have a seat inside, but I left my invite in a taxi”

#5 “I was e-mailed to be here. It’s on my Blackberry”

#6 “We are all employees”

#7 “My friend told me to ask for “her”/”him”

#8 “DON’T YOU know who I am?”

#9 “I’M on the LIST!”

#10 “I am with her…she is with me…DON’T you know who the hell we are?” “

If none of those work for you, we recommend faking an accent and playing the “foreign press” card.

—ALISON COOL

Alert reader Ashley almost bought this braided leather belt at Old Navy, but decided to go home and go shopping on ShopBop instead.

What did she find?

The original version of the Old Navy belt, by Motif 56.

The only difference?

The knock-off comes in brown, too.

Both belts are on sale now; from $138 to $41 and $16.50 to $9.99 (guess which cost what).

One less excuse not to buy the original…
—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Last week, we saw a fierce debate on our Marc by Marc Jacobs review, with several of you sparring against our “nautical” observations and claiming, rather forcefully, that the entire thing was about ’70s flight attendants.

Today we saw Venetia Scott, Marc Jacobs’ stylist and creative right hand, at the TopMan show in London. And so we asked her about the Spring ‘08 collection - was it really sparked by a stewardess?

“Well sort of,” she answered. “Marc was really excited about the idea of getting dressed up to go on a trip - you know, not wearing sweats and track suits when you travel. Some of our references did come from air travel and stewardesses - not literally, but the rolling suitcases, and then when we discovered how much we liked those hats, they did end up looking like it.”

But could the trip Marc wanted to wardrobe be on a boat?

“Oh no, definitely not,” said Venetia. “There was nothing Cruise about those clothes!”

We stand corrected!

When Thakoon paired with The Gap this year, the only complaints you heard from us were that his stuff sold out too fast.

And yet, we can’t help but feel a little twinge of longing for his next collaboration:

An eco-line with People Tree, the clothing label that champions organic fabric and free trade practices.

The range launches in the UK quite soon - it was available first in Japan, starting this June - but there’s no guarantee it’ll make it to the States without some major eBay action and a heavy duty credit card.

Will People Tree realize that an ocean isn’t enough to keep us away from designer diffusions?

“I was in the Louvre and I saw a Botticelli fresco,” explains Allegra Hicks when I ask about her Spring ‘08 collection.

“I got very, very inspired, so I got a Botticelli book and found what I needed. I looked at the painting called Primavera and got everything I wanted - beautiful fabrics, a girl that is feminine but strong, and clothing that tells a story - like the print on that dress looks like you are walking through the woods.”

The models’ hair and makeup reflected that idea with curled and snarled tendrils, but we though the actual clothes looked better suited for a society luncheon than a forest, with slimly flattering gowns and floaty fabrics meant to snag attention and addresses, not tree branches.

The front row backed up our idea: Sophie Fiennes, India Hicks, Rufus and Sally Albermarle, and Lulu Guinness all posed for Tatler before the show.

But we love the idea of Botticelli infused in any style, and we’re sure Allegra does too, since she looks exactly like one of the women in his paintings.

“When I was young, people used to tell me that all the time!” She admitted.

Try on one of the new dresses and see if it happens to you.

There’s been some preliminary skirting of the Doc Martens issue, but although magazines have briskly pointed out the chunky boot trend, they haven’t asked the only question that matters:

Would you actually wear them?

I borrowed someone’s Docs last night, just to see how it felt.

I wore them with a tiny swing dress from Foley + Corinna, and black lace tights.

I loved the sensation of stomping down the street in them, knowing that whenever I clomped, my skirt swished, and also imagining the ways I could kick, sprint, jump, or climb if necessary.

But I thought they looked really, really bad - the word “stumpy” comes to mind before anything else.

But maybe your experiences have been different? Can you make them look chic without being Diana Moldovan? Or is the whole point that you shouldn’t?

Oxana Korsun, 25, Fashion Stylist

Got Her: At the Rodnik for TopShop party, inside TopShop’s Oxford Circus flagship

Stalked Her: Because her use of color and pattern was inspiring.

Shot Her: Tights and heels with straps, our favorite Fall combo…

She Says: “It’s mostly vintage, you don’t need to look at the runways so much. Just find what you like…”

We Say: We do like. We really like.

“I’m not sure or clear how the various English subcultures can reach beyond their followers. And I’m not all that interested. Somehow I’m more interested in form and effort.” - Cathy Horyn, this morning.

Meanwhile:

Last night, Henry Holland showed a collection he hopes is commercially viable. It’s based on his past idea of mixing the essence of Club Kid with the bottom line of Business - the real reason, I think, why people want to push him with Warhol.

Ten minutes after Henry, on the same runway, an artist named J.J. Hudson showed a collection called Noki that he knows (he must know) may not sell. It’s based on a seething beauty we’ve seen on the streets here, a punk residue that seeps into anarchy, pride, and lots of glitter.

There’s a connection between these two designers, as they seem to come from the same place - the “Look At Me/ Get Away From Me” idea of kids who love attention, but also love and fiercely cling to their own thing. They come from the kids and the streets and the clubs, but they’re going different places.

Whether one of those places is a position of influence, beyond a sub-culture, beyond a country - I’m still really interested in that, but I’m just as dying to know if Noki can actually build a dress.

One more thing: J.J. Hudson, the designer, is a former veejay for MTV. His show, like Henry’s, was sponsored by TopShop.

Driving through London with ELLE’s Kate Lanphear, we started to giggle.

“Look at those funny lampposts,” we said. “They have crazy embellishments on the sides that look just like the Chanel logo! I can’t believe there won’t be a lawsuit for copyright infringement.”

“Actually,” answered Kate in her breezy, all-knowing way,”Those are the Chanel logos. Coco Chanel had an affair with The Duke of Westminster, and he was so in love with her, he had the entire city branded with her logo.”

“No way!” we said, as the Harvey Nichols windows whipped past us.

The car stopped at a traffic light, and Kate’s London driver turned back.

“That’s true, Miss,” he said in a cockney accent. “Completely true.”

A photo at left, and also:

Apparently, the Duke of Westminster also inspired Chanel to create her famous tweed suits after a visit to Scotland…

This article on “Green Fatigue” in today’s Independent really struck a nerve with us - it’s all about how the relentless marketing of marginally environmentally-friendly products has worn down consumers, who have become skeptical about the real impact of their individual purchases on global warming and other environmental issues.

We’ve been feeling secretly guilty for a long time about how apathetic we’ve become about eco-friendly fashion. We’re all for designers using organic cotton, but we can’t get excited in the least about Loomstate for Barneys.

We hate plastic bags too, but even if they don’t get stuck in trees and destroy the world, the “I’m Not A Plastic Bag” totes are annoyingly omnipresent.

And here’s what the experts have to say:

“”The problems we face are of a magnitude no one has seen in at least two generations,” says Alex Steffen, the executive editor of WorldChanging, a website and book that promote innovative solutions for sustainable living. “The scale of the actions people are being told to take by green consumerism groups and businesses, on the other hand, are so small as to seem meaningless. I think that more and more people see this widening gulf and lose hope.”

And if we’re not all losing hope just yet, many of us are becoming increasingly cynical. To campaigners, that’s not surprising. As Steffen suggests, businesses have turned environmentalism into a marketing strategy. A new term, “green-washing”, describes companies that paint a superficial green gloss on conventional business practices. When firms such as BP and Wal-Mart parade their environmentally friendly credentials, skepticism is not only inevitable, says Steffen, it’s “a necessary antidote”.”

Do you see eco-conscious design as a marketing strategy, or do you still believe that one dress can make a difference?

—ALISON COOL

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

That’s exactly what Kate Moss did Tuesday night at the V&A Ball, when Courtney Love trampled the train of her vintage Dior couture gown, ripping the back right open.

What’s a supermodel to do?

Take it in stride, of course. In a move reminiscent of ’90s-era Mentos commercials in which the best was always made of a wardrobe malfunction, Ms. Moss headed to numerous afterparties after some clever adjustments—

the supermodel nixed the three-foot train and instead tied the dress around her waist, going from glamorous to glam rock in the blink of a fiercely-lined eye.

—NATALIE GUEVARA

We’ve been having a hard time finding a case for our iPod that we really like, which of course has led to our iPod getting carried around all loose and willy-nilly.

But no longer.

We fell hard for these GelaSkins iPod protectors - it’s hard to choose which one is best because they have a really good selection of beautiful designs from contemporary illustrators all over the world. And they’re all about $15 - yay!

We like this “Toxicity” case, designed by Alex Noriega - but you can also pick from cases designed by Colin Johnson, Amy Sol, Ralph Steadman and many others.

If you want to go with the tried and true, they’ve also got Klimt and the like, and perhaps best of all - Hieronymus Bosch’s “Garden of Earthy Delights”.

—ALISON COOL

Because we would like it with Georgia Frost on the cover, in two or three months, shot by Steven Meisel.

Just saying.

One of yesterday’s funniest moments came outside the Matthew Williamson show, just after Prince performed.

After chatting with Behati Prinsloo outside Eaton Square (“I wish he’d sang to me!” she laughed), we spotted this MW ticket discarded on the ground.

It may look mundane, but you have to remember:

Only a half hour before, this was the hottest ticket in town, one that could have been eBayed, Zac Posen style, for at least five hundred dollars.

