The Phi show was just down the block from Milk studios, but it couldn’t have been more obscure.

We entered through a random door, stood in a cold cement hallway, shuffled into a freight elevator and walked into a narrow L with a mini-pit and just three rows - three power rows though. LSD, Carine, Sarah Lerfel, Kate Lanphear, Erin Wasson, Trainas and Sarah Rutson all sat front row to soak up the power bondage collection.

Designer Andreas Melbostad was inspired by levers and pulleys, wearable technology if you will, that resulted in strapped and buckled corsets over sheer tees and dresses with sharply tailored blazers and pants. As in any bondage-like collection, it’s hard not to stare at the shoes, but Melbostad‘s laced up, cut out dresses certainly helped.

Every single piece was so beautifully built that we walked away lamenting what it’d look like when Zara tried to rip it off.

Getting to a fashion show, especially in Paris, is a little bit like running a gauntlet.

First, you have to find where you’re going, then you have to battle your way through the really good street style photographers who hang out on the perimeter of the venue to get the best shots, then you encounter a literal mob of Japanese photographers before dealing with the French security guards who couldn’t care less who/what/why you’re there.

Tim Blanks tackled the issue for
Style.com - or at least attempted to. He caught Sarah Rutson, Anne Christensen and Natalie Massenet discussing the pros and cons of the street style phenomenon but didn’t manage to talk to a single street style photog.

The best part comes when he asks Anna Della Russo why it’s such a thing now and she says, “People want to see fashion on the real people.” Seriously?