To be honest, I’d pretty much forgotten that Kanye West was going to do his own line, Pastelle. But apparently it’s finally arrived.

At this point, the man’s ego and mouth pretty much overshadow any professional endeavor he takes on. In spite of myself, I still love his music, but that’s about it—well, when he doesn’t use auto-tune, that is. Does anyone out there care about what this front row fixture has to bring to the design table? Because there’s certainly nothing super exciting in the pictures online.

And actually I’m more surprised that there wasn’t some massive publicity campaign surrounding the launch. I just happened up on the story on MTV.com. Did Kanye really decide to stop talking now? Weird.

Alexis Phifer, ex-girlfriend of Kanye West and designer of the label Ghita, sat next to me today at Collette Dinnigan.

And though my job is to watch the clothes, I couldn’t help but notice her nails. They were both shaped into points and French manicured. Not just any French manicure though - she was being whisked away when she agreed to pose for this shot and the light kind of blinds the fact that the tips are actually the lightest shade of pistachio and separated from the rest of the nail with a thin silver line.

I always wondered what pointy nails would look like, and well, now I know. As for the clothes, people started leaving mid-show. And those who didn’t leave mid-show left during the finale, which was quite rude, even if Louis Vuitton was starting on time across the street.

—REBECCA SUHRAWARDI AUSTIN

1. Mickey Rourke, sipping on a Diet Coke and being swarmed by the press. The Wrestler was really, really good and I’m so glad he got his career back, but I still don’t get why he keeps popping up at fashion events. Also, I wish he was still super hot—like 9 1/2 Weeks hot.

2. Kelly Rowland and Tinsley were like fast front row friends. What were they talking about? Beyoncé’s embarrassment over that idiotic Kanye incident? European royalty and how to marry a prince? Career advice?

3. Gold medal gymnast Nastia Liukin being awkwardly ignored by most of the media while fidgeting in her front row seat. Does our country really care more about the Tinz than a world class athlete? Not that I really care what Nastia has to say about clothes…but it’s still kind of a sad state of affairs.

4. Lucy Liu, who I hope will get a new project soon so that I can finally cleanse my palette of that hideous Cashmere Mafia. Because I used to really like Lucy Liu.

5. Lots of neutrals and black. Lots of cut-outs. Lots of slashes in dresses. Lots of skin showing in patches. Lots of reasons for me to motivate to get to Bikram.

The new Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye tune is definitely my new jam. I’ve been listening to it on repeat all week long. And now I’m officially obsessed with the video. And you know how much we love Rihanna around here, and as usual she looks amazing.

Stylistically, it’s very urban Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. The major sartorial theme seems to be covering up, with blacked out sunglasses, hoodies, bandanas, hats. But what really caught my eye is this hat with the netting over Rihanna’s eyes. It’s like a little touch of Parisian chic thrown into this really rough setting. Like much of what Riri wears, I don’t think I could really pull it off, though if I tried, I’m thinking evening with a LBD.

Also of note, her wicked long pointy nails and serious finger jewelry. Practical? No. Sexy? In their own deadly way, yes.

Plus Jay-Z namechecks Margiela. And that’s pretty awesome too.

No, No, and No: I am incredibly opposed to jean on jean. I will never be convinced otherwise. Brit Brit and JT scarred me for life. Kanye on Idol this season did not help the cause. {Grazia}

Does This Make You Smile? We’re not exactly sure why Lily Allen is designing jewelry. But we’ll reserve judgment until we see pictures of the whole collection on Monday. {Vogue UK}

Over and Done: Kiefer’s in the clear as the charges against him for headbutting Jack M. are dropped. We just hope he doesn’t cause any more trouble come September. {Us Weekly}

The m&m is Britt; the Grateful Dead is the Imaginary Socialite

Blonde Ambition: Sessilee lightens up in Vogue Italia. We rather like it. {FashionGoneRogue}

Dirrrty Riot Grrrls: We can’t wait to see what sartorial decisions Christina Aguilera makes based on her new musical collabo with feminist trio Le Tigre. Maybe she’ll bring back some weirdo pants just to spite Lady Gaga. {Popwatch}

The Baron Returns: Fabien’s back in at Interview. We get why they need his creativity, but still haven’t quite decided what the upside is for him. Word has it much more staff shuffling is to come. {FWD}

Model Girfriend: Kanye’s lady (or maybe ex?) Amber Rose just signed with Ford. We’re supposed to see him at a party tonight…stay tuned tomorrow for updated relationship status. {Racked}

“It’s just the best duffel bag ever. To actually have it be the Louis monogram in camouflauge. That works internationally. No matter where you go, that gets respect. A five-year-old could see this bag and think it’s cool.” —Kanye West waxing poetic on his Louis Vuitton Monogramouflage Keepall for men.Style.com .