Seeing it ditched in the mud made us think of fashion in general, and the very scary possibility that getting discarded for The Next isn’t just part of the business, it’s also what makes it thrive.

But will we discard Matthew’s recent collection? Actually, we really liked it - some photos are below…

We’re slightly scared of a red lip because it looks so deliberate, but a bold lip color does have some advantages: If you’re wearing it, the rest of your makeup routine can be minimal.

In fact, we’re starting to think a scarlet lip is the makeup version of a sheath dress - pick it up off the floor, put it on, and head immediately out the door.

So it’s with particular interest that we note Kate Moss’ makeup routine for London’s V&A Ball, which is basically like the Met Ball with better Westwood. Though we didn’t care as much for Kate’s vintage Dior couture (sorry!), we adored the red-lip-nude-face routine that looks terribly grown-up, not horribly made-up.

And it seems the trend will stick -

Last night, we spotted red lips on the mannequins at TopShop, too!

There’s a reason the Rodnik boys are billed as the English Trovata:

They both understand that people remember presentation as much as they remember pants, shirts, and dresses.

So yesterday, the fashion pack arrived at a tiny private house in Shoreditch (think Williamsburg, with vinegar), sipped cups of thick hot chocolate, and steered themselves up a tiny staircase - past Rodnik graffiti, past Rodnik party Polaroids, past a tipped-over piano - into a bright white room with Rodnik’s infamous drum set smack in the middle of a catwalk.

“Are they going to play?” asked The Times Melissa Ventosa-Martin, but instead the lights dimmed and out came the outfits.

That’s when we realized the Rodnikers (Rich Ascott and Phil Colbert, ages 26 and 27) had something else in common with Trovata:

They both make clothes that low-key girls could actually wear to school and work, a concept which works great at boutiques, but gets a little lost in a season of performance-art-with-silk (thank you, Giles).

Have a look…

If you’re American, you’ve probably never heard of Antoni + Alison, but that may change after today.

The design label, who celebrate 20 years as a British fashion brand this week, wrangled Nicole Kidman to star in a short film for their label that premieres during the company’s show this morning.

What’s interesting - besides the movie, which will be beautiful - is that the story was the worst-kept secret in London!

By yesterday morning, everyone was buzzing about Nicole, though nobody was allowed to talk about it.

Why?

We hear Nicole didn’t want to disrupt her relationship with Chanel, with whom she has a contract. Technically, a public pairing with another designer isn’t allowed, and Nicole was reportedly afraid if word got out of her performance, Chanel may try to stop the show from happening.

This morning the gag order lifted, the story broke in the Daily Rubbish - the official newspaper of London Fashion Week - and Nicole could now face the wrath of Karl - though we imagine she won’t, because this whole thing is just for fun.

When Henry told us he wouldn’t be doing t-shirts anymore, we knew this next season would be a pivot.

Would he prove to be more than the infamous “ONE TRICK PONY” his shirts proclaimed?

Well, yeah, of course he would.

Tonight, Henry smacked down a collection of club wear that was vibrant, fueled, and full of hard edges to sharpen the hearts of the club kids.

Can anyone wear the studded blue bodysuit that slinked down the runway? Well, Tanya D. did, if that tells you anything.

But there were some other pieces - jackets, shorts, dresses, easiness - that will go on real boys and girls just fine. And although there were no t-shirts, the prints Henry gave had a graphic punch that can still show his signature style.

While the coolest thing in the show was Agyness Deyn (hello, what else), what really impressed us was the mix of women’s wear and men’s wear, and how except for a few mini skirts, the collection had a good unisex heap for girls and their gay best friends to share before BoomBox.

We’ll have the rest of Fashion East coverage tomorrow, including (I hope) some major discussion about the Noki show…

Faran may have slept through her alarm and missed the Marios Schwab show (curses!), but when we did see the pictures this morning we were floored.

His subtly macabre collection is our favorite so far this season.

Marios has become known for his clingy bod-con dresses with his past three collections. But this season he distanced himself from the scores of other young designers/Alaia revivalists by turning things inside out—literally.

Taking his inspiration from the 16th century anatomy text ‘De Humani Corporis Fabrica’, Marios created swirling prints made of microscope images of connective tissue. He strung pearls so that they ran over the models’ bodies like veins. Instead of looking like PussyCat Dolls costumes, his bustiers mimicked rib cages.

His models were really showing…everything…but in a way that made their form fitting dreses seem like an organic armor as well as a come-on. The shapes invite but the anatomical references remind us that we’re looking at a flesh and blood human (icky parts included).

Bravos, Marios.

—-ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We never knew how much we loved Polish folk art until we found this adorable handmade, screenprinted dress from indie designer Hannah Kopacz. Sadly, summer is coming to an end, but this is the kind of piece you could layer with a turtleneck or a sweater and some nice wooly tights.

The shape is incredibly flattering, and the pattern is really unique. It’s kind of Anna Sui goes to Warsaw. We’re not really sure how to pronounce its name - “Wycinaki dress” - but we know we want one!

Also, while you’re on Hannah’s website make sure to check out the unbelievably cute knitted accessories. The collection is called “Made with Love by Grandma,” and we’re all about grandmothers.

—ALISON COOL

Fashion Editor One: Did you know Nicole Farhi is married to David Hare?

Fashion Editor Two: The playwright?

Fashion Editor One: Yes, but he also has some movies now, I think.

Fashion Editor Two: Really. That’s interesting. Has she ever done costume design?

Fashion Editor One: I don’t think so.

Fashion Editor Two: That’s too bad. Maybe she should take time off to try it. Oh look, isn’t that Behati?

Do you think you have what it takes to be the next Christy Turlington? Or at least the next Behati Prinsloo?

V magazine and modeling agency Supreme are here to help.

They’re running a web-based modeling search through November 1st. It’s both slightly more democratic and a whole lot cooler than ANTM:

Anyone can uphold her photos to the site, where you can cast your vote. The popular vote winner will get her own online editorial, and a judging panel including Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa will pick five finalists to come to New York and do test photos and go sees. The winner will get an editorial in V’s print edition, a three year contract with Supreme, and $5,000 worth of Calvin Klein clothes.

Supreme is an agency with major clout, so there’s a chance that the girl who wins this contest might end up on the runway for Marc…not the Snoopy fashion show (like Jaslene).

We read the fine print so you don’t have to:

You have to be at least 13, between 5’7” and 5’11”, and a legal resident of Russia, Latvia, Estonia, the UK, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Brazil, or the States. And if you’re a Canadian resident, you have to “correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question” in order to be eligible to receive the prize.

So, Ukranians and those who opted out of calculus are of out of luck. Even if they’re skinny and pretty.

Life is so unfair sometimes.

-ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

While giggling over the incredibly pathetic nerve.com profiles of geeky boys with a recently single girl friend, we felt nothing but contempt for a guy who advertised his profile with the line “Free Chocolate! Shoe Sale!”

It’s like, oh yeah dude, you know women so well, how could you possibly be single?

But despite our derision and scorn for those who mock us ladies, we really do love shoes!

That’s why our heart went out to U.K.-based accessories designer Miss Budd when we read the hilarious description of her “Not Another Pair!” collection of cute coin purses on her website:

“Inspired by my love of buying shoes! ‘Not another pair’ is what my boyfriend always says when I come home from a shopping trip with another pair of heels!”

She takes photos of her shoes when they’re all over the floor, and uses the photos to make hand-drawn prints. We love the wonderfully wobbly quality of the drawings, and we plan to use the coin purse to save our pennies for our next footwear acquisition!

—ALISON COOL

Natalie Theo, fashion editor of The Daily Mail

Got Her: Outside the Daniella Scutt show in Bloomsbury Park, London.

Stalked Her: Because she looked so fresh and so adult - something we’ve been striving to do lately.

Shot Her: When she agreed to pose in front of a telephone booth - “How English can we get?” she laughed.

She Says: My shoes are Jimmy Choos. I’m writing a story on the rest of the outfit, so you’ll have to stay tuned for that!

We Say: Please take us shopping. Seriously, please.

Incorporating text in clothing and accessories is always a bit risky. House of Holland t-shirts are cool, but then you’re going to have to deal with (fashion-ignorant) people asking you what your shirt means all day long.

And then there’s jewelry that says stuff on it.

A lot of times, this means an uninspired design with the sole purpose of conveying an inspirational message (often yoga-related), some pseudo-cheeky label (i.e. “Diva,” “Bitch,” etc.), your astrological sign, or your name.

But let’s face it:

If people wanted to know your name or your sign, they’d ask you. If they were curious to find out if you were a diva or a bitch, they’d date you. And if they wanted to relax and think about mantras, they’d do yoga.

Against all odds, jewelry designer Jeanine Payer has perfected the fine art of using text in rings, necklaces, and bracelets without being annoying.

The key to this trick is that the pieces are already beautifully designed and the words are engraved in tiny handwritten letters so the phrase can be a secret message from you to yourself.

Also - she actually reads books, and the phrases on the jewelry come from Comp. Lit grad student faves like Proust, Goethe, Rilke, and Akhmatova!

—ALISON COOL

Somehow we managed to float through the entire Luella afterparty - held at Claridge’s, where Marc Jacobs had his London show last season - without crashing into Peaches Geldof or Kelly Osbourne.

Whom did we spot?

