New York Fashion Week Fall 2006 [The ZOO]

We've been covering New York Fashion Week for you. There's plenty to browse through. There are links below to our feature stories and to our blog coverage of the event.

New York Fashion Week Video Podcasts

Bill Blass
Diesel
Zang Toi
Kai Milla
Strenesse Gabriel Strehle
Jason Wu
Custo Barcelona
Baby Phat
Anna Sui
Heatherette

New York Fashion Week Feature Stories

Bill Blass Fall 2006

Designer Michael Volbracht continued to carry the Bill Blass legacy by presenting a collection not only for the ladies who lunch, but one with an appeal for their daughters as well ... But what captured our heart the most were those silk crepe cocktail dresses. So chic and classic. more...

Diesel Show Fall 2006

Questions addressed at the Diesel show included but were not limited to: 1. Can you mix bandannas and ostrich feathers? 2. Satin and sporty caps? 3. Eli Cash from Royal Tenenbaum's Chic with Ninja Headbands? 4. Plunging necks and Male Models? 5. Grace Jones and David Bowie? more...

Zang Toi Show Fall 2006

Zang Toi truly created a winter collection. Winter is usually a time when we tuck our fabulous clothes in the back of the closet and pull out the galoshes, long johns and parkas while dreaming of the spring lines. If you are a fan of tailored gray suits and fur trimmed everything ... this is going to be your winter. more...

Kai Milla Show Fall 2006

In the Grand Ballroom of the New Yorker Hotel Kai Milla, a rookie to fashion week, showed her Fall 2006 collection to a star studded audience, including her husband Stevie Wonder. The collection started out strong with white and black looks dominating the runway?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ with a Matrix sort of feel. more...

Strenesse Gabriele Strehle Show Fall 2006

Less is definitely more and that was the case for Gabriele Strehle's collection this season. Strehle is a designer that likes to go against the grain. While many will follow the ultra-femme trend we've been seeing this season, chances are you're going to see a standout in the crowd looking cooler than everyone else. She'll probably be wearing Strenesse. more...

Jason Wu Show Fall 2006

Jason softens up professional woman's wear, making it office and cocktail friendly, for those who talk business over martinis. Couture influenced lace politely appears on the trimming of clean satin suits. more...

Custo Barcelona Show Fall 2006

Remember how happy we were when logo tees went away? Well, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. more...

Baby Phat Show Fall 2006

This season Kimora Lee gave us her own take of the classic stewardess uniform. But of course, this being the Baby Phat line, over the top glam came through in every look. more...

Anna Sui Show Fall 2006

The Sui girl was very lady like and prim and proper with the matching bags and shoes to prove it. That signature Sui boho was still quite evident as a mix of vintage sixties and roccoco prints appeared on the runway. Little dresses were playfully innocent with their white peter pan collars and starched white cuffs. more...

Heatherette Fashion Show Fall 2006

Watch the latest fashion on the world's leading fashion accessory.

Getting a front row seat at New York Fashion Week can be a tricky proposition unless you're an 'A' list celebrity or the Editor at a Glossy Magazine. So what's a girl to do?

Fret not. ZOOZOOM can take you there in one easy to download step with their video podcasts. First up is Heatherette. Enjoy the show. more...

New York Fashion Week Fall 2006 Archive

ZOOZOOM lived in the Fashion District for 10 days and we came out with 45 fashion show features and 17 blog reviews. There's plenty to browse through and inspire you. We hate to say it, summer not even started, yet alone spring, but this is a glance at what might be headed your way in the fall and winter. more...

Jeremy Scott :: Fall 2006

Jeremy Scott is the king of 'pop' fashion. Season after season, with whimsical delight and a 'who wears it list' of cultural pop icons: Bjork, Christina Aguilera, Kylie Minogue and Madonna, Scott knows how to put on a show. With an 'I want Candy' soundtrack Scott payed homage to sugar and spice and all things nice (and fattening) with a candy floss collection where nipples were embellished with ice cream cones and the 'snickers' bar logo, albeit changed to 'jeremy', was emblazoned on a short jersey dress. These clothes are not for the faint hearted, they're larger than life, beyond theatrical, and designed for those who love to dress up and play. [David McIntyre] more...

DDC LAB :: Fall 2006

Being the second to the last show for the New York Fall 2006 collections, DDC LAB had quite the compromising time slot. By this point in the week editors have been over saturated, socialites have been over stimulated and the PR girls have been over worked. When your clients and customers have run out of fashion patience (yes ... it can happen!) the pressure is twice as strong to put on a show that is innovative and memorable. DDC LAB's debut show, 'Into the Stratosphere', proved to distinguish the design duo as a pair to keep your eyes on. The lights went down and to my great surprise, a mash-up of the Smiths and Radiohead filled the promenade (finally something other than Morningwood and Artic Monkeys!). This set the tone for the futuristic line that asked the audience if we are just "global residents" or whether we're "global rebels"? Caught between technology and combat, the men and women's collection at times looked more like gear rather than attire. Deep purple, grey, muddy green and charcoal was the primary palette for the collection, making it the modern camouflage for urban youth. Floor length 'Warrior' jackets with interrupted lines, jersey rouched dresses and black crepe ruffle tops were just a few of the progressive looks. With fabrics like lycra, silk and rubber, each piece was stylish as well as practical. DDC LAB created looks that are sure to have a cult following from all "global residents" and "global rebels" alike. [Meghan Casey] more...

