Things we saw at the Sony party last night:

1. Models made up like drag queens forced to walk with their wrists bent and their hands flicked, posing on the stairs with their Sony mini-laptops.

2. Bunny Bisous, looking adorable.

3. Mickey Boardman, wearing his Mardi Gras flare and making sex jokes whenever he wants to move on.

4. Ben Cho, DJing.

5. The designers’ (Katy Rodriguez, ThreeAsfour, Libertine, etc) custom-made outfits in the windows outside.

6. The very first Fall 09 YSL Manifesto in Manhattan, proudly touted by Faran.

7. Cosmopolitans like it’s 2004.

8. Music like it’s 1984.

One night down - too many to go…

Showroom Seven did what every smart showroom should do - open a retail space, Beyond 7, underneath their offices at 27th and 11th to sell the designers they represent.

The store, which opened a little over a month ago, houses lucite racks hanging with Tony Cohen, Issa, Benjamin Cho, Andy & Debb, Jillian Lewis, Elise Overland (they might not rep her, but they still love her) and of course walls and walls of Erickson Beamon jewelry (Showroom Seven was founded by Karen Erickson, Erickson Beamon’s designer).

The best part, aside from the rare guitars, are the one-of-a-kind pieces their designers make just for this space. As in, you can buy a dress by someone who sells everywhere but still be the only one wearing it. And if you’re lucky, one of the major stylists and personal shoppers who spend their days pulling from Showroom Seven will be around for an honest opinion.

Given the abundance of galleries in the neighborhood, they’re doing their best to embrace the arty side of fashion with rotating exhibits, book readings and dance performances.

Also, Seventh House is going forward with nine whole runway shows which gives us confidence that somewhere out there some people are ok.

**sent in by a reader - good looking out!

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

Looks like the runways have taken a cue from Balenciaga’s florals- they’ve blossomed even bigger at Marchesa, Blumarine, and Benjamin Cho for Fall. Now we have an urge to go home and watch the Secret Garden…

—JAZZI McGILBERT

Today in The Times, Ruth La Ferla explores all the faux tattoos in fashion spreads the day after we did, and now we can tell you something else:

Those faux tattoos getting spray-brushed on Ben Cho’s models for his upcoming Fashion Show?

They’re being made by Temptu, the same artists who did the skin work on that massive Italian Vogue spread.

And now you know.

(Cue NBC Saturday Morning music…)

We hear the body painting trend has gone beyond international Vogue spreads:

Ben Cho has hired a crew of air brushers to paint his models before they hit the runway for his Fall ‘08 show.

We’ll try to be backstage taking photos of the color war, and we desperately hope Lara Stone’s in the lineup -

After all, she’s the expert on how to look good painted.

Whether this catwalk trend will translate into any actual style choices is somewhat doubtful, but as long as nobody’s spraying themselves with an orange “suntan” shade, we’ll support anyone’s curiosity to experiment the look come Spring.

Hint: start with soap crayons, and work your way up…

At 3 am, several months ago, I sat in a basement with Benjamin Cho. He told me his mother is an opera singer, and he grew up doing musical theater. So did I.

We discussed how “uncool” it is to admit, in certain circles of New York, in our circle of New York, how much we love show tunes.

Then we traded favorite songs.

Our connection was Jesus Christ Superstar, which we both adore.

Fast forward from Benjamin Cho to Benjamin’s show, which boasted Chloe Sevigny and Tara Subkoff in the front row, plus the Proenza Schouler boys.

Ben showed some cropped jackets with angular sleeves and button shoulders. You could actually wear them uptown. With jeans. Even in other states.

That’s sort of a trend this season - the emerging designers reigning the kook factor and luring bigger business. Erin Fetherston capped her poofs and Rodarte made some really incredible pants that actually fit the models.

Last year, Ben sent huge plexiglass hearts and displays of knit wit down the runway, and we swooned - but those jackets felt more solid, and also a series ribbed necklines that looked like window-blinds opened on skin.

There was a rope motif we didn’t get, and some Converse sneakers that looked like Muk-a-Luk boots that we would get if they were on sale.