Makeup legend Pat McGrath, left, caught at the door!

“We’re triple booked tonight, ma’am,” explained the security guard at the front.

We dare Pat to use that line on a model who’s late for her call time… and we all know which girl we mean!

Meanwhile, we’re planning to use the “triple booked” when someone asks where we were at Marios Schwab (the correct answer - “In Row B, seat 24, of course!” and the actual, truthful answer - “we slept through our alarm.”)

Mass chaos at the Sinha Stanic show:

After publicists failed to control the crowd coming into one of London Fashion Week’s hottest tickets, a swell of show goers bum-rushed the entrance - almost knocking over a temporary wall at the On/Off site.

It took five fashion editors, all in perilous stilettos, to hold the wall in place until a security team was able to reach the scene of the style crime. The incident may reflect poorly on some, but at least we can report that fashion editors definitely eat - and also pump iron.

The near-collapse of a Fashion Week venue had some nervous for today’s lineup.

“If this is what it’s like here,” croaked one well-heeled heroine before skipping the show entirely, “I’m terrified for Giles.”

We’re bringing a hard hat.

Two Gap posts in two days - we know, but this is important:

We heard a rumor that Marie-Amelie Sauve, the Balenciaga consultant and Vogue Paris goddess who redid Gap Europe’s line to chic effect (pictured), may indeed work her magic on American shores.

But unlike here in London, where M.A. is responsible for the entire Gap collection, we’re hearing her U.S. partnership will be just with Gap body.

This either means we’ll be wearing slips as dresses again - as we did in Ninth Grade, with cotton ones from Victoria’s Secret - or we’ll own the best bra in the world.

We’re sort of hoping Marie-Amelie goes for option #1 - if the rumor is true, of course…

Prince William may not be a London Fashion Week attendee, but Prince -the musician - just performed at the Matthew Williamson show.

He started off singing from his front-row seat, and then got up and joined his band—and backup danceres—at the start of the runway.

What did Behati and Tanya stomp the catwalk to?

“Don’t have to be rich.”

The only problem?

You DO have to be rich to wear a Williamson outfit! And royally so!

In June, we wrote about how British wunderkind Christopher Kane is collaborating with Beth Ditto on an outfit for October’s Swarovski Fashion Rocks concert.

If you can’t wait to see what vibrant outfit these two have cooked up, whet your appetite with the Autumn 2007 issue of Pop, which features a spread shot by Steven Klein of Ditto traipsing about in fashions both off-the-runway (Prada, Yves Saint Laurent) and made specially for the magazine (Gareth Pugh, Louis Vuitton, Proenza Schouler). Both humorous and poignant, the photos have that Paris, Texas vibe of wanderlust and adventure with the jet-set styles to match.

The accompanying article proclaims Beth Ditto is a “size hero,” an icon both revered and criticized for representing an alternative to fashion’s willowy norm. It also explores some of the underlying skepticism surrounding the singer’s rise to fame and fashion notoriety.

Is the style world embracing Beth Ditto out of a genuine interest in her art and message or is it using her in a bid to establish itself as a tolerant community? Is all this hoopla over her image overshadowing what’s important - her artistry and originality?

Discuss.

—NATALIE GUEVARA

This Saturday, London’s V&A museum debuts ‘The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957’.

The exhibit will feature 100 outfits from houses like Dior, Balenciaga, and lesser-known English couturiers like Hardy Amies and Norman Hartnell. There will also be bills and receipts on display —one informs us that in 1950 a couture Balenciaga evening gown cost $230—.

Though today’s couture is often discussed as one of the last links to the hallowed traditions of luxury clothing, the show and accompanying article in October’s Vogue UK throw light on just how much it’s changed.

In 1950 there were over 30 couture houses in Paris. A couturier would present 150-200 looks a collection, all of which were intended for sale. Shows took place daily until interest in ordering the clothing was gone, and customers might order 30 outfits from a single house in a season.

A suit from Dior’s ‘New Look’ collection retailed for $180. For those on a tighter budget, retailers like Bergdorfs bought patterns directly from the designers to make their own, cheaper, versions of the couture looks.

Nan Kempner was a lifelong customer of couture, both in the “golden era” and in the nineties. Before she died she declared that couture is not “made for real women anymore. It’s theater now— and I’ve seen it all.”

Couture today does seem like a distant, fantastic dream. But if you’re looking for a peek at the era when couture was something you wore for a walk in the park, check out the V&A—

or if you can’t make it to London, just buy the exhibition catalog.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

When the weather starts getting crisp and cool, our thoughts immediately turn to knitwear.

Swedish designer Erica Laurell must have read our mind, because her fall/winter collection is one of our favorite knit collections of all time. The line isn’t available in stores stateside, but in the meantime you can email the designer about buying online.

The collection references the silhouettes of the young Nouvelle Vague 60s look, but the texture and coloring of the pieces looks so homespun and cozy, like something your grandmother would make for you. If your grandmother was Anna Karina.

The berets are perfect for those Mary Tyler Moore “You’re going to make it after all!” hat tossing moments!

—ALISON COOL

The new Chanel video for Coco Mademoiselle with Keira Knightley is fun to watch. Keira looks seriously amazing, like a silent movie star. We don’t know if we’ve ever seen her look more beautiful.

But we have to confess that we’re even more excited about the opportunity to take a “virtual tour” of Coco Chanel’s apartment, which you can also do on the promo website.

You get to check out the original furniture, including Coco Chanel’s funny crystal balls and other knickknacks, in a format that reminded us of a video game;

We expected aliens to jump out from behind the Coromandel screens and start shooting at any second.

—ALISON COOL

Sometimes it’s a little scary to look at our old high school yearbook and revisit the outfits that our teenage mind dreamed up. And as for our middle school yearbook….well, let’s just say that leggings and a turtleneck in a matching floral print wasn’t our best idea.

That’s why it’s so comforting to see people.com’s article on how celebrities used to dress, before they were turned into stylish robots by an army of professionals.

It humanizes them.

All the bad outfits - from Naomi Watt’s 90s goth-grunge-glam look to Sarah Jessica Parker’s big floppy hat - have a lot more personality than the polished, figure-flattering, crowd-pleasing runway dresses in the recent pictures.

And even though Halle Berry’s polka dot skirt suit from 1989 is undeniably hideous - and check out her brown pantyhose too! - she still looks kind of cute.

We miss when celebrities used to look dorky!

—ALISON COOL

Earlier this month, we reported the Gap European collection was now available on the US Website.

The only trouble is that most Gap stores aren’t carrying these clothes, so you have to eyeball them and figure out what’s actually good.

Or you could just keep reading -

We swung by The Gap this weekend and did a thorough examination of the outfits - something we felt was quite important, since this Gap range costs almost double their normal clothes…

WHICH London designer was so rude to the models at show castings last week that some of the best girls walked out? No wonder so many people skipped that show this season in favor of parties…

Olivia Rubin, 25, designer

Got Her: At the Julie Verhoeven for Mulberry launch party, in Notting Hill, London

Stalked Her: Because she gives the term “shirt dress” a whole new meaning.

Shot Her: Because she’s found a way to showcase a strapless piece without making it all about showing skin,

She Says: “I designed this piece because it sort of reminded me of what you’d wear leaving a boyfriend’s place. And I really like things you can layer; a lot of my pieces can be worn alone or with jeans or something else on top.”

We Say: Flirting now comes with buttons and starch.

What we wrote in our notebook, in the back row at Christopher Kane:

-When you open your show with Last of the Mohicans music, we think maybe Coco Rocha will come down the runway doing a jig… obviously, this is not happening.

-This guy’s tailoring is incredible.

-Would you wear more animal prints? This time snake skin on chiffon.

-Ali Michael has booked every show here.

-If every guy dressed like Jefferson Hack, they’d be much more date worthy.

-Cathy Horyn and Anna Wintour are sitting a few feet away from each other. And though Anna would probably argue that Christopher Kane is a young designer who needs support and attention, Cathy might take another view - if fashion really is an oligarchy, the only hope we have is the very young and the very talented to stretch us further into unworn corners.

-Vlada used to look dead. Now she looks undead.

-Still can’t get over python print. What would happen if this collection showed in NY?

-Colin McDowell’s head is in all my photos. Again.

The strangest thing at Paul Smith:

Lily Cole finally appeared on the runway, and when she did - not first, but fifth - you could hear the camera popping increase times a thousand.

It was like a new soundtrack being played over the jazz music that Sir Paul chose as his music, this constant click-clack of shutters, this shrill beeping of digi-cams.

Lily, of course, was unphased, and did the entire show in round tortoise-shell glasses that can really only work on her, Hamish Bowles, and anyone wanting to be them.

The clothes were long and cable knit, but towards the end were some incredible prints, mixed and meshed together with long plastic beads - they clicked down the runway too, challenging the photographers in the audience to keep up.

Our latest obsession from Etsy—a shopping site for handmade pieces— are the beautifully bizarre jewelry collections from Paraphernalia.

The necklaces - all woodcuts based on 19th century vintage illustrations - run the gamut from the odd to the truly, truly odd.

But when every other girl in town is bopping around with a long oversized heart pendant, we think this jacket necklace might be just the thing. Lots of jewelry designers make so-called quirky necklaces and baubles, but we think Paraphernalia has the market cornered on the really authentically weird.

