Ocean Drive Magazine

BACKSTAGE
at the New York SPRING shows

Fashion Report by Laurie Brookins
Photos by Patrick McMullan

Forget about leaves turning or post-Labor Day protocol: The true sign that Fall has arrived—thus making it permissible to break out all those fabulous new clothes—is the sight of the white tents going up in Bryant Park heralding the return of Fashion Week. New York’s biannual fashion theatrics, better known as 7th on Sixth, hit the ground running when the shows kicked off September 18th. And “running” had to be the word of the week, as an abbreviated schedule (crunched from 10 days to six so as not to conflict with the September 11th anniversary) meant a crazed dash from runway show to press event to after-party and back again. More than 65 back-to-back runway shows and events were sanctioned by Fashion Week organizers. Fold in the non-affiliated designers and the wealth of store openings, model parties and beauty events, and the glamour of the week is tinged with a decidedly exhaustive air.

Oscar de la Renta let loose with dresses and trenches in gold brocades, and fluid, floaty skirts in spice-market tones of mustard and saffron.

Indeed, while it really is supposed to be about the clothes, plenty of spectacle occurred off the runway—the Grand Central of it all being the non-stop parade of fashionistas, celebrities and wannabes perusing and posing in the lobby of the Bryant Park tents (where such sponsors as W Hotels, Shu Uemura, Redken, the Style Network and Courvoisier plied their wares).

Fashion ushers in the colorful, the floaty and the steadfastly feminine

But oh, the clothes. Perhaps the most welcome change from the gloomy, all-black collections that pervaded the Fall season is the idea that New York’s designers seem to have emerged butterfly-like into a floaty, ultra-feminine and ultimately more upbeat spring. From easy chiffons and jerseys to the prettiest of floral prints and polka dots to modern takes on retro dressing, spring promises to be altogether ladylike and, quite simply, lovely. Here are the highlights:

Wednesday, September 18TH

TOMMY HILFIGER, 10:30 a.m
Tommy set the tone for te week with a collection of clothes you’d be desperate to have if you were shipwrecked on a very glamorous island. For women, that meant knee-length cargo pants, halters and minis in slinky silk charmeuse. There was also much emphasis on mixing the idea of hard and soft, such as a jean jacket above a lacy skirt or a gauzy peasant top above those ubiquitous cargo pants. The men, wearing linen or seersucker drawstring pants, vests and loose-fitting jackets, all looked like sexy, scruffy versions of Robinson Crusoe—if he was hanging out at Bungalow 8, that is.

MICHAEL KORS, 12:45 p.m.
Magnificent Michael should just change his middle name to “glamour” and be done with it (“subdued glamour” would be more accurate, but that’s a little too long for a driver’s license). For his Spring collection Kors crafted an homage to Palm Springs—not present day, but rather a more innocent (and yes, more glamorous) era. “Snappy” was the buzzword used often to describe his smart little polo dresses and twin sets paired with pencil skirts, made all the more glam with ladylike flats and golf gloves. For a color palette, Kors stuck with beige, navy and white. His only splash of color was a gorgeous turquoise grouping, which looked perfect for cocktails on a golf course in Palm Springs or Palm Beach.

OSCAR DE LA RENTA, 2:35 p.m.
A bejeweled, Persian-inspired invite to Oscar’s show intimated that his presentation would be equal parts exotic and opulent. Indeed, after an introduction of some tailored, understated pieces in cream, de la Renta let loose with dresses and trenches in shimmering gold brocades, as well as fluid, floaty skirts in spice-market tones of mustard and saffron. There also were many Oscar-worthy—in every sense of the moniker—evening dresses, rife with ruffles or laser cuts (or, in the case of one red evening dress, plenty of both). A grouping of strapless gowns with black or red lace overlays was the ultimate in structured femininity. They preceded a finale bridal gown, which wasn’t merely a runway piece, but rather signaled the return of de la Renta’s bridal line, which also bowed this fall.

CAROLINA HERRERA, 4:30 p.m.
Much of Herrera’s Spring collection was straight out of Africa, though this had to be the most elegant safari ever seen outside the Dark Continent. Forget the camouflage: Safari jackets were crafted not in khaki but in fluid lime-silk charmeuse, and they were paired with luscious chiffon skirts in wine-and-russet paisley. Herrera always serves up the best of couture color combos: For Spring she veered away from pastels, preferring to concentrate on more saturated tones, from a soft mauve leather suit to cobalt- or tangerine-silk charmeuse, all paired with touches of chocolate. For evening, slinky column gowns were soft, sensual and simply cut, because Herrera knows that it’s float and not fuss that will have heads turning when you enter a room.

