We can’t really think of two nicer or more fun (not to mention talented) people to work for than Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra. They work on every last bit of the process themselves and they’re looking for some intern help.

The duo would prefer that you have a little experience but it’s not required. They told us they just want someone who’s a hard worker and can commit to two or three days a week. You need to be willing to run errands, interact with the factory, and take care of some of the minor office duties.

Email your resumes and cover letters to info@jcrt.net and know that if you’re hired, you’ll learn lots and have a very good time doing it.

1. I love Robert and Jeffrey.

2. Loeffler Randall’s runway debut is super exciting. Their resort booties pair perfectly with the drapey cocktail dresses. (And you can order them now, even though they don’t launch until late next month.)

3. Starworks has their shit together. If they can stay calm, I can stay calm.

4. These dresses represent what these guys do best - make any woman’s body look amazing. One can never have too many neutral, draped, pretty cocktail dresses.

5. Best use yet of Swarovski sponsorship, love the bejeweled collars.

6. Um, hi Anne V. your body is sick.

Here’s something we never do - the answer to last week’s tent-to-salon blind item was Zac Posen.

But it’s not anymore because KCD’s request form (where you list the shows you’d like to attend next to their time and place) says that Zac’s show will be held at the Altman building - a popular albeit small Fashion Week venue that’s played host to Costello Tagliapietra, Charlotte Ronson and Sophie Theallet in the past.

This is strange because

a) It’s small.
b) Zac was one of the major designers IMG’d managed to hold on to.
c) Zac’s shows ooze glamour, which the Altman building does not.

Good thing his dresses are spectacular enough to make up for it.

The first solid details on the tentatively titled MAC at Milk shows we’ve been talking about since the cosmetics company decided to end its partnership with IMG leaving Maybelline to jump in as the official makeup sponsor at Bryant Park.

And the initial list of designers signed on for events at Milk Studios is very, very strong: Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, Peter Som, Threeasfour, Vena Cava, Band of Outsiders, Adam Lippes, Altuzarra, Barbara Tfank, Costello Tagliapietra, Erin Fetherston, Pamela Love, Preen and Temperley London.

I spent a rainy afternoon hanging out with Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra in their Brooklyn studio.

The boys, who’ve been working, living, breathing together for over fifteen years without ever fighting - they swear - live and work in a warmly decorated brownstone with their lovable bulldog Sammy.

We listened to their i-pod shuffle and talked about when Madonna lived across the hall and what happened when Vogue called. I tried to get Jeffrey to talk, but he’s shy and Sammy’s barks were more than willing to fill in.

The two of them do everything - from sewing their samples to filling their own orders to casting their own shows and love every minute of it. If you’re wondering just how much work that is, read on.

We know it’s going to be a good show when Meredith Melling-Burke’s sitting front row with a sixteen ounce bottle of Bud and the back row is filled with burly, jovial plaid, bow-tie and suspender-wearing men cheering on their good friends Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra.

The interns wore Bud tees as promised but the models wore very pretty, very Joan Holloway dresses (I know this is my second Mad Men reference in as many days but these collections are grown up, conservative and made for the sexiest girls in the most demure offices). The boys built some beautiful wool shifts, with a few cut outs, some ruching and draping and accessorized them with seriously chunky rhinestoned necklaces.

We’d wear those tightly nipped waists every day - if only we didn’t love beer so much.

True story:

After we learned that McDonald’s was the new “official coffee” of New York Fashion Week instead of the usual Lavazza or Starbucks, Natalie said, “So, tomorrow they’ll announce the Budweiser open bar, right?”

Which doesn’t make us snobs - it makes us really excited that the tents are turning into a giant frat party complete with cheap beer and hangover food.

Sure enough, Budweiser’s the official sponsor of Costello Tagliapietra, which is kind of the most amazing pairing ever because the boys are so burly, their clothes are so girly and their show is already kind of like a party. Oh, and also the interns will be running around in actual Budweiser tees.

So when we see Agyness drinking Bud backstage, we absolutely promise to take pictures.

We used to love comparing all the Fashion Week invitations that come in right before the big Month, but that’s gotten a lot harder this season because of one tiny detail - A lot of designers aren’t sending out invitations in the mail anymore.

So far, Behnaz Sarafpour, Costello Tagliapietra and (our usual invite favorite - at left is their Spring 09) Band of Outsiders have all opted for e-mail only invitations this season, surely a sign of the economic times but also what the upcoming Fashion Week is looking like (fewer parties and cardstock invitations - probably less drink.)

On the bright side, this could be taken as an exercise in green - we’re just waiting for a clever e-vite, and then we’ll believe that’s the case.

If you’re not familiar with Absolutely Fabulous, get thee to Amazon.com.