When large companies rip-off small designer’s work, we get irritated.

There’s something tragic about watered down design - like watered down beer - ew.

Post-Chris Kane, someone sent us another disturbing Topshop rip-off. That Alexander Wang dress? The black stretch mesh sheath with thick, detailed embroidery? Topshop’s taken it upon themselves to bring the exact same thing, not an interpretation, to the masses.

Wang’s expertly coiled embroidery, extra-long sleeves, fun thumb-loop, and back zipper have been replaced with a far less innovative diamond-patterned embroidery, short sleeves and a plain sheer back.

Just this weekend we dubbed it the new “dress that won’t die.” It’s been everywhere - Kanye’s girlfriend wore it in Paris, Missy Rader wore it in Wang’s lookbook, in editorials featuring everyone from Eniko Mihalik to Liu Wenn - which means that everyone on Topshop’s design staff is ultra-aware of it.

The Wang original is for sale at Opening Ceremony for $955, while the Topshop version is going for $90.

The thing is, no one has to buy the $1000 version. Most people can’t. But instead of buying a copycat, why not admire the original and honor the designer’s work by not encouraging mass reproductions and rip-offs?

—MELISSA ELLIOTT

Parlux, the fragrance giant behind scents from Jessica Simpson, Andy Roddick and Paris Hilton, has inked a revolutionary deal with Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West and an unnamed female celebrity (probably Beyonce).

They’re partnering with Parlux via Iconic Fragrances LLC., a different fragrance company owned in part by Jay-Z to make their deliciously sweet perfumes. But instead of just getting a check, the four famous faces will share in the profits through royalties and the Parlux stock they’re about to inherit.

“What they have done is, for the first time, they’ve calculated not how much they can sell but what they can make in profits and how the company can succeed,” says Parlux’s chariman.

We can’t wait to see how all of Kanye’s aggressive fashion research plays into having his own fragrance. Will the bottle cull influences from both Christopher Kane and Louis Vuitton or will he capture the scent of the bustling first row?

Stay tuned.

I got stuck in the pit at Stella McCartney’s show this morning - I should land there more often.

My pictures aren’t blurry! And I was smack in the middle of the PR scramble which went something like this, “Kanye said he wants coffee with “mad” cream and sugar.”

“No way. The show’s about to start.”

“I thought Beth Ditto was coming.”

“She is.”

“But they gave her seat to Kanye’s girlfriend.”

“Where’s her dad?”

“Kanye’s girlfriend’s dad?”

“No! Stella’s!”

“Shit!”

And so on and so on until finally everyone who needed to squeeze into the front row - Kanye, his McQueen-wearing girlfriend, Pink, Beth Ditto, Thandie Newton, Twiggy, Paul McCartney & his girlfriend, Salma Hayek, Francois Pinault - sandwiched between Ingrid Sischy and Jefferson Hack.

Stella’s stellar Spring collection was hard to beat. For Fall, you’re already set if you own a slinky negligee or floral slip. A boxy masculine coat with a skinny belt would help, too. What you don’t have is the only thing that kept the clothes from looking ten years older than Stella’s usually do - the full leg faux-leather boots. They had me gasping for air, prompted Rachel Zoe’s assistant Brad to say, “Bet they’re made from potatoes and mashed up cauliflower,” and will be every vegan’s dream answer to next season’s number one trend.

Meanwhile Lara Stone wore an unfortunate velvet sack and the silver tinsel from Raquel’s closing coat fell off and floated through the air while she stormed down the runway.

But it was a Stella McCartney show, which means everyone leaves with a smile.