At the end of the show, all the models came out and the music blared. It was the song “Everything’s Alright” from Jesus Christ Superstar, the original cast recording.

I started laughing and got a stern look from Olivier Zham, the editor-in-chief of Purple magazine.

Outside the Soho Grand, I spoke with Cathy Horyn about blogs, and the challenge of balancing what goes into a newspaper with what goes up - immediately - online.

The DJ Mike Nouveau drove me home on his Vespa. I was in a minidress and felt vaguely like I would die as we sped down Houston, too fast. It was the most fun I’ve had all week.

—FARAN

Our favorite word from LA:

Benjamin Cho has signed on to do a larger line with Thrive, a California label fronted by stylist Johnny Wujek.

You may remember Johnny as the cute guy who may have stolen Mischa Barton away from Brandon Davis, but we remember him for his topless website.

Images of their new collaboration haven’t been released, but obviously, this is now a brand to watch - and an encouraging piece of gossip, since Ben Cho is too good a designer to not be doing more accessible (read: slightly cheaper) clothes.

Stay tuned…

Our new favorite Swedish jewelry designers are Ida Forss and Kajsa Oberg, the ladies behind Stockholm’s Dada’s Diamonds.

(We also love Viveka Bergström, but she lives in Paris now…).

There are some really great pieces in their Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired collection, but our favorite necklace comes from their “That’s Amore� line.

The motif of the necklace is a pair of hands clutching a heart, but look closely: The hands are actually the clasp that go on the back of the necklace!

The piece seems like a much easier way to add a dash of Dada into your wardrobe than, say, the surrealist hand dress from Benjamin Cho’s recent fall/winter collection.

Not that we wouldn’t take that, too…

—ALISON COOL

Women’s Wear Daily reports that Chloe Sevigny is the new face of Chloe fragrances.

The actress has previous modeling experience as the face of M.A.C Viva Glam, the muse for Imitation of Christ, and the roller skating babe who preceded Kate Moss in those cute / totally weird ads for Chic Blesk Krasota. She also modeled for us with Liz Goldwyn at the Benjamin Cho show this Fall (and there’s the photo at left)!

We think Chloe is a perfect fit for Chloe, and we’re also having huge fun thinking of more brand synergies.

Like… Reese Witherspoon is obviously a Nina Ricci hit, but wouldn’t it be more fun if Christina Ricci wore Nina Ricci?

And if model Erin Heatherton became the face of Erin Featherston?

You guys are awfully good at these games… who else should go together?

The Gawker game is on again, and this time here’s the challenge: explain why Fur Trapper Hats are the hot new thing. Weirdly, the Fashionista team was wondering about this last night - not only were the hats all over the streets, we actually spotted them on the runway at Charlotte Ronson and Luella!

Why are the hats a big deal? Fashionista explores…

Anna K, Model (pictured backstage at Benjamin Cho, in her own clothes): I love my hat! I am from Ukraine, and there everybody wears them on the street. Here it is more a fashion thing, but in Russia, it is like a baseball hat - we wear them to keep our heads warm.

Suzanne Karotkin, Harper’s Bazaar fashion editor: It’s fun to be colorful and sporty, especially with so much black and gray at the shows. My hat makes me feel a bit like I’m in Aspen, on some fabulous vacation… not freezing and in New York!

Kwesi Blair, professional trendspotter, Robert Burke & Associates: The hats are for warmth, mainly, but the look itself came from the Russian military trend on the runways.

Fashionista adds: It’s true - for Fall ‘05, the “kept Russian mistress” look was huge - Gaultier, Costume National, Anna Sui, and Michael Kors all embraced giant fur hats on the catwalk. Last year, Emporio Armani and Malo kept the trend going, and now it hits the streets (and the runways again) in a more wearable form.

Also, it’s below freezing outside - those fur trapper hats are amazing at blocking wind, though wearing fur is a personal choice, and Fashionista prefers the faux version we got at a T.J. Maxx in New Hampshire, made with Polar Fleece.

Click below for more Trapper Hat images…