The British sitcom ran on and off from 1992 to 2005. It stars Patsy (Joanna Lumley) and Edina (Jennifer Saunders), a washed up model and a wannabe PR dame who spend almost the entire series drunk, stoned and decked out in the loudest Moschino and tightest maybe-Alaia they can find.

Patsy and Edina’s fashion obsession led to an insane roster of guest stars including Lacroix, Zandra Rhodes, Gaultier, Erin O’Connor, Twiggy and even Naomi Campbell.

So, we’re kind of jumping for joy that Fox confirmed they’ve picked up the re-make and will debut it later this year (Saunders, the original Edina, has signed on as Executive Producer). This means fashion, fashion, fashion on TV in the form of a killer costume department and hopefully some major guest stars.

Because while Victoria Beckham on TV is fun, a Patsy and Edina meet the Costello boys meet Jourdan Dunn would be life-changing.

The Costello Tagliapietra show had three false starts before Agyness finally took to the catwalk almost fifty minutes past start time.

It was the first show we’d seen her walk in this season and she was looking a little rough. Thank goodness Henry Holland was sitting front and center for moral support.

She wore a drapey silver dress and some serious bondage jewelry courtesy of Philip Crangi (more on that at TeenVogue.com). The looks that followed were of a similar aesthetic but with brighter colors (sometimes even patterns), nipped in waists, and tailored skirts. Naughty secretary seemed to be the theme, though it was a bit overdone with the leather caps - think Mad Men’s Joan Holloway if she was alive today, and real.

Manolo Blahnik provided silver-tipped stiletto platforms and Jourdan Dunn was the only one who could walk in them. There was an inordinate amount of stumbling, tripping, stomping, walking the wrong direction on the runway. But it’s supposed to be about the clothes and those were, of course, gorgeous.

We just wish we’d gotten an anchor tatoo on our way out, too.

(Side note on the front row: Quite a few flip-flops, and even a couple pairs of Birkenstocks. Guess it was just a little too early in the day.)

We ended up smack in the middle of the Vogue clique again at Costello Tagliapietra yesterday.

We stared at Leigh Lezark’s pink and black lace dress, but listened to Meredith Melling Burke tell Kathryn Neale Shaffer that she has to root for the Patriots, “I’m from Boston!” she explained.

Superbowl talk?

There couldn’t have been a subject more irrelevant to the ladylike clothes Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra sent down the runway. The boys stuck to a monochromatic palette, experimenting with contrasting fabrics and textures instead, showing ombre skirts and heathered jersey layers.

Almost every model’s head was topped with a floppy Minnie Mouse bow (how Blair,) that would make anyone giggle off the runway and that contrasted with the elbow length gloves and the otherwise vampy theme.

The show opened with Under Pressure, which elicited a giggle from the crowd, but hopefully the designers relaxed after hearing the oohs and ahhs throughout their show and witnessing a much deserved standing ovation.

If you step into the studio of any major fashion designer, you’ll probably find yourself distracted from the clothes because you’ll be checking out the design assistants. While it’s certainly not required that employees should be attractive, hiply-coiffed, skinny, and obsessively stylish, it’s not hard to pick out someone who “works in fashion” from the crowd.

But today’s New York Observer points out a growing trend - the “design bears.” Increasingly, bearded, beefy, plaid-loving gay men are joining the ranks of the slim and effete in the world of fashion design.

The article identifies Rob Seroka at RSRV, Robert Tagliapietra of Costello Tagliapietra, and stylist/designer Patrik Rzepski (who works with Sienna Miller and Maggie Gyllenhaal) as fashion “design bears,” pointing out that their lumberjack-inspired personal style and appearance doesn’t stand in the way of creating delicate and dainty womenswear designs.

We think this is great, but we also wonder if the fashion world is as accepting of women who don’t conform to the typical tall/thin/impeccably chic mold.

At least now we know why everyone wears plaid this season!

—ALISON COOL

Memo to cosmetics counters:

If last night’s Costello Tagliapietra show is any indication, you will soon sell out of your spring colors.

We know because a little NARS bag with eyeshadow samples was left on every seat, though well before the show we noticed a few poorly behaved crashers - and we’ll add poorly dressed, though fine, that’s mean - swiping each makeup bag as their own.

We dismissed the behavior as limited to Fashion Week kleptos - you know, those people who scoot from show to show and carry ten goody bags with them?

But it turns out, no.

We witnessed fashion editors discretely sweeping the NARS palettes into their bags. The girl behind us stole ours when we got up to greet a friend. And to our left, Molly Sims quietly slipped her own goody bag into her larger purse -

We wonder if she’s finally exhausted her Cover Girl supply?