Happy Ralph Lauren Thursday!

Fashion Show photo entitled "The Model's Last Strut" featured on the front cover of the New York Times on Saturday, February 21st

Quote of the Week

"Tinsley Mortimer is at Baby Phat. Is this what the end of the world looks like?"

-The Cut on New York Fashion Week

Academy of Art University Fashion Show

Designers: Heather Howard, Fashion Design, and Cat Janky, Textile Design

Models: Katie Fogarty and Olivka

Designers Heather Howard and Cat Janky collaborated to showcase an eco-friendly collection inspired by environmentalists John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt, paired with sometimes-macabre prints based on photographs of American life in the late 1800s.  Their bold new silhouette may be this seasons update to the trapeze dress, white the prints are very Dr. Zhivago-esque, no?

Designers: Emily Melville, Fashion Design and Ivanka Georgieva, Textile Design

Models: Chanel Iman, Anja Rubik, Edythe Hughes

In a collection that is anything but "student art", designers Emily Melville and Ivanka Georgieva, presented some of my favorite looks of the season, with prints inspired by the landscape paintings of artist Leslie Shows.  Incorporating fresh silhouettes and muted colors, this collection is innovative yet still remains completely wearable. 

Models: Anja Rubik, Karlie Kloss, Chanel Iman

Chanel Iman, Nia Long

Karlie Kloss

Chanel Iman

{AAU fashion show, The Tent, Bryant Park}

{Runway photos by Randy Brooke, Backstage photos by Dooley}

It's Time For Change

{Images from Style.com}

Models left to right: Tao Okamoto for 3.1 Phillip Lim, Ubah Hassan for Oscar de la Renta, Gracie Carvalho for Derek Lam, Han Jin for Lela Rose, Lakshmi Menon for Badgley Mischka, Emma Pei for Lela Rose

Models from right to left: Jeneil Williams for Diesel, Hye Park and Arlenis Niaria for Oscar de la Renta, Jourdan Dunn for Rodarte, Georgie Badiel for Oscar de la Renta, Chanel Iman for DKNY

It's a new year, a new government, and a much needed new set of ideals for our fashion industry.  Without the instance of editor-in-chief Franca Sozanni and photographer Steven Meisel, Vogue Italia's "Black Issue" (July 2008) almost  never made it to print because of the industry standard that "women of color don't sell".  In an interview with Reuters, Franca Sozanni said 

"America... is ready for a black president, so why are we not ready for a black model?" 

Against all odds, this small circulation magazine became what is known as a "cultural watershed of fashion", selling out instantly, and creating a global phenomenon.  Within the first month of hitting newsstands Conde Nast had to reprint and distribute 40,000 more copies, several of which people are now selling for $50 on Ebay.  

The implications of the "Black Issue" are finally being noticed at our very own New York fashion week.  Never before have so many women of color and nationalities walked our catwalks, holding up a new standard of what is beautiful in our melting pot of a country.  On Naomi Cambell's plan to establish a modeling agency to promote racial diversity, model-of-the-moment Jourdan Dunn says 

"I'd do an agency for black girls and Asian and Spanish, because there aren't enough of them on the runway either." 

Best of Fashion Week 2

In the name of all things fabulous, I give you Marchesa...

{photos via NYMag}

Ribbons, bows, and oversized tulle rosettes, oh my!  This uber-feminine collection is delicately constructed while remaining completely wearable (Oscar prediction anyone?).  Marchesa showcases the reemergence of "pretty", something that we've been missing at the tents this season.  This dreamy collection will certainly be on the top of my wishlist come Fall!

Best of Fashion Week

F/W 2010 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is underway, and so far it is a season of Recessionista chic, consisting of dark hues with the occasional jewel tones and safe silhouettes.    In the words of the great Michael Kors, I'm underwhelmed.   Where is the edge?  The avant-garde? The outright absurd?

With that being said, I did discover a few treasures that stood out in the sea of grey.  Here are my fashion week faves so far this season...

{left to right: Carlos Miele, Donna Karen, Matthew Williamson, Thakoon}

{Left to right: Elie Tahari, Jenni Kayne, Lela Rose, ThreeAsFour}

{Monique Lhuillier, Lela Rose, Erin Fetherston}