And what could be better than that?

Plus - for $17 - you know you aren’t going to get a better deal on the perfect fall jacket.

—ALISON COOL

A technicolor moment from London Fashion Week:

Henry Holland hugs Gareth Pugh outside of BoomBox, hours after Gareth’s third show debuted.

We saw a little of this designer bonding in New York - Proenza Schouler at Ben Cho’s show; Donna Karan at Ralph Lauren - but here in London, it’s not something the natives notice, because it’s not a big deal.

Everyone partners here- designers help each other before shows, editors swap extra clothes for shoots, publicists pass clients back and forth.

In fact, about the only time we haven’t witnessed the miracle of fashion cooperation in London is a feud happening right now between two stylists -

One has a model for an upcoming show; the other desperately needs the same girl; major fighting and threats ensue.

But it’s easy enough to guess all the parties involved, which makes it already boring.

Back to Gareth and Henry!

There’s been lots of complaining about Marc Jacob’s S/S 2008 show—

It was late, he’s arrogant, the clothes were weird.

But today we heard a new woe:

the reverse ordering of the show is causing logistical problems for photoshoots.

We heard from an editor who’s working on a cover, where the photographer requested a few looks from the show in the usual way; by their number. But the look numbers have been passed down from photographer to editor to editor, and now the woman ordering the samples isn’t sure that everyone is on the same page. Did the photographer want look 2, or did he really want look 55? With so many people involved in production, it’s hard to tell.

Sounds like Marc is racking up some seriously bad karma this week…

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Today we learned something intriguing:

Zac Posen is rumored to be preparing a secondary line.

We weren’t very surprised. Out of all the young designers, Zac is perhaps the most aggresive about brand-building. He’s already producing handbags and has signed a licensing deal for perfume, which will debut in 2009.

Instead of designing for a retailer like Target or Kohl’s, Zac will produce his own line in house, more along the lines of Marc by Marc than Proenza for Target. Maybe that’s a smart move; it seems like the market for designer collaborations with cheap chic stores is on the wane.

Simply Vera is already 30% off on the Kohls website, and it hasn’t even been out for ten days.

—-ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We love the Isabel Toledo quote, “trends are for amateurs,” but today a Vogue UK editor told us something we might like better:

“You know the reason Christopher Kane’s dresses are so short?” She asked.

“It’s because he’s poor. He can’t afford to waste a single inch of fabric, and everything needs to be mini.”

She raised this point during Louise Goldin’s show, when the young designer’s knits barely covered her models’ butts.

We liked the show, which looked like Nu Rave Missoni (Hilary Alexander nodded when we gave her this assessment, so we’ll keep it).

We also like this theory about short hemlines and young (or just broke) designers, as it gives a strange style power to those designers with lots of vision, but no money.

Now just wait for TopShop to glom onto the silhouette so those shoppers with vision, but no money, can also have some power.

Confession:

We’re shocked to see so much animal print on the runway.

We’re stunned when Oscar de la Renta does it; we’re thrown when Marc Jacobs has it; and when it occasionally pops up at Chanel, our jaws hit the floor.

It’s not that animal print doesn’t have it’s place - it’s just that we’ve always assumed that place was Vegas.

So yesterday, when London’s hot-young-thing Danielle Scutt showed dress after dress etched in zebra lines, we were like, “Really?”

Then we realized, sometimes leopard spots can look really chic on a cardigan; stripes might be cute on ballet flats; and if you do it the right way, you could rock a tiger-marked coat like an Audrey Hepburn character.

Or like Cruella DeVille, which is what makes us worried.

Would you wear animal print? And how?

Please, advise.

We think the Julie Verhoeven for Mulberry collaboration is one of the smartest to come along in a while, and apparently, so does everyone else in London.

How else can you account for the stylish spillage coming from her tiny Notting Hill store, crammed with the bodies of Tara Reid, Beth Ditto, the Queens of Noize, plus every Vogue UK assistant not stuck on a Starbucks run?

The crowd was so cute, it was a little intimidating, but we braved it to meet Julie Verhoeven herself, and also to marvel at a strange art display - a mound of powdered sugar lined up on a mirror that was either a Kate Moss homage or a quick way to sweeten your tea…

It’s so hard to find the perfect bag. Really, you could make it your life’s work.

We think we might have finally met our match with the “Alistair” saddle bag from the fall/winter collection from the lovely bag designers at Boyy Club.

But if you and Alistair aren’t compatible, maybe you’ll like his friend Trevor. Or Boris, Francis, or even Renwick. Yes - all of the bags are named after boys! But if you get two of them, is that cheating?

What a great idea. Stam bag, eat your heart out!

—ALISON COOL

Now that Anya Hindmarch’s bag has been copied all over London, it might be time for a second act.

We Are What We Do, the British organization who inspired Anya’s efforts, have created yet another canvas tote, which we’ve seen floating around London Fashion Week like a rumor ready to spread.

Its text reads “PLASTIC’S NOT MY BAG,” and its sole owners seem to be the editors of British Marie Claire, pictured at left.

Their fashion team couldn’t dole any scoop on their new accessories - “I’m not sure how much I’m supposed to say!” giggled Carla, the style editor all the way to the right - but our guesses are usually pretty good, so here goes:

British Marie Claire will launch this next bag in their magazine - much like American Marie Claire launched Lauren Bush’s FEED back in the States - and all proceeds will go to charity…

Or maybe, all proceeds will go to medical bills, in case any of the Marie Claire girls are injured in a fashion stampede for their handbags…

The Sunday Times piece on Rachel Zoe has already gotten loads of attention from reporters - probably because in it, Rachel claims she’s “more influential” than Anna Wintour.

We thought it was more interesting that writer Lynn Hirschberg wrote, point blank, that Harvey Weinstein asked girls in his movies to wear Marchesa.

Anyway, some may see Rachel Zoe as arrogant or delusional, while others note in most ways, she’s absolutely right.

But what hasn’t been mentioned yet is that this Sunday, in another magazine supplement, Anna Wintour talks back.

In yesterday’s Telegraph Fashion Supplement, the Vogue editor writes about the unique job of a stylist, and notes, “Although I was for years a fashion sittings editor, I was never particularly good at it. Which is not to say that I was untalented, but that I was always conscious that there existed, high in the stratosphere, stylists whose gifts I simply did not have… you cannot be taught how to be a great fashion editor. Either you’ve got it or you haven’t.”

Whether Anna thinks that Rachel has “it” isn’t stated in the piece, but let’s remember, she did commission Marina Rust to do a three page feature on the stylist last year.

Also worth nothing from the Telegraph’s Anna essay:

“One thing that strikes me is the degree to which the fashion editor’s visual perspective is governed by his or her earliest years… so although fashion is completely implicated in the transitory - clothes are here today, gone tomorrow… in a great stylist is a deep pool of memory and longing. It’s down there that the extraordinary images swim from.”

Amazing and sad, if true.

Tyra Banks is doing an upcoming segment on her talk show about race in the fashion industry - specifically, how hard it is for women of color to book on the runways.

Her special guests for the show?

Heatherette designers Richie Rich and Traver Rains, plus their catwalk opener and closer, Chanel Iman.

We’re slightly shocked that Ford would let Chanel do The Tyra Banks show - it’s not quite the same as a Vogue cover - but so psyched to see the poised sixteen-year-old discuss her own modeling adventures with Ty-Ty Baby.

The only irony?

We don’t think Chanel Iman would ever have won Top Model - weirdly, she would have been too modelesque for a shot at the title.

There’s a point in your life - for us, it was age 24 - when you can’t eat ice cream for breakfast anymore.

It makes your stomach drop and your wrists shake, and all of a sudden, you almost feel sick, like your body’s in withdrawal from sugar, sneaking out, ripped jeans, glitter lip gloss, everything that all of a sudden seems to belong to kids and not to you.

We feared Luella would be like that this morning, when we walked into Claridge’s Hotel in London and found the place taken over by an Emo band - guys in eyeliner and shiny hair, commissioned by Ms. Bartley to play for the fashion crowd.

Another startle: Anna Wintour was the first person seated, and every audience member had to walk right past her to reach their seat. She kept her sunglasses on and smiled a lot, paparazzi swarming.

But as the lights dimmed, Anna was left in solace and the British Pete Wentz kids zapped off.

In their place came a stream of thin panted suits, floral dresses dip-dyed in black, and trademark tiered frocks in yellow and magenta that were maybe Joan Jett and maybe Judy Jetson.

Some of the girls wore cat masks, and several donned a black-and-yellow bat print, which was a laugh / a thud (circle one). Almost everything was styled with high-heeled Docs, and neon orange lip gloss.

Was it a fashion sugar high?

A little - but there was some good meat in there, too.

FIrst photos below, and just to make sure we get a good name-drop in here for the Jezebel babes (who’d love this show, we bet), we sat about six girls down from Lily Allen and freaked out, okay?

First, H&M copies Phoebe Philo’s billowy bib dresses, which we’ve all still got in our closets (I’ll admit it; now it’s your turn).

Next, H&M steals Anya and Freja from the Chloe campaign and adopts them as their own poster girls.

And this weekend, they went one step further, rolling out their upscale line COS for London and European girls - especially London girls who stalk Ms. Philo in her Notting Hill neighborhood.

