You know what makes a Dries Van Noten show even better than it’ll inevitably be?

Sitting on Lynn Yaeger’s lap. It’s also the secret to half decent pictures.

While the rest of the Vogue-ttes squeezed into a corner, we perched almost atop the runway in a most precarious position to watch Dries send out his mega-luxe but semi-incognito spring collection.

The designer’s clearly picturing his customer skipping from Bali to Bangkok to dinner in Saint Tropez wrapped in sumptuous fabrics and sarong-type dresses absolutely dripping in jewels. With his usual mash up of patterns and prints and colors, he awoke from his subdued fall collection with a woman who could handle color and luxury and copious amounts of far eastern vacation.

His clothes, though, are so grown up they almost look walking down the runway on sixteen-year-old boy bodies — maybe he can cause the curvy stir next season?

—REBECCA SUHRAWARDI AUSTIN

Models in the BK: I’m fairly obsessed with Abbey Lee Kershaw, even though I think she spells her name wrong. Plus she likes watching fireflies in Prospect Park, which I also find to be quite lovely. {W}

The Results Are Almost In: McKinsey’s wrapping up their work over at 4 Times Square. Sounds like the photo departments and maybe Details could be in for some bad news. {Gawker}

Congrats Dries: Van Noten is being honored right now at the by FIT’s Couture Council at a benefit luncheon. He is also not opposed to dressing Britney Spears for a tour. Who knew? {The Moment}

TheOutNet has some new competition.

Browns, the British department store that is kind of like a physical incarnation of Net-a-Porter, just launched a new website called “Labels For Less.” The site offers last season’s merchandise (the good stuff) from both Browns and Browns Focus at pretty severe discounts - up to 70% off.

“I can try the clothes on myself.…The feeling, the comfort and the pleasure of wearing some pieces, for the feeling that it gives to you, it’s very important. Even when something is too small for me, I put it on anyway just to touch the fabric.” —Dries Van Noten in WWD on the best part of designing men’s versus women’s wear. (Though we don’t believe he can resist trying on his spectacular women’s clothes.)

I’ve been carrying around a zippered Y-3 wallet under my arm for a week, and suddenly, life is easier. I grab everything I need, all at once on my way out the door, which is too much to fit into a pocket-sized wallet.

So I’m particularly delighted with the newest unexpected twist from this season’s menswear runways - the introduction of clutches to men’s wardrobes.

If you think about it, it’s really not far-fetched. Men carry briefcases and portfolios, which are just as hard to carry as a clutch. So why not switch out an attaché case for a sleek Marni envelope? Plus, these days, we’re carrying cell phones, wallets, Blackberries, keys and a bajillion other things. A giant messenger bag isn’t always a convenient, or appropriate, accessory for a night out.

Dries Van Noten’s zippered patent leather option is pretty basic without adding too many buckles or other distractions we’re sure most guys wouldn’t approve of. We love the blood red Ferragamo, left - it’s big but not annoying.

We bet Marc will be next in line with some playful clutches, since he’s obviously a fan of them himself.

The only problem? Keeping your girlfriend’s hands off them.

—KYLE HAYES

We’ve been avoiding the MOMA store on Spring St. because we can’t go in and out without buying a piece of really amazing jewelry.

But we have little self control when it comes to shopping so we’ll be heading there after work for this Murano glass bubble necklace by Marina and Susanna Sent.

The artists, who grew up in a family of Venetian glass blowers, strung the lightweight glass balls on a thick white rope to create one of the most perfect summer necklaces we’ve ever seen.

Will pair with a strapless dress, layer with lapis beads over a white t-shirt a la Dries, and wear it pretty much every day for the next three months.

We might even blow some pink Bubble Yum for extra effect.

If it walks down a Dries van Noten runway, there’s a good chance we want it. Like, really really badly. The arm cuffs for Spring 08 were no exception. And since safety pins are a little more in our price range, we took to the craft store for this one (and added our own creative flare too)!

