Yesterday afternoon MAC’s John Demsey and Milk’s Mazdack Rassi hosted a panel discussion for Parsons and FIT students in the studio that was the site of so many shows this past week.

First, let us just say kudos to the two. MAC & Milk was a huge success in my opinion. It was such a more serene atmosphere than the agita-inducing tents. The staff was incredibly helpful. PR people told us it was drama-free and easy to stage their shows and presentations. There were no nightmarish elevator or temperature situations (two of our big concerns). My only real complaint was the patchy internet service I sometimes got inside on the second floor. A girl’s gotta Tweet!! But all in all, it was a job very, very well done. Let’s do it again in February!

Back to yesterday’s interesting panel, moderated by the hilarious Suzy Menkes and including Rassi, Jack & Lazaro, Humberto Leon and Caral Lim from Opening Ceremony, Parsons Dean of Fashion Simon Collins, and Alexander Wang.

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.

This week of fashion parties continued with last night’s celebration of Ruffian’s new book, Ruffian Inside Out.

Though the book, written by Style.com’s Executive Editor Nicole Phelps, officially launched in April, we’ve been loving it since their AW09 show in February. Jamie Isaia’s photographs of Brian Wolk and Claude Morais are basically fashion porn.

Thus the party was a celebration not just of the book, but of the talented designers themselves. John Demsey, Group President of Estée Lauder, played host, even offering up his own home for the night and we spotted everyone from Simon Doonan and Rachel Roy to MAC ûber makeup artist James Kaliardos.

MAC has a special relationship with the brand and the book — they created a limited edition, just-for-Fashion-Week, not sold in stores lipstick shade for the Fall 2009 show called Ruffian Red, (which Britt obsessively rocked throughout Fashion month) that they so generously handed out again last night.

I also got a sneak peek at those fabulous Jin Soon-created polishes we mentioned last month and I can tell you, judging by the gorgeous orchid shade I saw, the collection is going to be fantastic.

—MEGAN MCINTYRE