The collection was very clean and easy to understand - but it was almost entirely cream, black, and a neon shade of burnt orange that we’ve only seen once before: On the last Chloe catwalk.

The shapes of the dresses were also similar - short, boxed, skimmed - and all of the girls had long, shiny straight hair, parted to one side, with orange lip gloss.

Just like these girls from… yes, the last Chloe show.

So H&M, we have to ask:

Is Chloe like the senior girl in high school that inspired your freshman crush? Because this big sister/ little sister clothes snatch just won’t stop…

We have a lot to say about the mesmerizing madness of Gareth Pugh’s collection today - scrawled in our Smythson are “Gareth Pugh and the lost tribes of fashion?” and “OMG Elise Overland / Eowyn parallels” - but we’re getting ready for BoomBox and don’t have time.

Check back tomorrow morning for a full report, and in the meantime, we can tell you this:

It was the first London Fashion Week show that Anna Wintour watched this year.

Also on the bleachers:

Anna Piaggi, Henry Holland, The MisShapes, Cathy Horyn.

We were so excited, we cheered.

You may have heard that Christopher Kane had his collection stolen a week before show time - one of the most hotly anticipated show times in London, in fact.

It’s pretty traumatic, but we heard from a UK source today that not as much went missing as they first thought.

Not only that, but everything that DID disappear has been swiftly rebuilt by Kane and his team, so the entire Spring ‘08 collection will hit the catwalk this week.

Whether Mr. Kane and his staff will also hit the catwalk - and fall fast asleep from an entire week of all-nighters - is something we’re still waiting to see…

There were 263 shows and presentations this New York fashion week, and with all that craziness it’s easy for smaller labels to get overlooked. Here are three shows we liked that you might have missed:

Ohne Titel

This new label has major Vogue support; it was featured in the September issue, and we saw staffers Sally Singer, Jane Herman, and Florence Kane in the front row of their runway debut, We weren’t crazy about the wide legged pants with extra flounces of fabric sewn into the seams, but we were impressed by the clingy geometric print dresses and low cut asymetrical blazers.

(Click through for more)

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We saw a lot of people get photographed this week.

At the backstage exit after the Marc by Marc show, there was a crowd of girls snapping pictures of the models leaving with their poofy pink-streaked hair.

When Chanel Iman descended the stairs, she was surrounded by the same girls, but they didn’t just want a picture of her. They wanted a picture with her.

Chanel happily obliged, smiling and draping her arm around their shoulders as a rotating cast of friends snapped away.

We’ve never seen anyone ask for a picture with Sasha. And even though she’s one of our favorite models, we definitely wouldn’t ask for one either.

Maybe it’s that Chanel looks approachable and friendly; she’s very, very beautiful, but she seems like she could be in your english class or on your soccer team.

She’s also one of the most successful young models working right now and perhaps it’s for the same reasons.

Is fashion moving away from icy gorgeous girls like Sasha towards a more down to earth aesthetic? Would you rather see editorials and ads with the girl next door than the girl from Siberia?

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We think trendy corset-style stuff looks cute on other people, but we’ve always feared that it would be too painful and scary to put some big piece of metal ( a la D&G) around our waist.

After all, isn’t the point of a corset to whittle your waist as much as possible by squishing all your internal organs together?

But now one of our favorite Swedish labels - Minimarket - has made what we consider to be the most comfy and cool-looking corset dress we’ve ever seen. You can get it online here, and they ship to the U.S.

The best part about this dress is that when you have it on can go to parties, dance like crazy, look hot, and stop for a late night slice of pizza on the way home without any fashion-induced discomfort.

—ALISON COOL

Usually when we buy lipstick, we use it once or twice and then it kind of sits around in a drawer for the rest of its life until a friend comes over and points out that we should throw away the make-up that we’ve had since high school.

That’s part of the reason why we’re psyched about the “Plant Love” line of lipsticks from Cargo Cosmetics. The lipstick tube is made out of corn, and the outer packaging is made out of flowers with flower seeds embedded in it, so you can actually plant the box and flowers will grow!

If that’s not good enough for you, they also donate $2 to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for every lipstick they sell.

And if you are like the Grinch who stole Christmas and your heart is two sizes too small, and are somehow still not convinced that you need one of these lippies, we also like how five of the shades are designed by celebrities - including Evangeline Lily, aka Kate on Lost, who every guy we’ve ever met has a crush on.

Seriously, these lipsticks are like Mother Teresa.

—ALISON COOL

We’ve been seeing girls wearing those Goody baby barrettes around town, coordinating the colored plastic clips with their outfits. And of course that takes us right back to “Pretty on the Inside”-era Courtney Love:

Babydoll dress, smeared red lipstick, Doc Marten boots, and messed up bleach blonde hair clipped back with baby barrettes.

But like a lot of other things, barrettes have gotten a lot better since the early ’90s.
Cardboard Robot makes cute variations on the classic plastic clips - like these hot pink boom box ones. They also come in blue, and at $7, they cost a bit more than the Goody clips, but still—

They’re only $7!

—ALISON COOL

By now, everyone knows that the Marc show started two hours late—

And that many fashion critics (ahem, Suzy Menkes) are seriously ticked. In fact, Menkes says she would like to “murder [Marc] with her bare hands”— though we think she’d need to be standing on a pair of very high MJ heels to be able to reach his neck.

Marc’s response is that we’re lucky he does a show for us at all, given the the unfortunate combination of a bumped-up show schedule —in part because of the Jewish holidays, and in part because of the show season in Europe— and the closure of Italian factories for the month of August.

Still, there are plenty of other designers in New York using Italian fabrics and they manage to show “on time”—meaning about a half hour after the start time printed on the invitation.

Now Marc is threatening to show in Europe next year and CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg is -in her own words- begging him to stay in NY.

Though Marc already shows Vuitton in Paris, and presented his fall Marc by Marc collection in London, we don’t think he’s really going anywhere. Marc knows he’s got the most important show in New York and he likes it that way.

After all, while a few retailers decamped early, even Ms. Menkes waited for the show.

We think that’s why there’s been so much outrage directed at him;

We’re mad at ourselves, for caring enough, for waiting when it’s clear he’s just making us wait because he’s the only designer in NY anyone would sit on bleachers for two hours to see.

Marc may be like the loser boy who always keeps you waiting for dinner, but he’s too cute to break up with.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Skulls used to be cool. And then they went to Europe, where trends go to languish and die.

So the proximity of skulls to cupcakes in this t-shirt from Johnny Cupcakes made us realize something very important. The cupcake is dead.

Yes, we like the icing. Yes, we like the cake. Yes, they’re yummy. But let’s face it. The cultural relevance of the cupcake has passed. It’s fifteen minutes are up.

What was once cute and a little bit sassy has become trite and tired. Cupcake bakeshops are a dime a dozen in Manhattan. Tourists swarm Magnolia Bakery as if it’s the Met. Dean and Deluca charges $6 per cupcake, and Carrie Bradshaw wannabes giggle:

“I’m getting so fat! I can’t stop hitting up Magnolia whenever I go to the Marc store!”

So, is this t-shirt the truest statement of the death of the cupcake and the skull and crossbones trends, or is it just a lame extension of both?

—ALISON COOL

We’re huge London tube addicts, but there’s one U.K. cab we’ll definitely try and catch this week:

The BoomBox car, created with M.A.C Cosmetics to take fashion junkies from shows to afterparties, including the BoomBox Book Bash (yes, we went there) held next Tuesday.

For those not obsessed with the London scene (and frankly, you may be better off), BoomBox is like the MisShapes of London, complete with famous regulars (Agyness Deyn, Henry Holland), resident artists (Matthew Stone, Gareth Pugh), sparkled eyeliner for both sexes, and rumors of John Galliano whispered in the bathrooms.

We’re dying to go, and hopefully we will - especially if the gossip about a Kylie Minogue performance at Gareth’s apres-fete turns out true!

See you on the other side…

Reader Shannon writes in to say, “This new shoe from Marc by Marc Jacobs looks a lot like Vans to me. Or is it only egregious when the infringement is trickle-down?”

Well no, it’s not, but this definitely requires some discussion.

On the one hand, Marc and his team are clearly referencing Vans’ Old Skool style.

But it’s not like the Foley + Corinna knockoff dres, which looks exactly like the original.

Instead, it’s a nod to the skater and street community that Marc constantly references in his collections, sometimes blatantly (Stephen Sprouse graffiti prints), and sometimes a little more under-the-radar (like, did anyone else notice the Shepard Fairey kickback in his recent runway show?).

So some style fans might see this shoe as a clever, backhanded shout out to the kids who fuel Marc’s fun…

And some will think it’s just a glorified, overpriced Van (which, for the record, we wore every day in high school).

Care to choose sides?

We love Repetto. They make the most perfect, beautiful, and comfortable ballet flats of all time—perhaps because they make toe shoes for real ballerinas. But for some reason, their shoes have always been surprisingly difficult to find on the internet, and only a few stores carry them in NYC.

But now Earnest Sewn is hosting a Repetto pop-up store - the first ever Repetto boutique in the U.S. - for three months!

We’re so excited to sashay over to 821 Washington Street (between Gansevoort and Little West 12th) and pick out a few pairs - they have over 70 different styles instead of the paltry two or three you can find at most NYC boutiques.

Repetto - Je t’adore!