KENNETH COLE, 7:30 p.m.
For Kenneth Cole, it is never just about the clothes; he wants you to think, too. The short film that preceded his Spring collection projected a very determined message: “Stir the air.” It would be easy to feel such independence in these clothes, a largely neutral-toned group of separates that mixed earthy fabrics and textures with soft femininity and structured lines. A white canvas double-breasted jacket was worn over a soft camisole and a natural canvas pleated skirt, while he paired a tailored admiral jacket with a white ruffled shirt and a silk skirt. While there were many of Spring’s airy fabrics, from chiffon to gauze to lace, Cole also sent out plenty of leather and suede jackets and skirts. Because, while you might not automatically pair a rust-suede buckle jacket over a pink-mesh blouse and flesh-toned floral lace skirt, Cole’s ultimate message—fashion or otherwise—is that you never should be timid about stirring up things.

MARC JACOBS, 9:30 p.m.
An invite to Marc Jacobs is always one of the most sought-after of Fashion Week, because of the show both on and off the runway. His Spring collection didn’t disappoint, with Sean “Puffy” Combs, Benicio Del Toro, Debbie Harry, Rob Thomas, Anna Sui and Christy Turlington among the A-listers, and Gisele Bündchen, Carmen Kass, Shalom Harlow, Eva Herzigova, Amber Valletta and Carolyn Murphy striding the stage. But, as it should be, the true spectacle was the clothes, as Jacobs produced the most unabashedly ladylike, retro-inspired collection to date.

With easy chiffons, floral prints and modern takes on retro dressing, Spring promises to be altogether ladylike and, quite simply, lovely.

Taking his cue from the ’50s and ’60s, Jacobs showed floral-print dresses and skirts that seemed lighter than air and a happy (read: innocent) palette of pink, pale yellow, orange and lavender. Jacobs garnered the most attention, however, for jackets and suits that, depending on whom you asked, were termed Chanel-like or Adolfo-esque. But this is Jacobs, after all, which is why those nubby pastel jackets were paired with floaty skirts and blouses, both softening them and adding edge at the same time. Watching the show, you couldn’t help but think that Jacobs is conjuring up a young woman who wants to dive into her grandmother’s closet, emerging with a look that’s simultaneously vintage and modern.

Other Wednesday highlights:
Perry Ellis was positively Gatsby-esque with flowing tea-dyed dresses with handkerchief hems, as well as relaxed linen suiting for the men….Usher was the front-row attraction at John Varvatos, who showed a collection of silk, cashmere and linen pieces that the designer called a mix of “Parisian sophistication and St. Tropez chicness.”…Luca Luca offered one of the most romantic, feminine shows of the week, with ’50s-inspired dresses that boasted full, flirty skirts and fitted tops.

Thursday, September 19th

BILL BLASS, 9:30 a.m.
It’s roundly agreed that Lars Nilsson finally hit his stride with this, his fourth collection for the house that Blass built. A master tailor, Nilsson evoked the best of Blass with a grouping of superbly cut sportswear that called to mind a vacation in St. Tropez, most notably a striped rugby with white wide-legged pants. Nilsson also made use of one of the season’s most popular fabrics: seersucker, seen as jackets, blouses and a breezy shirtdress with romantic, oversized sleeves. For evening, Nilsson sent out a series of floaty chiffon and silk charmeuse gowns in luscious geranium tones, from pale pink to rose to coral. We tend to toss around the word “beautiful” to the point that it loses its true meaning, but these dresses were exactly that. Somewhere, Bill is smiling.

ANNE KLEIN, 10:30 a.m.
Alicia Silverstone slipped backstage to have the M.A.C crew touch up her makeup prior to the start of the show. Not that you could blame her—next to Bridget Hall in the house’s ad campaign, Silverstone is the celebrity face most closely identified with the collection since Charles Nolan took over. She’s actually an ideal image: Just young and hip enough to prove that Anne Klein is moving in a new direction, but decidedly safe and without edge, so as not to alienate the classic Anne Klein customer.

While it really is supposed to be about the clothes, plenty of spectacle occurred off the runway.

