NYFW

Fashion Week has started here, showcasing next fall, which frankly, makes much more sense than seeing the spring fashion in stores at the moment. It is still so cold that the snow hasn't melted yet from all the snowstorms, so all the streets are lined with disgusting greyish ice and the dreaded "black ice". Apparently there are still Christmas trees and December rubbish hidden under these snowy piles. ughhh!

Anyway, onto all things fashion - of course. The buzz here at the moment is surrounding the French Vogue 'scandale'.  For the first time in a long time, the magzine is attending the NY shows. BUT. They are being represented by the new EIC, Emmanuelle Alt, who in my mind, is a super stylish, very chic, rock chick.

Unfortunately all anyone can talk about is her friendship split from Carine Roitfeld during the top seat transition. And whether Emmannuelle really has what it takes to be a magazine head. Here they are together in happier days.

Carine is in New York this week as well, but not for the shows. There's a great interview with her here that was done at the Carlyle hotel this week. It puts to bed the Newhouse firing rumors and her possibly working with Tom Ford again.

Anyway, I'm off to the Derek Lam show tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed Emmanuelle will be in the front row!  But that means spending all tonight deciding on my outfit! What does a 40 something wear to a morning show in the middle of winter? Bare legs? If you have your own driver like most of the 'It' girls and fashion darlings, that makes total sense. Spring colors or winter darks? I guess it depends on what color the sky is and how big a statement you want to make. While I mull over my wardrobe choices, here is a round up of who I think has done it cool over the last few days of fashion frivolity.

images; fashion windows, garance dore, i want to be an alt,  bullett magazine, beautiful streets bullett magazine, phil oh, nymag, refinery29,

New York Fashion Week Part II

Today I went to my first "serious" fashion show in this town - Derek Lam. I call it serious because the goliaths of fashion were there and when that happens, you know the brand has to be taken seriously.

The show wasn't held in the tents at Bryant Park but in a beautiful old space on the Bowery called Capitale.  I was beyond excited when I saw the Vogue quartet arrive and sit front row - Andre, Anna, Grace and Tonne. I felt like I had stepped into the pages of "the September Issue".  My blackberry struggled under the enormity of the occasion, but here are 2 very blurry shots to get excited about:

Andre Leon Talley in his signature "bear skin rug"

 An artistic rendition of the Vogue Powerhouse Trio

My boss was seated directly behind Mr bearskin. Needless to say her view of the show was limited. Ms Wintour was dressed in her signature fur and black sunglasses. I get breathless even thinking about it.

Anyway, the clothes were to die for. The theme was "Myth of the West" and it was all really an ode to the urban cowgirl in us all. Think lots of fringing, leather, boots made for walking and a nod to the Georgia O'Keefe bolero, with a few random feathers and alot of fur (heck it even gets cold in the desert you know). All that was missing were the smoking guns. 

The music was a fab mix of the Paris Texas soundtrack and Malcolm Mclaren's "Buffalo Girls". And the piece de resistance? It was snowing real snow heavily outside the show and they had fake snow falling on the inside!

Images: The Cut from fashion frenzy, style.com

New York Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week started here yesterday with hardly a ripple or murmur. I think most people are simply annoyed because it falls over the long weekend! Or maybe it's because of the news of Alexander McQueen's suicide. Or on a more fatuous level, perhaps it's because the huge snowfall the day before made sure that the fashionistas sported rain boots to the tents rather than the bejeweled heels of the coming spring.
Anyway, regardless of all this, I had the good fortune of supporting an Aussie Designer by being invited to Toni Maticevski's show. As a brand, he flies very under the radar - certainly here because I don't think anyone even stocks his designs - but even in Oz, he's not a "big name". He should be. His designs are exquisite. His fall 2010 collection was a mass of sequins, diaphanous chiffons and silks, gold leaf motifs, appliqued metallic florals and pleats in the most unexpected places. The colors were all muted in dove greys, creams and black with vibrant slashes of rich gold, and alot of knickers and bras were on display, which is quite ambitious for Northern Hemisphere winters! But maybe he was thinking more AFI Awards or film premiers in Sydney. Whatever he was channeling, the final effect was pure romance, whimsy and femininity, all of which we need in these troubling times.

Images: George Chinsee @ WWD.com