—ALISON COOL

For their fall style issue Paper magazine worked with the usual cadre of fashion professionals; models, stylists, journalists, photographers, hair and make-up artists.

But for their ‘Pure Fashion’ piece, they collaborated with some more unexpected talent:

The men and women of Creative Growth, a San Francisco-based non profit art center for adults with developmental, physical, mental and emotional disabilities.

The artists at Creative Growth were given images from the fall runways of designers like Rodarte, Marc Jacobs, and Comme des Garcons as inspiration, and then asked to interpret them. In addition to being featured in Paper, their drawings are currently installed in one of Barneys Madison Avenue windows through September 25th.

We especially like the more friendly and curvaceous take on Lara Stone in Missoni, and the drawing of Olga Sherer in her furry Prada vest, reimagined as runway-stomping cat.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

“Is that Debbie Harry?” asked a friend last night, as we perused Gap France online.

Maybe it was the Fashion Week sleep debt, the incredible ease of the clinging sweater dress, or the fact that we were watching a Weeds rerun at the same time, but we couldn’t quite tell.

We’re setting loose the image to you with a promise:

If you can name this gorgeous face (without mocking us for being a little bit clueless), we’ll document our Gap Europe finds in depth, and forward all our coverage to their American offices

- With a plea to make more of their overseas outfits available to us.

Hey, it seems to have worked the first time we did it…

This week’s Time Out New York pronounces fashion magazines useless and irrelevant to the real lives of fashion-forward New Yorkers.

Here’s what they have to say:

“Flipping through the September issue of Vogue, we realized something we always knew but never got pissed about until now: The magazine’s useless. It’s pretty to look at, for sure, influential and impressively heavy—this month’s was their “biggest issue ever,â€? part of a record fall for fashion mags in general.

But New Yorkers looking for actual clothes to wear had to sift through 727 pages of ads, only to find a spread featuring an amazon in an explosion of “dyed fox fur spliced with plaid taffetaâ€? and Sienna Miller wearing what looked like a turkey stitched to her back.”

Of course, we’re not cancelling our subscriptions anytime soon (then we would just get bills), but Time Out is right, in a way. It’s not exactly news that fashion trends hit the streets before you see it on the runway, that the expensive clothes sprawled across the glossy pages of fashion mags are not really what the fashion cognoscenti wear in real life.

But the article does raise some interesting questions about fashion magazines in general. Clearly magazines can’t keep up with the speed that information is moving across the internet through myspace, blogs, party photos websites, and all the rest.

So why do we keep reading them?

—ALISON COOL

Last season, British GQ ran a story about the electric intelligence of Naomi Campbell.

Tomorrow might be her chance to prove it’s true.

The legendary model is slated to sit on a panel called “Blacks in Fashion,” along with Andre Leon Talley, Robin Givhan, Damon Dash and Tracy Reese.

According to the organizers, the fashion heavyweights will address questions like, “In an industry supposedly dictated by beauty and style, why are certain groups granted limited access? Why is the fashion model of color categorized by race? Why is this generation of Black models nearly invisible?”

We hope Naomi does address that last question, especially since every time an emerging model is black, she’s called “The Next Campbell” … something that’s always bugged us, since neither Gerren Ford nor Chanel Iman actually look like her.

The panel happens tomorrow at 10:30 AM, in the Bryant Park Hotel, and on a vague side note: the first 10 models at Heatherette were all black.

We adore this Tara Subkoff photo from the Ben Cho show for the following reasons:

1. It makes us suspect that L.A.’s queen of careless cool might actually have her own Live Journal.

2. It gives you an idea of what really happens in the front row - a lot of texting, camera clicks, and whispers.

3. It shows you that designers are intensely interested in other designers’ work - everyone is watching for a web of influence, and figuring out where they fit.

4. It displays the massive red velvet wedges that Tara wore every single day, which took on a sort of legendary quality with the fashion editors - as one whispered just before this show began, “If she clicks them three times, does she go back to Silverlake?”

Better question: When do we get them from an Easy Spirit diffusion line?

New York fashion week is over, and we’re beginning to recuperate. But the S/S ‘08 show season is [really] just beginning:

The London collections start on Saturday, Milan kicks off on the 22nd, and the Paris shows begin on the 29th. We know we’ll be seeing a lot more of Siri and Irina Kulikova, but here are three new catwalkers you might want to watch.

-Oxana Pautova. Oxana had a Prada exclusive last spring, just like Gemma, Sasha, and Irina K did their first season. She turned up everywhere in New York: at shows like Marchesa, Proenza, LAMB, and Vera Wang.

-Serafima Vakulenko, a wide-eyed brunette who walked in both Marc shows. She just needs to work on her punctuality; she nearly collided with us in the lobby at ADAM, which she opened despite arriving at the time the show was scheduled to start!

-Karlie Kloss, who walked in just one NY show: Calvin Klein. How can you not love a girl with a name like a Kurt Vonnegut character?

We think she’d look great in Balenciaga…

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Chloe Sevigny’s line for Opening Ceremony is really cute - you can watch a video preview of the collection at style.com.

We like all the stuff - the tribal fabric minidress, the oddly patterned high waisted skinny pants, the liberty print frocks, and even the gingham pants.

But we don’t know if we like the idea of buying a “Chloe Sevigny” branded item.

Chloe has great style, but part of what makes her a fashion icon is that she is such an individual. Whether you see her photographs on best-dressed lists or in the “what were they thinking” pages of gossip mags, she never looks like just one of the crowd.

If every downtown girl picks up a Chloe Sevigny minidress at Opening Ceremony, then how does the line reflect Chloe’s personal, highly individual style?

Maybe the Olsen twins were the smart ones for keeping their names off the labels for The Row.

—ALISON COOL

On today’s episode of Girls Gone Styled, I show you how to pack a suitcase for a fashionable trip…

The good: Now you have a preview of my London / Paris wardrobe.

The bad: Now you have a preview of my hair at its absolute worst!

The silly: Yes, I really did shove my deodorant stick into the soles of my Frye boots, but I’m telling you, it’s the only way to pack.

Consider this the last “What’s in your bag” - unless Coco Rocha is on the plane to Heathrow with me, and then I’ll see what I can do…

—FARAN

This summer Nick Knight and the ShowStudio team brought us a YSL movie, starring Jessica Miller and directed by Stefano Pilati from reader-submitted scripts.

Now Nick Knight is asking for help again, for a new project with Hussein Chalayan and musician/Lagerfeld muse Chan Marshall, better known as Cat Power.

They’re shooting a film in late September that will be shown during Chalayan’s upcoming S/S ‘08 collection, which will debut in Paris on October 3rd. The collection is called “Readings” and Chalayan says it’s about “the dynamic between icons and their audience”.

Cat Power will provide the soundtrack, for both the film and the runway show— based on ideas submitted to the ShowStudio site and inspired by the following Chalayan-penned brief:

“Throughout history, all cultures have idolised and worshipped various forces, either as a means to define identity or simply as a way to feel more complete. In modern life, it can be said that this sense of idolisation is directed towards celebrity culture, the masses identifying with certain figureheads as a means to perhaps define themselves and their differences. In this light, I propose to draw parallels between Greek/Pagan and other ancient cultural perceptions of icons or gods and modern icons (people as opposed to natural forces or gods), which in today’s media are evolving much more democratically, with people becoming icons far more easily than in the past. My aim is to find the means to symbolise how all icons are kept alive by the synergy between them and their audience.”

Okay, now translate that into a catchy chorus!

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

Marc by Marc is usually a little too much for us:

a little too juvenile, a little too cute, and a little too expensive, given how easily the looks are knocked off by Forever 21.

But this year, there was a new sporty sophistication in the clothes.

We thought the girls looked ready to depart Greenwich on a yacht, circa 1970: there were big brass buttons, little caps, bright shirtdresses, loafers, and even webbed belts.

The accessories were stand-out. The Lego brooches, barrettes, and belt buckles were clever, but it’s the “owl lady” bag that we imagine seeing not only chic high school girls toting, but also their older sisters and moms.

We think this fresh direction is very savvy. After all, there aren’t many 14 year olds who can afford $400 babydoll dresses—and most 25 year olds don’t want to look like them.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We’re clearly huge fans of designers climbing online, so we’d like to introduce Mulberry as our newest MySpace friend.

The British bag brand has made some major changes lately, including snagging Pop’s Katie Grand as creative director, and sticking Fashionista favorite Agyness Deyn in their ads.

Their two MySpace pages - one for Mulberry, and one for artist Julie Verhoeven - are full of juicy snapshots of bags, models, and general gorgeousness (don’t even get me started on the Lily Cole candids…), and their pages will be the first to tell you Mulberry news and gossip.

For instance, did you know Henry Holland was designing their London windows? And that if you post a photo of your own artwork on Julie Verhoeven’s page, you could win tickets to Mulberry’s Pop Up store party in London?

Go add them to your friends, and let your MySpace page look more expensive - actually, if we’re talking about a Mulberry bag, your page will look about $1400 more costly than ever before… sigh.

Last night at Jayson Brundson’s show, we saw Catherine McNeil from a different angle; in the front row, not on the runway.

Despite having opened Zac Posen just twenty minutes earlier, Catherine zipped across the tents to root for her fellow Aussie, while still sporting the dramatic silver wings of eyeshadow from the Zac show.