Someone who’d caught a preview of the Ann Sofie Back show told me, “It’s really scary.”

So when the lights went dark after Peter Jensen (the two Topshop sponsored designers showed back to back), I was ready.

Cue Psycho soundtrack, zombie make-up, a sweatshirt printed with “Boo!” and Bride of Frankenstein hair - they even made the models walk like Karlie - but the clothes themselves weren’t so scary.

They were black, sure, and ripped, but Urban Outfitters is stocked with ripped clothes so any scare factor is long gone. There were dream catchers woven onto dresses and feathers strung from skirts and sweaters over lacy leggings. The models wore oversized blazers and boyfriend jeans, all those ripped, too, and witchy boots decorated with feathers and bells.

Honestly, we spent most of the show wondering just what Lydia Hearst and Kanye West could possibly be talking about.

Phillip Lim showed to an under-packed tent this afternoon (quite a change from last season), which consisted of some great coats, a particularly precious flapper-inspired dress, and too many pairs of maroon tights (which oddly felt right) to count. While the collection didn’t feel cohesive, it was at least pleasing to the eye, and you could absolutely see what will end up on Net-a-Porter, and what won’t.

Unfortunately, we can’t remember too much else about the show (ok, we will mention that there was a live band and two of the models needed to take their Louboutins off mid-runway) because of Kanye.

Mr. West continued his Fashion Week whirlwind today, but this time, it actually hurt. Instead of entering through the door like a normal person, he entered from backstage onto the runway. Fine, many people do this. But we’re pretty sure they don’t enter, avec entourage, while the lights are dimming (single file) so that everyone and their Blackberry can make a mental note, “Oh, Kanye’s here, and so are all his friends.”

At first we thought, “Ok, maybe he just wanted to avoid having his photo taken, or maybe he was just so busy checking out the collection that he lost track of time.” But then he sat there through the whole show, not with this eyes absolutely glued to the runway as one might assume is the only polite thing to do having stolen the thunder of the very designer you’re there to see, but snapping his fingers to the music, and alternating between staring into space, talking with the man next to him, and looking at the clothes only when the model was finally smack in front of his face.

We hope Phillip includes some Emily Post-sanctioned advice in his Thank You.

We’ll sum up the Miss Sixty show quickly - Stam opened, Coco sat front row next to Mischa Barton, Karlie death-walked, Sasha’s hair looked dirty, there were denim jumpsuits, Pretty Woman hats, slogan tees and this one red coat we really loved - because we need to talk about what American Express is doing to Fashion Week.

Let me preface this by saying that if I wasn’t lucky enough to be invited to fashion shows and had the money to buy my way in, I probably would. But the divide between those in the industry and those looking for a party in the tents is widening and making it increasingly frustrating for those needing to do their jobs.

Chelsea’s the indie version of the tents. Its small venues have housed Vena Cava, Band of Outsiders, Ohne Titel, Preen - all shows mostly attended by those who work in fashion (plus Kanye). Despite lines and small entrances, there is no pushing (ok, Rag & Bone doesn’t count), no grabbing, and no yelling because everyone will get inside, everyone will see the clothes and everyone will politely and graciously do their jobs.

In comparision, the tents are a battlefield. Just getting in line is a nightmare full of groping, shoving, attitude and foot stomping. At Erin Fetherston, we witnessed a girl try to scare an editor out of his seat by screaming, “I paid good money for this seat!” We’ve overheard AmEx customers speak to the frazzled PR girls like they’re twelve when unhappy with their $200 seats. The girls behind me at Herve (their bought tickets were a gift) laughed obnoxiously at the falling models. And if you dare block the elite skybox in the big tent, which cuts down the standing section considerably, you risk being escorted out by security.

It’s easy to forget that Fashion Week is, essentially, just a semi-glamorous convention. Everyone within a very small industry convenes in one place to discuss its changing nature and see what’s new. It is both exhausting and rewarding work made that much harder by those looking for a Devil Wears Prada moment.

Should AmEx stop their support of fashion week? No, but they should probably include an etiquette book with their ticket package.

The Y-3 show, a marriage between Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas, is all about the front row, and nobody pretends otherwise. But when we got to Pier 40 and saw how scaled down the show was in comparison to the last time Y-3 showed there, we had a feeling it might be different this time.

