Backstage, before the Ohne Titel show on Saturday morning, designers Flora and Alexa promised their strongest collection yet.

I was transfixed by the helmets of hair that Bumble and bumble’s Jimmy Paul had woven onto each and every girls head, so I only glimpsed one dress still in its plastic wrap on my way to my seat.

The audience at Ohne Titel’s grown considerably over the past year, both in stature and in size, to include a row of Vogue-ettes and a major editor from almost every magazine. Sure enough, their SS10 collection, inspired by Ancient Egyptian wall paintings, was almost perfect. From laced up leggings that continued into shoes, to drapey blazers atop barely feathered skirts and textured body-con dresses in reds and blues and beige with a slight Rodarte feel - the girls showed a brilliant, well edited twenty-four piece collection.

And though it can be hard to notice when presented on a runway with wild shoes and dramatic hair and makeup, different pieces could work for a downtown hipster or a corporate lawyer which is, at the moment, quite smart.

Vogue and the CFDA announced their Fashion Fund Finalists the other day.

We’re loving the list of lesser known designers - Ohne Titel’s inclusion had us squealing with delight - but what we’d really love to see are the applications.

Word is House of Waris designer Waris Ahluwalia, who if you don’t know from fashion you know from The Darjeeling Limited - got in with a little help from his social friends.

The next logical step after the last year’s stripper platforms?

Of all the trends that popped up last week during New York Fashion Week (so much more on that later), the one that took us by surprise most was the use of fur by designers who’d never designed with animal skins in the past.

First, we saw it at Ohne Titel, then at Alexander Wang and Thakoon (whose shows were actually sponsored by Saga Furs), and then finally at Marchesa (left).

We’re not really sure what this means - has fur become more acceptable? Is it a backlash against “restrained” times? - but consider this: Fall 09 was the first time in ages that PETA didn’t protest at the Tents.

In fact, the PETA presence was much less this time around, which makes us wonder, has fur won the battle?

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.

When we got to Ohne Titel this afternoon, it finally felt like Fashion Week.

You had to freeze your ass off on a real line outside, but got to check out the parade of fashion people dressed to go to a real fashion show. Once inside, there was an open white wine bar, girls dressed in Ohne passing around trays of colorful macarons, and a gathering of editors that included Cathy Horyn. In short, there was buzz.

The show did not disappoint: In fact, it kind of made you want to step into some future space where you rock lethal, chain-strewn booties and body-con sweater dresses while strutting to surprisingly un-annoying clubby music.

The clothes seemed to be a Fall-appropriate extension of Flora and Alexa’s Spring 09, with the most exciting bit being the skintight leather leggings - sometimes with cut-outs, turning out to be a big trend for Fall 09 already - which we want almost as much as Spring’s light, bright sequined predecessor.

But the most notable aspect was the almost total lack of color. Besides a few brown pieces, almost the entire collection was black, which matches the quiet, somber mood everyone’s used to describe the week so far.

There was a little line tucked into WWD today:

Bumble & Bumble’s Meatpacking District location is not an option this season.

But, um, macaroons? Big windows? Amazing photo ops?

We got in touch with Bumble and apparently, after eights seasons of housing emerging designers they love - Cat Holstein, Ohne Titel, Victoria Bartlett, Liz McLean, Staerk - they feel like their Fashion Week role’s become a bit stale and they’re ready to try something new.

While they want to stay in the fashion game, they’re hoping to take on a more comprehensive role when it comes to sponsoring designers and think it’s important to take a short break from the fashion game to earn a clean slate.

We can’t wait to see what they come up with, but oh how they’ll be missed!

Amidst all the talk of Fashion Week cutbacks for next month, there are at least two small designers we can all expect to find on the show schedule for Fall 09:

As part of their recently earned Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation awards, both Ohne Titel and Cushnie et Ochs have won $25,000 each to help support their Fashion Week shows.

It still remains to be seen whether these small designer duets will host presentations instead of shows (a recent recommendation from the CFDA to all the non-famous designers for Fall 09) but at least they’ll (probably still) be on the week’s grid - and maybe even at the same time, like an Ecco Domani showcase?

We’ll see - either way, we can now safely expect plenty of nipples. Phew.

Ohne Titel’s having a small, quiet sample sale this week (just Thursday and Friday), with only five shoppers per hour allowed in their teeny tiny studio.

Here’s how you get invited:

E-mail Stephen at ohnetitelsamplesale[at]gmail.com to figure out your day and time slot, and once you’re confirmed, just show up - location disclosed upon confirmation.

The clothes are from all past seasons, at 50% - 75% off (price depends on the sample’s condition).

And voilà, a fashion miracle.

You’re welcome.

Everybody’s trying to break into accessories these days.

First, the news was that See by Chloe, Proenza, Hussein Chayalan and Ohne Titel would all be breaking into shoes (and since then, Proenza’s quietly started giving out bags to their friends, which everyone hopes will actually make it to stores.)

Then, Marc announced he’d be expanding into a full line of swimwear for Marc by Marc, while Brian Reyes announced he’d be launching a line of lingerie (ok - swimwear and lingerie are not exactly accessories, but they do fall into that small things/cheaper things category).