“I worked with Jayson back in Australia, and I wanted to come out and show my support”, she said, before heading backstage to congratulate the designer. What did she think of the Chinoserie inspired collection?

“Gorgeous!”

We can think of someone else that applies to…

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

We love seeing Demi and Sean Combs in person, but maybe our favorite front-row fixture this week has been Bijou Phillips.

The model / actress / whatever has been in a particularly zany mood -

Yesterday at Heatherette, she sang along to all the runway songs, displaying an equal penchant for Motown and rave rap, while looking like a wayward Disney princess in a long pink gown with a fabric floral bodice.

Bijou then surfaced at Zac Posen, wearing an entirely different dress - this one clingy, modern, and very L.A. - where she took in the show with a smile - and started screaming cheers when her friend, Jessica Stam, stomped the catwalk.

We’ve often wondered what would happen if runways were received like sports games, and Bijou was cool enough to show us:

They would rock.

Backstage at Zac Posen, mounds of gowns.

They were scattered around the room, each hugging a mannequin, each labeled for a model.

The red one had a starburst bodice and flutter sleeves; the purple one had a shoulder pouf; the green one was short and shorn, with feathers shearing off the side.

“I guess that makes sense,” said a fashion editor in the audience, “since that’s what he’s really known for. And the Oscars will happen in February,” right when the dresses are set to be made.

Whomever does get to wear them - Gwyneth, Kate Hudson, or maybe Demi Moore, who scurried quickly to her seat at the show - will probably land on the Vogue Best Dressed List, as Anna Wintour clapped enthusiastically during the show.

She also granted an interview to almost every outlet who approached her, signed an autograph, and let a young girl take her photo with a pink Polaroid camera.

That Zac’s dresses made us smile and gasp more than witnessing that strange situation means we must have totally loved them… and yeah, we really did.

Is it just us, or are we seeing a lot of “She’s So Unusual”-era Cyndi Lauper references at the tents this season?

You’ve got the big, frazzled hair with chunks of crazy colors (Marc by Marc), the tattered prom dresses (Betsey, Marc), the “I don’t care if my lace dress is torn” (Heatherette), and the funny socks with weird shoes (Anna Sui).

Put it all together, and you’ve got the “She Bop” Cyndi aesthetic down cold.

That’s why we see Spring ‘08 as a nod to the 1980s’ insouciant take on high society femininity. Pile on the ruffles, frills, and tulle and than rip it all up and hit the streets. Time after time.

—ALISON COOL

When a show opens with Lil’ Mama singing “Lip Gloss,” you know you’re safely planted in TRL territory - especially with a front row that boasts Sean Combs and Lance Bass.

But even we couldn’t have expected Heatherette’s new kidswear line, which is so spot-on, it threatens to overtake everything from Gap Kids. Taking inspiration from rockabilly styles, like those 1950s poodle skirt halloween costumes, the Heatherette boys have actually made clothes that look comfy and fun for kids to wear.

The only problem we saw:

If you grow up wearing Heatherette, what do you wear for your rebellious teenage years?

Designers Richie Rich and Traver Rains addressed that question a little later in the show, with a few leafy print dresses and a poufy gold dress that might be able to carry you from college to cocktail hour with the right pair of shoes (and an understated cropped jacket).

—ALISON COOL and FARAN

In case you missed the Elise Overland presentation (or live uptown, or in Boston, or in France), here’s a video of the night, held at Milk Studios in the Meatpacking District.

We suspect the most popular piece will be the Face Dress, especially with stylists and art star flocks.

Still, our favorite thing was the black leather vest, and the way all the dresses can be layered with different shapes and textures.

We’re still not sure what to think of the music, but we’re poor iPod judges right now - running on so little sleep, we have a Creem album playing on repeat just to keep us from passing out on our laptop.

Enjoy!

WHICH girl who wants to be about town crashed the Zac Posen show, taking a row reserved mostly for fashion directors? The funny thing is, she overshot - all the “cool” socialites were in row three, and graceful with it.

“When I was finally able to buy an adult-size dress, I bought a Betsey Johnson,” said Intern Sabrina before the show, and apparently BJ got the message:

Her entire Spring show was called Prom Queen, and aimed at her youngest customers - girls with Bat Mitzvahs, girls with first dates, and girls who still want bows on everything.

Of course, those “girls” sometimes still include us, the twentysomething party filles who don’t mind frills if they come with black eyeliner and a boy.

Maybe that’s why Tori Spelling sat front row, superthin and smiling. There were also pop stars Mya and Jojo (wait, is Jojo a pop star?), and for the finale, an even younger Betsey fan - her toddler granddaughter
Layla, who seemed more placid on the runway than most children in front of The Backyardigans.

“Great genes,” we scrawled on our program, then realized Betsey could make a fortune with a denim line.

At shows all night, check back much later (maybe midnight-ish?) for Marc by Marc, Betsey, Heatherette, Zac, and The Jennifer Lopez extravaganza / fiasco…

ACT ONE

“Why would anyone want to wear these clothes? They’re not very sexy.”

“Oh, that’s the whole point - Marc Jacobs is everything, but you’ll never think sexy.”

ACT TWO

“What is going on with Olivier Zham? Every day, he’s at shows with another beautiful young girl! It’s like a montage from a teen comedy.”

ACT THREE

“Is that Vlada?”

“She’s not thin enough to be Vlada.”

“No, Vlada’s gotten over her Russian peasant thing. Now her agency thinks she’s a bombshell, so they’re letting her eat.”

FIN

The summer is coming to an end, Fashion Week is a frenzy, and we’ve been feeling a little moody.

Instead of dragging out our collection of early ’90s indie rock mix tapes and sobbing into a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, we sought comfort from Cecile Belmont and her new line of “emotional clothes.”

Belmont, a French visual artist and designer based in Berlin, creates beautiful patterns and embroidery based around concepts that range from esoteric (“first step into public space”) to playful (“ice cream”).

Our favorite item from the “emotional clothes” collection is this “jetée” dress.

Now all we need is a mood ring to coordinate!

—ALISON COOL

Last season we swooned for Elise Overland, the Norwegian designer whose Warrior Princess aesthetic was forged in years of crafting leather.

Today the former costume designer for Aerosmith showed a new round of dresses, and we’re pleased to report that her Warrior Princess style is here to stay.

But when you think of certain battle babes, like Xena on TV or Eowyn in books, there’s a certain clunk to them - the metal, the heavy leather, the plaited hair - that didn’t happen here.

These dresses moved lightly, with silk and cotton sheath shapes hugged by tiny leather vests, steel hardware, and heels.

Looking at their circular hems and painted patterns, we remembered one of our favorite fighting tips ever:

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

With an edge so sharp it’s hard to see coming, the clothes seem to attack in the same way…

One of the things we loved about the Marc show yesterday, besides the general theatricality that Faran described (and the fake glasses!), was the big hair.

This is serious, hairsprayed, teased big BIG hair. And we love it.

Whether you stick Phillip Treacy-esque accoutrements in your pouffed up ‘do like the models at Marc, or just let the bouffant speak for itself, this is hair that makes a statement.

Is big hair going to replace hats and turbans?

Will you throw away your flat iron and embrace the frizz, or is this look just not for you?

—ALISON COOL

We still can’t find Hilary Rhoda this week, but one absent model has come back to the runway:

Lydia Hearst starts her catwalk tracks tomorrow.

We bumped into the redhead - whose color has toned down considerably - at the Marc Jacobs party last night, where she told us she’s booked for Betsey Johnson and JustSweet by Jennifer Lopez tomorrow.

But isn’t she also Heatherette’s muse?

“I am!” she exclaimed, “But Jennifer Lopez is asking her models to arrive 2 hours before the show. It’s going to be an incredible production.”

Speaking of incredible productions - can we handle Heatherette, Betsey Johnson, Zac Posen, and Jennifer Lopez in the same day? x

For Spring, Chris Benz continues his brilliantly turned-out trademark:

Take clothes that drape better than Rhode Island mansion curtains, swish them across a tall girl with such elegant ease you seem like you’re bored, and wait for them to look famous.

Then finish your ensembles and produce them in the colors of melted popsicles, and voila, you’ve just got a story in The Times.

This kind of easy acceleration comes naturally to Chris, and works well with American sportswear, where “wearable luxury” is the only standard and a million little Gatsby girls wait eagerly for their turn to look cool.

And speaking of looking cool, Chris debuted some sunglasses today from the guy who makes Johnny Depp’s shades too - and you can’t get much more It than that.

We’re not comfortable wearing fur, ever.

But we were also horrified by the PETA protesters outside of the tents. Why?

We just don’t understand how women dressed up as “sexy fashion cops” in egregious shorts, knee-high-boots, midriff-baring tight shirts, and tacky police hats are supposed to make a point that would interest fashion editors and buyers.

Do they think those outfits are “fashionable”? They look like your average college girl gone slutty for a night Halloween costume. They would work better if they were protesting against Hooters instead of fashion designers. In case PETA hasn’t noticed, there aren’t a lot of straight men in the fashion industry.

So, did Anna Wintour run away from the PETA cops last week because they tried to give her a “fashion felony” ticket for promoting fur and animal products…

Or because she couldn’t stand to see such a trash-tastic outfit up close?

—ALISON COOL

By now, you’ve probably heard that Lauren Conrad and Whitney are “interning” for Marc Jacobs as part of their Teen Vogue program.