The same could be said for the Spring collection. Nolan took casual, classic pieces (many of them ’80s-inspired) and updated them with the season’s must-have fabrics: seersucker, parachute silk and taffeta. Many of the skirts boasted handkerchief hems that virtually floated down the runway, and a polka-dotted silk slip dress looked like the breeziest of Spring choices. The largely neutral-toned palette extended to evening, with the clear favorite being a paillette-covered nude slip dress with a sexy draped back—simple, yet spectacular, which is exactly the balance Nolan wanted to achieve.

ZAC POSEN, 12:30 p.m.
You have to wonder about the pressure felt by an impossibly gorgeous 22-year-old who’s been declared fashion’s latest wünderkind, a fact further anointed by the celebs—Ellen Barkin, Julianne Moore, First Daughter Barbara Bush and Posen’s muse, Natalie Portman (accompanied by her dog, Charlie)—gracing the front row. But Zac Posen isn’t succumbing to such pressure; rather, he’s rising above it, producing a Spring collection that demonstrated his growing maturity.
Sure, Posen is still obsessed with all things angular, from exaggerated pointy collars to chevron prints to swingy dresses with handkerchief hems. And while there was a pointed reference to ’40s Hollywood, especially in all those bias-cut siren dresses, Posen softened the overall statement with simple skirts and filmy, feminine blouses, all blatantly pretty and surely meant to show that he could please retailers as much as celebrities and the fashion press. In the end, it was the ultimate proof that Posen is working all the right angles.

CALVIN KLEIN, 5:30 p.m.
Even the master of minimalism couldn’t help throwing in a few ultra-feminine, romantic touches this season—and sometimes Calvin-style romance is just too lovely to behold. The color palette was typical Klein: ivory, white, taupe and black, with splashes of muted pink and teal. Liberal usage of silk charmeuse and chiffon also made the statement that this would be a more fluid collection. So-subtle details of rucking or pin-tucking were sparingly used in an otherwise clean collection, though a pair of corset tops, shown with slim trousers and a pencil skirt, proved to be among the most overtly romantic pieces. But it was the final looks that drew gasps from Gwyneth Paltrow and Sandra Bullock: a grouping of gorgeous bias-cut evening dresses in white-silk chiffon—perfection on the runway, and destined for the red carpet.

BCBG MAX AZRIA, 7:30 p.m.
By contrast, Max Azria’s Spring collection was a veritable Easter parade of yellow, lilac and robin’s-egg blue. Indeed, BCBG clearly wants women to not only explore color for Spring, but to wholeheartedly embrace it. There were flirty knee-length skirts in every shade under the rainbow, while feminine (albeit restrained) flounces provided a key detail. The few prints in evidence were subtle graphics in watercolor tones, while the loveliest statement was the grouping of knee-length chiffon dresses at show’s end. Soft, flowing, with minimal hard edges, this was a collection that didn’t apologize for being pretty—rather, it shouted it from the rooftops.

NARCISO RODRIGUEZ, 9:30 p.m.
It seems that Rodriguez is the latest to “go Lagerfeld,” fashion-speak for a dramatic weight loss. He showed off his new, svelte self—following a collection that was equally notable for its slim lines and sexy confidence.
Black and white knee-length dresses were cunningly crafted with strips and panels of fabric, but what truly made them stand out was their body-hugging fit, among the slimmest cuts of the week. For evening, Rodriguez went for more fluid, forgiving lines, the favorite being an impossibly pretty, pink-silk halter gown. Ultimately it was an ideal collection for the front-row faces (and bodies), which included Julianna Margulies, Kyra Sedgwick and an extremely pregnant Sarah Jessica Parker, who undoubtedly was making mental notes: “1) Tell Narciso I want everything; but 2) more importantly, hit him up for post-pregnancy diet tips.”

Max Azria’s collection was an Easter parade of yellow, lilac and robin’s-egg blue. It didn’t apologize for being pretty—it shouted it from the rooftops.

Other Thursday highlights:
Marcia Gay Harden and Angie Harmon were among those seen at Cynthia Steffe, who looked to a David Bailey photography book of ’60s icons for inspiration. The result: denim cargo capris, macramé sundresses and gingham baseball jackets paired with crochet skirts….Catherine Malandrino was in the mood to venture to Morocco this season, crafting easy linen and silk separates in desert-friendly shades of moss and blush, as well as chiffon cut-out tops and cowl-neck dresses that were both chic and sheik-worthy)….Jill Stuart’s Spring collection was called one of the most utilitarian of the week, offering plenty of office-friendly separates. But in keeping with the season’s themes, there were romantic touches, such as ’20s-inspired silk dresses in soft, muted prints, as well as a fringed red dress that gave her otherwise straightforward collection some much-needed va-va voom….Which was in abundance at Emilio Cavallini, who sent out an abundance of cat suits and bodysuits that could be worn alone or layered with other pieces (then again, if your body looks this good, why would you want to?).