Not too long after, Prada announced plans to design costume jewelry, and Yigal said he’d make the shoes from his Spring 09 runway for the stores.

And now? 7 For All Mankind is launching their own shoe range for Spring, retailing between $150 to $350, which may seem too close to their denim price range, but is probably a bit less than most 7 customers usually spend on their shoes.

Clearly, companies are hoping their shoppers will still be out there looking for cute things to acquire, but they know it’ll be with a much smaller budget, so they’re trying to make more things at lower price points so everybody can still get their buzz. Because as Elle MacPherson put it today, her lingerie line is doing better than ever because “when a woman can’t afford a dress in the luxury echelons, she may opt instead to part with £20 on underwear that makes her feel good.”

But the question for all these other high-end brands persists -

…Because they were all over the New York runways for Spring.

They came huge (Threeasfour, Jenni Kayne), they came small (DVF, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Phillip Lim), they even came minuscule and in body art-like swirls on sheer tops and leggings (Ohne Titel).

We fully expect to see them in every store come February, but the bigger question remains: Will we see them on every girl come April?

Only if we don’t mind looking like disco balls (or Sienna Miller circa 2006)…

We don’t know if it’s the schizophrenic weather, the economy, or whatever, but attendance at the shows this week has been pretty lackluster so far, and Ohne Titel yesterday afternoon was no exception.

But, if you missed it on purpose, you should be very angry with yourself, because not only were the clothes sheer, piecey beauties (and their signature swingy pants were reworked for Spring), but the shoes Flora and Alexa designed for Cesare Paciotti were just as “hot, sick and gorgeous” as they promised me back in July.

On a side note, we’re loving the see-through top trend that’s pervading the Spring 09 collections, especially Ohne’s take with the outlines of the body sort of drawn on with sequins. They also sort of made us consider leggings again - but only like theirs.

The Bumble and Bumble space on West 13th is one of our favorite venues for the shows.

There’s good light, you can take pictures from several different points, and we love when the out-of-work model waiters serve us fat little macaroons before and after.

So it comes as no surprise that it’s kind of the place to show this season. Their roster of designers: Ohne Titel (for a third time, a Bumble first), Catherine Holstein (doing her first real runway show there), Staerk, Jeremy Laing, Vicente Villarin, Koi Suwannagate, Liz McClean and Victoria Bartlett.

The Bumble people have a way of picking out the next successful designers to show at their space. Not to mention, if you actually have time to kill between shows, you may as well be in the West Village.

Yes!

We knew it was in the works, but now it’s official:

The shoes the Ohne Titel girls designed for their show in September aren’t just being produced by Cesare Paciotti - they’re going to be sold by them, too!

So if you’ve always wanted to own a piece of their work, but haven’t been able to find them in stores, you’re in luck. You can scoop up the kicks at any Cesare shop.

They’ll debut exclusively on the models’ feet at Bumble and Bumble in September - in fact, nobody’s allowed to see them until the show, not even so much as a sketch. But we do know they’re “designed with a combination of matte leathers, bias silk and dry cotton cording” using “a combination of hand techniques with sportswear references.”

Here’s to hoping they’re as “hot” as we expect.

First, some news:

The Ohne Titel girls, Alexa Adams and Flora Gill, have designed their first line of shoes to debut at their show this September! Cesare Paciotti’s producing them in Italy right this very second, and, according to the girls, they’re along the lines of “hot” and “sick” and “so totally gorgeous.” They’re working out the details of whether the shoes will actually be available for purchase, so there should be some more news on that soon…

Ok - back to now. We paid a visit to Alexa and Flora in their spare Chelsea studio yesterday, and learned that:

1. They love bodies.

2. They love fabrics.

3. They love thinking about how fabrics should go on the body.

4. They like to do their draping on a teeny tiny little mannequin (yes, we got a picture.)

And their much-anticipated, upcoming Spring 09 collection? Well, it’s…

Art + Commerce, the powerhouse management agency that was bought by IMG last year, is stepping a little further into the fashion world with this upcoming Fashion Week.

They’ve starting their own casting division, which they’ve been doing for print and editorial, but now they’re getting into runway casting, so expect great girls at every show they get involved with.

It’s going to be kind of a soft launch - they’re starting with only one show this coming season, and don’t just expect the likes of Anouck, Lily and Du Juan - they’ll be casting their girls from all available agencies, not just IMG.

And at which show will their runway taste debut?

Ohne Titel.

See you at Bumble and Bumble! Ohne Titel’s showing there for the third season in a row, a Bumble first.

It was about color period at Ohne Titel yesterday afternoon, as demonstrated by the mostly monochromatic looks sent down the runway.

The aubergine look at left is yet another of the purple/Katharine Hepburn look that’s totally grown on us in the past five days, and a part of the quirky-grown up collections designers Flora Gill and Alexa Adams created for this fall.

Coats with interesting origami-inspired folds in the back, colorful sweaters with ski sweater-like knitting and outfits of completely matching patterns (even on the shoes) were modeled down the catwalk - we’re already trying to figure out what shoes will go best with wide-leg trousers during those earlier autumn months when you still kind of want to wear sandals.

In attendance: Vogue’s Jane Herman and Florence Kane, NYLON’s Jay Errico and Mary Alice Stephenson.