What you may not know is that rumors are swirling that Lauren and Whitney will have to work backstage during today’s Marc by Marc show.

Even some designers on staff have heard the rumblings, noting that Lauren and Whitney did shoot in Marc’s Manhattan studio, though it was over labor day, so none of the staff were around to participate in The Hills madness.

We’ll see if Lauren materializes backstage tomorrow, but for now, we’ll have to be content with our Lisa Love sightings -

The West Coast editor of Vogue who appears every episode as Lauren’s boss has been front row at everything this week, but we’re too shy to introduce ourselves, fearing she might tell us, “You’ll always be known as the blog that didn’t go to Paris.”

Except we’ll be there, in 2 weeks, with stories for you…

We’ve gotten a lot of gorgeous makeup this week, but our favorite swag so far is definitely the Anna Sui t-shirt left on everyone’s seats.

“Forever Wanted,” it screams in huge letters, “Don Cassidy and the Sundance Jin: Reward, $21,000. Thou Shalt Not Steal.”

Sadly, we anticipate big stores will kill to swipe her latest designs, a parade of electric prints that marry mothball chic with graphic punk decadence.

But though Forever 21 may try to (badly) cut the beige Carly Simon suit worn by Coco Rocha, or sloppily sew the shiny floral gown that swathed Caroline Trentini, at least we know they won’t copy this t-shirt -

After all, the mass chains understand many things, but irony isn’t one of them.

When Chanel Iman told us she had to go to “Marc Jacobs rehearsal” yesterday, we were slightly scared the girls would do a Can-Can routine on the catwalk.

Instead it was weirder and better:

The entire Marc Jacobs show ran backwards, from final bows to first looks.

To begin, Marc came onto the runway, waved, and cheered.

Since the show was over 2 hours late to start, my row of editors assumed he was coming out to tell us personally that the show had been cancelled.

Instead, he bowed, then ran backstage, and then came all the models, parading down the catwalk.

Then the formal dresses, one by one.

Then the cocktail dresses.

Then the day dresses.

And then instead of Marc’s bow, the entire audience saw Anna Wintour and Bee bolt for the exit as the light’s came back up, just in time for the thunderous finale applause.

It was a trip, and the clothes were quite beautiful, in Marc’s manic way: Billowy, spangled, searing, and looking a bit like you’d tried on your mother’s best pieces, all at once, and years before you’d grown into anything. It will take a little while to process, but you can view our photos here.

Walking out of the show, we saw the actress Michelle Tractenberg.

“Would you wear it?”

“Yes, absolutely, all of it - but not all together!”

That seems to be the general rule of thumb.

Then by the exits, Anna saw Heath Ledger and flipped out, and Faran saw ELLE’s Kate Lanphear.

“It’s backwards day!” Kate exclaimed.

We both flipped around, and started walking backwards into the crowd - not easy in heels, but it felt like the only thing to do.

At the VPL show from a certain nattily attired male fashion editor:

“I’m really hoping Marc will start on time this year. I mean, 30 minutes late, which counts as on time for a fashion show. I think there’s a good chance, now that he’s been to rehab.”

Cross your fingers!

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

On Saturday, Rodnik kicked off their ‘We are not a Rock B(r)and’ “world tour” with a three song set at Barneys. Despite some electrical issues the band pulled through like consummate rockstars, with a little help from their fans:

Peaches Geldof, who dueted with designer Phil Colbert on vocals,

Lulu Guinness, who cheered on the band,

and tiny Rodnik fan Bella, who danced around in a Rodnik t-shirt that fell down to her knees.

Sample lyrics: Rising from the ashes, bringing back the fashion like a Russian! Fire! Bird!

—you have to imagine the corresponding choreography for yourself—

The songs may be available for download through Net-a-Porter soon, but until then you can pick up a Rodnik world tour t-shirt at Barneys.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

There’s always one party that makes your head spin during Fashion Week, and for us, it might have been the Purple Magazine bash at Freeman’s restaurant.

Held in honor of Julia Roitfeld, the party officially celebrated Restoration of the Monarchy, the new denim line by Eric Villency that claims Julia as its face.

That was reason enough to party, but in case you need more, there was also:

California It Girls (Cory Kennedy, Tara Subkoff)
New York In Girls (Byrdie Bell, Sabine Heller)
Truffle Mac and Cheese
Lily Donaldson
Too Much Wine. In a good way.

During supper we sat with Euan Rellie, who told us a great love story and then asked if we’d like a cigarette.

We don’t actually smoke, we said.

Come outside anyway, he answered.

We did and found Ellen Von Unwerth and Erin Fetherston snapping digital photos in the alley.

Back at the table, LeeLee Soblieski said, “I think when you meet someone whom you admire, you should tell them what you like about them. Don’t resent what they have, appreciate them, and also realize what you like and admire about yourself.”

In the bathroom, we decided we admired our ability to walk in four-inch Marc shoes and to talk with people who scare us.

But then we bumped into Julia R. R. wearing perfect white high waisted jeans, and wondered if we admired those more.

Jill Stuart made some rompers this season that reflamed the Would-You-Wear debate at the office, but we’re still laughing about this:

Before the show, Bijou Phillips arrived in a blue Jill Stuart sheath with buttons down the back. Nothing special, very nice, whatever.

Then Carmen Electra came into view, wearing the exact same dress.

Bijou quietly stood up, ran backstage, changed into another Jill Stuart dress - this one a little more like an ice skating costume, with a sparkled top and shredded flowed chiffon on the bottom - and promptly took her seat.

Fashion crisis averted.

Most fashion show sponsors express their love through the gift bag, but Saturday at ThreeAsFour sponsor Kate Spade offered something sweeter:

Free ice cream!

Kate commissioned her very own ice cream cart, complete with tiny piano and enthusiastic busker, which was parked outside and ready to serve as guests poured out of ThreeAsfour’s show.

The treats were particularly welcome considering the climate - Saturday’s heat was awful, and sometimes, being crammed into a Fashion Week venue was even worse.

No wonder we saw notoriously discreet editors digging into their edible swag.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

PS: Fashion Trivia from Faran - Kate Spade once worked at Haagen Daaz…

You will love this or hate this, and of course, we love it:

Leigh Lezark will walk for Henry Holland this season during London Fashion Week.

Meanwhile, her fellow MisShapes Greg and Geordon will DJ music for the show, and the three will be reunited for Jeremy Scott and Sophia Kokosalaki, where they’re also providing the music.

This is the first time Leigh has ever walked a runway, so if you’re in the audience, don’t make her laugh.

Or she’ll probably hunt you down and stab you with her freshly sharpened eyeliner.

Seriously.

There may be a bodice influence on the runways this season, but so far, the makeup rooms are all about one thing:

Eyelids streaked with shiny light colors, especially in the corners.

At Y-3, it was a hot pink gel smeared over the lids and under the lashes.

At DVF, it was a subtle shimmer that dotted the corners and the edges.

And at BCBG, it was a full on border of bright white cream, painted carefully along everyone’s lash line and worn with barely anything else on the face. Ben Cho repeated the trend in gold, and Erin Fetherston went one step further, coating her girls with white lids and white eyelashes.

Photos of the trend are below, and you can do it at home with some white eye cream from M.A.C or NARS, plus a makeup brush or - this is how I do it - a pointy Q-tip.

What was sort of funny about the Unruly Heir show:

That the British babes from Made in Heaven suggested we go check it out, and we did.

What the Unruly Heir people thought was funny about their show:

When they sent a boy down the runway with an exploding suitcase, which left prescription pills and a bag of pot on the runway.

What was really very funny about the Unruly Heir show:

That an editor from Men’s Vogue was there to see it.

Giggles all around.

Selling invitations for fashion week has reached a frenzy this week -

Everyone’s desperate to get their hands on a Marc Jacobs invite for tonight and two tickets for Zac were up on Friday for the reasonable price of $1500.

(Which begs the question - why don’t you just use the money to buy a dress from the designer if you love him so much?)

But this post on craigslist - “Surfing lessons for Fashion Week Ticket” - is our new favorite:

“I ll give you a surfing lesson for 2 tickets to fashion week, Hamptons or Rockaway”

So when you see Norma Kamali-clad fashion editors surfing at Fort Tilden and tan blondes in board shorts sitting front row at Marc by Marc, you’ll know what happened…

—ALISON COOL

Even if you missed the MTV VMA’s due to fashion week insanity, you probably already heard about Britney’s lackluster performance. We’re still pulling for you Britney, get it together!

But perhaps more surprising than Britney’s latest embarrassment was Lauren Conrad’s dress.

She looked better than we’ve ever seen her in an adorable 1960s style shift with a zig-zag silver pattern. And it’s from her clothing line - which will be available on her website on September 15.

We’ve never really thought of L.C. as a fashion icon, but we think she must have learned a lot at Teen Vogue. We hope the rest of the line is just as cute!

—ALISON COOL

According to Sunday’s Post, there’s a big stylistic difference between Manhattan hipsters and Brooklyn hipsters. It’s like The Warriors except with fashion and parties instead of gang wars.

“Trendy twenty-somethings of all boroughs used to gather together at parties and concerts. But the exploding Williamsburg live music scene, with an influx of new clubs and venues, means one doesn’t have to hop aboard the L train to get your cool fix.”