Friday, September 20th

CARMEN MARC VALVO, 12:30 p.m.
I always sit in a Carmen Marc Valvo show wondering why he’s not more famous than he is, as every single piece is always precisely cut, perfectly detailed and totally glamorous. A latte leather pencil skirt, for example, featured laser-cut detail and was paired with a cardinal red cashmere polo, while a superbly cut satin corset top was shown with understated black silk-and-linen trousers. But make no mistake: From a black cashmere tank with a silk-tiered scallop skirt to a polka-dot chiffon halter gown or a nude glass-beaded corset gown, Valvo’s clothes see your office only through the window of the garment bag that hangs on the back of your door. He’s confident enough to leave the casual stuff to others, because those who know glamour will seek him out when the time comes.

VERA WANG, 2:30 p.m.
Like Ralph Lauren and several others, Wang sent out a completely black collection for Fall, and so for Spring seems to have moved into a happier frame of mind. Actually, serene might be more accurate, as you’ll never get anything too bright or cheery from Wang. Instead there were plenty of white and champagne silk and chiffon, all fluid gowns that were dripping in elegant details, from a lush, tiered skirt to crystal beading at the hip. Wang did explore some rich colorations, including an intense violet bias-cut gown and layered-chiffon florals that boasted couture seaming. Wang employs such details in her ongoing quest for modernity, and while these gowns weren’t as cutting-edge as Wang has exhibited in the past, they nonetheless demonstrated that serene is a very happy place to be.

DONNA KARAN, 3:30 p.m.
Perhaps one of the most joyful shows of the week, Donna Karan pushed somber spirituality aside, favoring instead some good old-fashioned optimism. Her ’40s-inspired collection was a retro delight from start to finish, from strong-shouldered suits to jersey wrap dresses to swingy skirts in colorful prints. She made use of polka dots, the happiest of Spring prints, in dresses and a kimono-style robe that practically sailed down the runway. There were also plenty of colorful prints and eyelet fabrics; when paired with the flawless makeup—retro eyeliner and perfect red lips—the overall look was very Betty Grable or Lauren Bacall. In other words, easy glamour that harkens back to a Golden Age.

ANNA SUI, 7:45 p.m.
Juxtaposition is what Anna Sui is all about, which is why a very sweet, sexy and sporty collection was accompanied by the sounds of the Ramones from start to finish. The designer, known for her glam-rock ways, turned into a veritable Sports Authority for Spring, sending out shrunken football jerseys and cropped baseball jackets that never for a moment looked anything other than totally feminine. But it was her take on country-club living that proved to be Sui’s strongest statement, from tennis dresses splashed with lace to too-short golf skirts embroidered with frogs. You’d want to belong to the club that welcomes these clothes: playful, edgy and ready to throw a party.

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON, 9:30 p.m.
For his second show in New York, Williamson said he wanted to create “a Fantasy Island, where girls sat on the beach all day and then went out for cocktails.” The result, which Williamson titled “Flamingo Bay,” seemed more Havana-inspired: bright, tropical colors and sheer, island-friendly fabrics. Among the standouts: orange-and-fuchsia chiffon cocktail dresses with shimmering black bugle beads in a leafy pattern. You can’t be shy in Williamson’s clothes, which explained the attendance of such A-list clients as Nicole Kidman and Britney Spears, whose arrival caused one of the biggest frenzies of the week.