We were right: Tyson Beckford, who we saw minutes earlier on the side of a bus for Make Me a Supermodel, was surrounded by photographers as if he was Brad Pitt. Veronica Webb was being treated like she was Veronica Lodge (read: unreal). We were seated behind the “celebrity” section, only to be accosted by a fierce semi-circle of photogs flashing their hearts out over some “celebrity” we didn’t even recognize (indeed, the post-show tip sheet confirms the best celebrities other than Kanye, who slipped in a few minutes before the show’s start, were Kim Kardashian, Rufus Wainwright and somebody named Ricky Jackson).

The video at left is of the nonstop flashes our unknown man induced (it suddenly occurred to us today that celebrities must lose their vision at a much younger age than the rest of us), so you can just imagine what it’s like when JLo shows up.

PS This was the second show to include actual little kids on the runway - the models really are getting younger and younger these days.

To: Tips@Fashionista.com

From: LineSyp@Fall09.com

I was standing in line for Preen, when Kanye asked/had to ask Scott to shoot him and his entourage.

So they went outside and Scott shot them and then they went back in and exchanged numbers.

Thought you might like to know.

D

We witnessed a small exchange between Kanye and Scott outside of Band of Outsiders earlier today. Kanye strutting up to Scott, Scott not caring, then Kanye tapping Scott on the stomach like old friends. Still, no shot. For the record, Kanye was carrying a large camo duffel bag.

It was only a matter of time before we made it to a show with Kanye, right?

He rolled up at 11am sharp with an entourage of five boys and a hot girl, embraced Scott Schuman, got introduced to Garance and lingered for photo ops. I was waiting in line to get into Preen, with my pounding headache and a large Americano, and I’m pretty sure he gave my knee-high red suede boots a second look - that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Inside the Altman building, the audience unanimously agreed we missed Preen’s regular Espace venue and Faran declared, “Kanye’s so not the celeb sighting at this show.”

“Oh really?” I asked.

“Nope. Check out Philip Green.”

So I did. I said, “Hi Mr. Green. My name’s Britt and I write for a site called Fashionista.com. We’re huge fans.” (If he doesn’t actually read us, he’s very good at pretending.) “So what can you tell me about Kate’s new collection?”

“Nothing. But you can ask my guys, they’re all here,” he laughed.

“But it’d be so much better to hear it straight from you,” I prodded.

“Sorry kid,” he winked.

Ouch, especially considering Anne Christensen’s actual kids were playing on the plastic-covered runway. Anyway, this kid took her seat and watched Preen’s unusually colorful Fall collection parade by. There was fur, more cut-outs and some very strategically placed pockets atop Karlie KIoss’ nipples.

Meanwhile, one lucky member of Kanye’s entourage got to sit smack in the middle of the Vogue-ttes - click through for priceless, “What the fuck is going on?” faces.

Before I got to the Band of Outsiders presentation, Kanye West got a little silly and started posing with some of the models.

Even though I wasn’t there, we still have this photo as proof (well, sort of, this was taken right after Kanye got up from that bench), thanks to an FIT student named David who desperately wanted to share this with the class GG style.

Thanks, David.

And now, we’re about to be late to Jeremy Laing.

Talk soon.

The first person I saw while climbing the stairs to the Band of Outsiders presentation was Garance Dore (she’s like the female Scott Schuman, basically). Then, I saw Glenn O’Brien, Editorial Director of Interview, and Lauren Santo Domingo, and realized that Band has somehow upped its buzz in the past couple seasons.

And it’s understandable. The clothes are both precious and wearable, a balance everybody wants but few designers seem to get, and the collaboration with Manolo Blahnik for shoes was incredible - think boxing sneakers manipulated into open-toe stilettos that actually work, especially with thick, cable knit socks.

Of course, it was hard to pay attention to the adorable presentation - models posed in fake telephone booths, on bare mattresses, with a rope ladder leading to nowhere, etc - with Kanye West quietly perusing the space with a relentless reporter shadowing his every move (this guy even waited for him when he tried to cut off the conversation by using the restroom).

But we guess it isn’t a Band of Outsiders presentation without some kind of celebrity presence.