To the Malandrino PR peeps: There was really no need for all that yelling and stress outside, seeing as how it was a presentation where we could walk around at our own pace. Fash Week brings enough dumb stress on its own…no need to add to it without reason.

Once I got inside though, everything got tribal, in a clothing way. There were multiple sets of models in various patterns ranging from striped neutrals to loud purple and embroidered black. I must say that I really liked a number of the pieces that each tableau had to offer, even though I found it all a bit unexpected.

And I would like to thank Catherine et al for not using a massive group of really pale, white girls. Seriously. Also, if you guys happen to make a larger version of that purple one shoulder dress, I would be happy to take that off your hands. That is all.

Don’t get me wrong, New York is the best city in the world as far as I’m concerned. That’s why I had to move back after a couple of years in SoCal. But Los Angeles has things like temperate weather, hiking Runyon and Topanga, ridiculous Mexican food, Coffee Bean, and In-N-Out that I miss on a regular basis.

They also have Jenn Ripley’s Archive Agency - basically a fashion lover’s mecca in the heart of Larchmont Village. Jenn puts together an amazing collection of designer pieces (often exclusive, based on her industry relationships with showrooms, designers, and even factories) that she sells out of her loft. She often holds weekend sales open to anyone, but her most frequent visitors during the week are stylists (personal and wardrobe), professional shoppers and agency types searching for the perfect item for a client.

We’ve made it abundantly clear that we love Montauk and Mr. Mickey.

And this Sunday the 5th, the two shall come together for the Paper mag editor’s second annual Celebrity Sidewalk Sale at Screaming Mimi’s.

The shindig is co-hosted by Peter Davis, Charlotte Ronson, and Emma Snowdon-Jones and will feature loads of merch from people like Catherine Malandrino, Julia Frakes, and Lynn Yaeger.

Plus, the money goes to charity:water which builds freshwater wells in developing countries. We actually had no idea that it only takes about $5000 to give water to a whole village for 20 years!

So shop away, friends. We just wish we were going to be out east too. But ‘tis wedding season and we’re off to another one in Ann Arbor come Friday.

Girl Crush: We’ve had a major one on Kim Gordon since our days of reading Sassy. Time and this video have only made our hearts grow fonder. {Style}

Winner!: My soccer team won its championship game last week and I took home what I though was a pretty kick ass trophy for Brooklyn co-ed soccer. But it would not impress this art director. {TheMoment}

In Memoriam: Alexander McQueen’s sequined Isabella Blow dress is going for $1098 - it was originally $7390. {Gilt}

I Wanna Be a Supermodel: But I never will be. So if you think you can, you should probably apply to Elite Chicago’s online modeling competition. {Elite}

Catherine Malandrino Logs On: The designer and Make Me a Supermodel judge has a new website. It’s really colorful and pretty, just like her clothes. There’s a shopping section now, too. {CatherineMalandrino}

Catherine Malandrino must have thought her designs needed a little extra oomph this season.

Her Spring ‘08 lookbook features her usual assortment of flirty dresses, except this time with a strange twist- the mannequins wearing them are positioned in front of wind machines.

Such drama producing techniques are generally reserved for the cheesiest of photo shoots. You’ve seen their effects on America’s Next Top Model, in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit editions and Mariah Carey’s fragrance commercials. But this is the first time we’ve ever seen them in a lookbook.

The result is a bit disorienting. We can see the photographer putting the wind machine in front of the bald, shiny mannequins, and saying things like, “Less wind! More attitude!”

No, I didn’t go back and buy the Marc dress (sigh), but I did score something else that’s equally exciting, if not as glamorous:

This coat from Catherine Malandrino’s Spring ‘07 collection.

It was in her boutique for about $600, but TJ Maxx knocked it down to $200, but nobody bought it (which we can sort of understand - a canvas coat with three-quarter puff sleeves and military closures isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world to wear).

I pulled it from a hunching hanger in the back of the clearance rack - weirdly, it was in the “Cocktail Dresses” section, and even more unexpected: It cost $120 with tax!

Now I have an excuse to buy some long scrunchy gloves - they’ll look great with a cropped sleeve.

—FARAN

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

When we’re in a funk, we go shopping for dresses.

When Esprit is having a bad day, they go shopping for entire companies. So which one will they buy?

Bloomberg News announced today that the famous sweatshirt company is hunting for a luxury brand. Even though they sell loads of sportswear to Germany and the rest of Europe, they know they’ve got nothing on TopShop, H&M, or even The Gap in terms of style cred.

Their hope is to find a company that makes Esprit look better to designers and fashion folk who might, eventually, pair with the line. Says their president, “I would like to integrate such a brand as a better sister of Esprit and as a role model to access good designers who normally wouldn’t want to work for Esprit.”

Okay, so who should be the cool kid that Esprit wants to be? And - more important - who’s a small luxury brand that would be happy with a huge company as a new parent?

We know the Proenza boys were in talks with overseas buyers this Spring, and their Target collection showed they can do mass appeal. They might also like the retro kitsch of Esprit sweatshirts, even though Esprit’s current line is… well, it’s icky. They needed Jack and Laz like, yesterday.

Other picks for a pairing: Esprit and Phillip Lim. Esprit and Luella. Esprit and Catherine Malandrino.

Esprit and _______?

This week, Jeffrey Sebelia showed his first collection since winning Project Runway.

Now the question is, does anyone care?

Project Runway was the highest rated show on cable the season that Jeffrey won. But a recent New York Magazine article showed he hadn’t made any real money, or seen a true upsurge in clothing orders, since his highly public triumph.

As for his latest collection, it’s fine; it’s fun - lots of jersey, lots of jeans.

But our money is still on Alison Kelly, the Brookyln hipster kicked off too early, and the only Project Runway contestant to be sold alongside Marc Jacobs and Catherine Malandrino so far - her stuff is for sale exclusively at ShopBop.

A full report of Heatherette’s backstage madness is coming, we promise. But while we shake the glitter out of our hair and recover, why don’t you play this petit pop quiz:

Heatherette maven Mack Dugan is selecting this dress for…

a) Paris Hilton
b) Britney Spears
c) Lauren Conrad
d) The boyfriend of Lance Bass

Stay tuned for the details… right now we have to sneak backstage at Catherine Malandrino. Meanwhile, prep yourself by watching the whole show, including baby ballerinas and bare asses, on NY Mag.