Other Friday highlights:
Mark Montano presented one of the most fanciful shows of the week with a “Flights of Fancy” collection that was equal parts theatrics and saleable clothes. For those seeking a little fantasy, Montano offered flirty, flowing and, yes, feathery skirts in bright, tropical tones. More realistic, but no less beautiful, were the superbly cut dresses in polka-dot or striped chiffon, an elegant choice for the woman who knows why the caged bird sings….DieselStyleLab is one of those shows that fashionistas tend to look down at through their noses—you know, a collection of real, commercial clothes that most consumers not only actually will find in the stores, but also actually can afford. True to its name, the collection is meant to be the more experimental end of the company’s $500 million jeans business. That’s the reason for such looks as India-print and silk-plaid tanks and tops to two-tone jeans cinched at the ankle. The result was intended to be a little more street—even if it was a street we’ve all visited….Paris-based Lloyd Klein always can be counted on for a dramatic collection, so it was surprising to see such sporty touches throughout his Spring offerings. With a palette largely consisting of blue, black and white, Klein offered such athletic touches as double tuxedo stripes down the legs and sleeves of coats and trousers. Satin polka-dot linings and raw edges were meant to add a little dramatic edge to his women’s line, while his men’s pieces focused on a casual air, particularly for evening, with open-neck embroidered shirts and relaxed linen trousers. The perfect combination of sporty-meets-dramatic-meets-hip? The designer’s finale, a white leather-and-organza wedding dress, modeled by Klein’s muse, Paris Hilton.

Saturday, September 21st

LILLY PULITZER, 11:40 a.m.
There are shows that don’t garner any hype, nor do they attract a large cross-section of front-row faces, but nevertheless they turn out to be among the most enjoyable, most emotional presentations of Fashion Week. Pulitzer’s Spring collection was one such example, a true event for the media, consumers and retailers alike. You got a sense of Lilly loyalty from the moment you walked into the Celeste Bartos Forum of the New York Public Library, as festive Pulitzer prints were the uniform of most in attendance. And if you didn’t get the memo, they happily handed you a Pulitzer-print scarf so you could join the club.
If timing is everything, Pulitzer is ideally positioned, as her brightly toned prints seemed right in step with the rest of the week. Pink “palm stripe” sweaters were paired with flamingo-pink boy shorts in stretch terry, while a silk halter was paired with pique pants. Because this is Pulitzer, you can’t forget about the dresses—totally wearable, totally serviceable shifts and halters, either in white pique or in those whimsical pastel animal prints. There were also plenty of options for men and children—that explained the number of kids in the audience, which reached well into the double digits. When Pulitzer herself strode on-stage at show’s end, the crowd gave one of the week’s few standing ovations, bringing her to tears. She shouldn’t have been so surprised, as loyalty to Lilly seems very much a family affair.

RICHARD TYLER, 3:30 p.m.
No tents for Richard Tyler: To launch his lower-priced line, the designer opted for a small, low-key showing in his TriBeCa town house. It was a suitable venue for a collection that also strives to be understated, starting with the color palette, which was primarily comprised of neutrals, with a few splashes of lilac, fuchsia and geranium thrown in for flavor. Fitted-to-the-body pantsuits, with curvy, slightly cropped jackets, made up a large part of the collection, and it’s clear that Tyler imbued this line with his trademark slim tailoring. There were less constructed pieces, such as silk-charmeuse slip dresses worn under jackets, but look closer and you’d see the touches of tailoring, such as pintucking in the back or subtle rucking on the sides. With this launch, Tyler achieved all he was intending: a younger, less-expensive line that doesn’t sacrifice quality or style; it’ll have twentysomethings who can’t afford his signature collection running for their credit cards.

ZANG TOI, 7:30 p.m.
The title of Toi’s show was the stuff of many a woman’s fantasies: “The Lady of the Manor and the Hunky Gardener.” Straight out of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, the English-country-garden looks were indeed lush and fantastical: a rose-print silk organza “morning robe” edged in pale-pink pleating, or a peaked-strapless column gown of chocolate silk-taffeta with pink silk-chiffon roses trailing down the back. There were more accessible daytime looks, such as cuffed shirts and Capri pants in garden stripes, as well as khaki silk-ottoman pantsuits.

A bejeweled, Persian-inspired invite to Oscar de la Renta’s show intimated that his presentation would be equal parts exotic and opulent.

But as Fashion Week was drawing to a close, it was Toi’s over-the-top femininity that drew raves, most notably the pink or lilac silk-cashmere twinsets with floral-adorned skirts that flared at the knee. After all, Toi wants you to dream about the hunky, bare-chested model he sent down the runway in garden or tuxedo pants; because if you’re wearing these clothes, “bodice-ripper” might be a term that goes beyond books.

RALPH LAUREN, 8:30 p.m.
What a splendid, civilized way to wrap up one of Fashion Week’s final days: To evoke Spring’s romantic mood, Ralph Lauren moved his show to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, where under a draped, white-muslin tent dripping with crystal chandeliers, candles and champagne, Lauren presented one of the week’s most luxe collections.