What You’ll Need:
- Size 0 Safety Pins (about 80 per bracelet)
- Beads (Bugle and Seed)
- Elastic Beading Cord (2 ft per bracelet)
- Pliers
- Any other Sequins, Trim, and Notions

If you get lazy like us, add:
- Hot Glue Gun
- Elastic Band

—JAZZI McGILBERT

There are several reasons to admire the bold spirit of Atoosa Rubenstein, the CosmoGirl! founder and Seventeen editor-in-chief who stepped down last year to create her own network of young and restless female leaders.

Besides her business sense - which is insanely keen - we also dig her startling Dries Van Noten dress and her greeting at last night’s party - “Fashionista, I love how you’re teaching the young Alpha Kitties of tomorrow!”

We love it too, but we also love the little rainbows on Atoosa.com - will they ever lead to something more?

“I think there’s this misconception that I’m starting a web magazine,” she told us.

“But that’s not really it! Though maybe there will be some video programs that we start playing with.”

Innnnteresting.

Stay tuned.

It’s crazy, it’s overwhelming, it makes you want to scream…

It’s the Barneys Warehouse Sale.

But is it worth braving the insanity?

We did this morning, and you should too, if:

-You really wanted a pair of those satin cap-toe platforms Lindsay wore in the Miu Miu ads. There are lots, and they’re marked down to $235.

-You need a pair of pants for work. There are piles of basic black, white, and tan slacks from Jil Sander and Balenciaga in the $130-300 range.

-You really like Sophia Kokosalaki, or the line she designed for Vionnet, as Sophia has surpassed Alber Elbaz this year as the designer most represented on the sale racks. But be willing to shell out for it, since most of the pieces are still a few thousand dollars - and not that nice!

-You’re a tall girl who wants heels (there are lots of great pumps in sizes nine and ten), or a short girl who wants flats (there are lots of cute ones in size six and seven). If you want cheap designer shoes, there’s no in-between.

-You really loved those Louboutin espadrilles Sarah showed you yesterday - they’re heeeere.

-You do modern dance, and you want a Marc by Marc unitard - they’re everywhere.

-You like Dries van Noten and you like spangles.

There’s also the usual clutch of DVF dresses (some nice Vena Cava, too), mountains of Loomstate hoodies, a lonely feathered Giles gown, tons of Rick Owens tube tops ($50), and lots of great stuff from Balenciaga’s capsule collections (Knits, Silk, Pants).

I picked up a Balenciaga shell ($99) and pants ($138)…

But all I really want to put on are my pajamas. I think I need a nap.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS

How do you pronounce Gareth Pugh, anyway?

You asked and Faran answered (Pugh is said like pew), and then we thought - designers are difficult, and maybe we need a cheat sheet - or else face the fate that Faran once witnessed, when a fashion director heard a potential assistant say “Ralph Lauren” and never asked them back.

For designers with French names, remember that in Francais you say “er” as “ay” so: Gaulti-ay is a couturi-ay.

In French you don’t pronounce the “s” at the end of a word, so Comme des Garcons is com day gar-sohn, Yves is Eve, Hermes is air-maze (you don’t say the first h at the beginning of a French word), and Rochas was Ro-sha.

And:

Abaete is ah-bye-ah-tay.
It’s Caro-leena Herrera, not Caro-lie-na Herrara.
Nicolas Ghesquiere is Ni-co-la Guess-key-air
Givenchy is jhee-von-shee
Ralph Lauren, like the girl’s name!
Monique Lhuillier is Monique L’oo-li-ay
Christian Louboutin is Christian (with a light n) Loo-boo-tahn
Marchesa is Mar-kay-sa,
Moschino is Mo-ski-no, not moschino like the cherry
Dries van Noten is pronounced Dree-s
Raf Simons is Raff See-mon
Hedi Slimane is Eddy Sli-mahn
Olivier Theyskens is Olivi-ay Tay-skins

Now: can anyone who speaks Japanese tell me how to say Rei Kawakubo? Thanks.

—ANNA FIELDING GRIGGS