FORM’s installing their Spring Summer 09 colleciton at Bowery Boutique Eva starting tomorrow.

They’re part of a greater collection of local brands taking over the store to exhibit their most recent collection right before spring actually hits - hopefully. They’ll even have their Fall 09 collection on display, just a month post-runway.

The exibit will be up and running at the store for a bit but if you go to the launch party tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 you’ll get discounts on Spring Summer 09 and be able to pre-order Fall 09 - which means you can snag their perfect leather jacket as fast as OAK.

355 Bowery between 3rd and 4th Streets.

New York Fashion Week may have been sparse with retro hair and makeup looks, but that didn’t stop designers from having some serious nail nostalgia.

Ruffian, Thakoon, ThreeAsfour and FORM all went retro for their runway manicures, taking inspiration from a look featured in a 1936 issue of Vogue. The original look consisted of a coral nail bed and bare moon, but nail artists for CND updated the old idea using blacks, whites and reds for a look that was both classically mod and slightly futuristic.

But more importantly, would you wear it?

—MEGAN MCINTYRE

[IMAGES FROM CND]

It’s that time, kids. The Fashion Week schedule is making its way into our lives, and we can already spot some time slot duels:

On Friday, February 13th, Cushnie et Ochs is showing at the same time (4pm) as Shipley & Halmos (which is a presentation, but you only have until 5pm to get there, so if Cushnie starts late - hah! - you’re out of luck.) Then later that day at 8pm, Form and Lorick will have to compete for pretty young things’ attendance.

Then on Tuesday the 17th, advertiser-driven Badgley Mischka will have to contend with buzz-driven Sophie Theallet at 10am, and Phillip Lim may lose some seats to Carmen Marc Valvo the next day at 3pm.

Also of note: Even though plenty of small designers are nowhere to be seen for the Fall 09 shows, Hayden-Harnett is officially on the schedule with a 6pm presentation on Thursday the 19th, and ThreeAsfour, who usually hosts a pretty heart stopping show, has switched to presentation format (Valentine’s Day at 7pm, same as Elise Overland.)

Three weeks…

Like FORM? Love cocktails? Think a good sale should be on par with an event?

You’re in luck:

What: the FORM Fall 08 sample sale, one night only.

Where: 402 West Broadway, 2nd Floor (at Spring)

When: This Wednesday, October 22nd, 6 - 9pm.

Why: Because you’re dying for a good Fall sale, and what better way to find your winter coat than by shopping and drinking with friends?

RSVP to Jasmine at jasmine@williamsonpr.com.

Shop on.

Here’s an interesting fashion week tidbit - if you can handle any more -Tara Subkoff is playing artistic director for FORM’s Spring 09 show.

The actress/designer/party girl is in charge of the “feel, quality and experience” of the runway - so unless she’s picking the music and doing the lighting, we’re pretty sure artistic director is just fancy for stylist.

And to make things more interesting, Jerry Tam, the Project-Runway-rejected designer behind FORM, was one of Subkoff’s interns way back when Imitation of Christ was the coolest thing around. (The thought of one day bossing around our former bosses gives us a thrill).

As for the show, the collection’s inspired by the Rococco movement, which is a long way from Subkoff’s latest escapades at Bebe.

And we mean that in a good way.

We’ll always have a soft spot for Form. After all, theirs was the show at which we got caught in an elevator with Andre J at 9 am on a Saturday morning ,and you can’t really beat that.

We like their clothes, too.

So as if we need another excuse to shop, we’ll be heading over to their pop-up sample sale tomorrow. It’s conveniently located just blocks from our office at 170 Elizabeth St. between Kenmare and Spring.

The sale starts tomorrow and goes until August 10th from 12 to 7 pm and the clothes will be marked down by 80%.

We can’t promise Andre J will be there, but we can promise cute dresses you can wear to this fashion week, or to make your local dive bar fancier this weekend.

We’ll see you there - say hi!

Season 5 of Project Runway starts at 9 sharp on Wednesday. Needless to say, we’re just a tiny bit excited.

Because, really, what are they going to come up with this season? Not much will beat raiding the Hershey’s store and making dresses out of Twizzlers, wilting corn husks and beach chairs. Today Bravo announced the cast for PR5 and we’ve made a few predictions:

Jerry, a 32 year old from Montana, will be this season’s Daniel Franco - constantly be promoting his vision for his brand FORM.

Joe, a Parsons grad from way back, will try and pull the “I’ve been in the industry for 18 years” card as an excuse for being bossy.

Blayne, “Seattle’s Most Stylish Male”, will try and be Christian Siriano…and fail horribly.

Our guesses for the top three:

Emily, she worked for Jeremy Scott and we love him. Plus, she looks like she won’t take crap from the other contestants.

Wesley, because he’s young, cute and worked for Marc, which means he has real talent.

Leanne, she looks quiet and reserved but we’re guessing that means serious sewing skills and little drama.

Trust us on this one.

—KYLE HAYES

This morning we got stuck in the elevator at the New Museum.

We were claustrophobic and a little panicked, but admiring Andre J’s sequined turban. Thankfully, Carine’s covergirl took charge and rang the alarm.

Once in the Sky Room on the museum’s eighth floor, we were greeted with a sea of Wayfarers, a handful of bowler hats and Niki Taylor filming Make Me A Supermodel. But even with the celebrities and well-knowns in the room, it was Tyson Beckford whose entrance brought the noise level down to about a 2, and elicited an “Oh my god,” from Andre who was sitting to our right.

Oh, right. The clothes: Form’s A/W ‘08 collection was sculpted, “architecture inspired” and almost every hem was asymettrical; there were bias seams, one sleeved dresses and tights pulled over stockings (which were sort of awkward at the beginning but we sort of loved it by the end). And more of the hot pink we’ve been loving through this season’s runway swirl (even on lips!)

The clothes were eye-catching - but maybe a little hard to wear without a runway, pulsing techno and a 5’11” body to drape it onto.

Other runway sightings: Snoods, muffs and a cross between a ponytail and a pompadour with a single, super long purplish-black extension stuck in the middle.

Leven Ramblin loved it, and we love her. But when the elevator got stuck again after the show ended, she yelled, “All the fatties have to get off!”

We hope she was joking…

New venues always attract old crowds, and the New Museum on the Bowery is no exception:

Following its star-crammed opening hosted by Calvin Klein (and sealed with Martha Stewart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Ashley Olsen), the museum hosts a fete next week for Banana Republic and their favorite fashion editors.

Then it’s time for FORM to showcase their latest collection in the museum’s Skybox, which provides an insane view of the city skyscape, as seen from downtown.

And finally?

Lutz + Patmos will host their Fall ‘08 cashmere presentation, which usually lures Carine Roitfeld as well as various celluloid darlings like Liv Tyler and Julianne Moore.

This time around, another starlet is slated to attend, but for once, we can’t tell.

Can you?