Zac Posen is obsessed with all things angular, from exaggerated pointy collars to chevron prints to swingy dresses with handkerchief hems.

Using muted English-rose colors and tea-stained fabrics, Lauren evoked a modern-day Henry James heroine: She loves the luxury of a sweater over a satin skirt or chiffon dresses that are shredded couture-style for fashion-forward edge. Backstage after the show, Elizabeth Hurley waxed rhapsodic over the evening looks, which consisted largely of bustiers in faded-wallpaper brocades over bustled skirts in distressed denim. Romantic and modern at once, Lauren’s collection capped the week nicely, as it was the perfect portrait of a lady.

Other Saturday highlights:
Brazilian-born Carlos Miele injected plenty of Carnaval into his Spring collection, from feathered dresses and armbands to a “bossatronic” beat to ultra-sexy clothes that showed plenty of skin. Both necklines and jeans plunged dangerously low, while slits were cut high into R-rated territory. For extra sizzle, Miele offered denim bikinis, macramé halter tops and strappy tanks trimmed with seashells….For the past two seasons Alice Roi has ventured from her Downtown roots to a decidedly more Uptown feel. For Spring, this meant A-line dresses and skirts that fell to the knee and were neatly cinched with thin belts, as well as low-cut “Uptown dresses” paired with clean, simple cigarette pants….It seems that a season off did not diminish Miguel Adrover’s desire to push the fashion envelope. Titled “Citizens of the World,” Adrover’s showing was intended to inspire a little controversy, but the result was largely gimmicky, from the Euro couple in matching shark-skin suits to the hip socialite in a T-shirt dress of Swarovski crystals, to the model in the “World’s Hope” shirt, a baggy blue affair emblazoned with the United Nations logo. Adrover’s strength is in his tailoring, proven in the evening looks that ranged from an art deco crystal-beaded cocktail dress to the multi-pleated “tower” dress that revealed his love of architecture.

Sunday, September 22nd

The highlights:
Did Miami Beach-based Esteban Cortazar garner his fair share of the week’s hype factor because a) he’s all of 18 years old; b) he’s a Colombian-born designer known for ultra-sexy clothes; or c) Madonna, Shakira, Lenny Kravitz and Todd Oldham are fans? Your answer should be d) all of the above.

The men of Hilfiger, in drawstring pants and vests, all looked like sexy versions of Robinson Crusoe—if he was hanging at Bungalow 8.

Oldham and Nicky Hilton were among those in the audience when Cortazar held his first New York showing Sunday afternoon, a narrowly focused collection of 64 pieces crafted in just three very South Beach-friendly colors: aqua, lime and mint. Skin baring was the other theme common to Cortazar’s looks, from flared-sleeve, midriff-baring cha-cha tops to hip-hugging white leather bellbottoms to chiffon miniskirts with side slits. Rather than being too overtly sexy, the result is that Cortazar seems to simply love women, and it will be exciting to see both the designer and his clothes mature with age.

While you may not pair a rust-suede buckle jacket, pink-mesh blouse and floral lace skirt, Kenneth Cole says never be timid about stirring up things.

Finally, because no Fashion Week can be without its controversy, there was plenty of frenzy at the Phat Farm/Baby Phat show Sunday night. One of the hottest tickets of the week was to see the debut of Baby Phat, designed by Kimora Lee Simmons, wife of Phat Farm designer Russell. Problem was, many of those attending Phat Farm kept their seats, meaning those who had tickets for only Baby Phat were prevented from entering the at-capacity show by none other than New York’s Finest.
The result: After many “Don’t you know who I am?!?” arguments, several VIPs were forced to watch the show from a live feed outside the tent (but, proving that there’s VIP and VVIP, a few, such as Queen Latifah, Mya and Tyra Banks, were hustled inside a side entrance).

More than 65 back-to-back runway shows and events were sanctioned by Fashion Week organizers.

No matter whether live or via closed-circuit TV, you couldn’t miss this collection, which succeeded in being the ideal female counterpart to Phat Farm. The Caribbean-inspired clothes ranged from lavender leopard-print chiffon to denim hot pants to strapless one-piece rompers that cinched at the knees. Just like the event surrounding this debut collection, Baby Phat looked like it will fit nicely into the hype machine that is fashion.