Boudicca :: Fall 2006

The Invisible City was the title of the Boudicca show. The setting was unusually eerie, a studio in the Meatpacking District, had us surrounded by windows and a view of the city's lights. The sky was approaching darkness and so were we. It seemed as if time had stopped, just for that one moment. The melancholy piano music entered the room and Boudicca's visions stepped out. It was a look to the future taken from the past. She was a Victorian gothic from the future filled with subtle hints of eroticism. Jackets and pants were so sharply cut, they should be deemed dangerous. High neck stiff collars held shirts together while leather corset belts mapped out the straight androgynous silhouette of a pant. Men's suitings were exquisitely rendered and tailored, while in the "axis skirt" two straight lines lead to a bustled skirt in Italian striped wool. It's quite important to note that other than just designing clothes for the future, this duo would like to make a difference in the way
clothing is produced as well. Ingeo fiber completed the last look, the first and only man- made fiber produced from 100% annually renewable resources, not oil. The collection triumphed in achieving Boudicca's vision of the girl in the Invisible City, and though she likes to hide her feelings behind all those strong constricting clothes, we all know she still has a heart. [Rania Abu Eid] more...

Strenesse Gabriele Strehle :: Fall 2006

Less is definitely more and that was the case for Gabriele Strehle's collection this season. Strehle is a designer that likes to go against the grain. While many will follow the ultra-femme trend we've been seeing this season, chances are you're going to see a standout in the crowd looking cooler than everyone else. She'll probably be wearing Strenesse. Gabriele Strehle, a German designer, carries that German aesthetic of strong lines, a refined silhouette, and a neutral color range filled with shots of color. There's this great ingenuity in her white herringbone wool coat over a yellow organza dress. The organza dresses were an electric technicolor dream as they played with the light of the runway. Cashmere coats were voluminous but still held a quiet tailored restraint. Minimalism made it's rare appearance in New York fashion Week and it never looked so good, it's only fitting that it's from Gabriele Strehle. [Rania Abu Eid] more...

Manuel :: Fall 2006

Denim, leather, snakeskin, velvet, fur and a healthy dose of cowboy boots from the 'King of Country Couture'. The black palette included some strong reds and natural tones that complemented the tan leather. Stiletto cowboy boots, distressed denim, snakeskin pants and dresses and male models that looked like they could ride for weeks strutted down the runway.

The Europeans amongst us recognize the look. It's a cowboy meets Liberace meets some wild animal that once wandered around the southern states of America look. We don't quite get it though. The longer we stay, the more we do, it's got legs, but I couldn't help feeling a little alienated by the camp Americana. It it nationalistic? Or is it a region proudly displaying its heritage? This is where 'I've gotten stuck'. Perhaps it depends on where you're looking from? [Mike Hartley] more...

We love that Mal Sirrah's fashion show was online. We were invited to see the back stage set-up, we met the models and chatted with Mr Harris, the designer. We also chatted with Cooper Burnett, the video tech guy.

As Mr Harris pointed out in his publicity for the event, he's not naive enough to believe that it replaces a full show, but in the right context, the Mal Sirrah approach seems to offer a lot. The video looked great, I could get information about the models and outfits as I watched them, it was simple to use, it achieved its goals. Congratulations.

Mr Harris's color palette included plums, blues, greys and a stand out lime green that added a playful and powerful touch to the collection of asymmetrical dresses, flared trousers, pencil skirts and asymmetrical blouses in cashmere, wool, silk velvet and chiffon fabrics. [Mike Hartley]

Images Seth Wolfson

Zaldy :: Fall 2006

Zaldy is interested in creating strong pieces that remain approachable and non-threatening. With this show I think he did it. There were plenty of beautiful figure hugging fabrics that hang round the body like they've been there since birth. The color palette included plums and khakis with white and a vibrant lime green. To top it off, there was a lamb stole. [Mike Hartley] more...

Jason Wu :: Fall 2006

Twiggy eyeliner and retro-lifeguard ponytails brought wholesome and iconic together. Lingerie-inspired, cocktail dresses had corset tops. Jason focused on particular materials: fox fur, satins, tulle and lace. Don't forget to add the cashmere. Luxurious and soft, this line had attendees watching as the model's long trains followed them down the aisles. While no one was looking JW broke rules. Forget about hiding your brassiere. Make it pretty, black, and simple with a backless corset gown, adding slight complications to what appears to be simple. Other omnipresent runway trends paid a visit to the runway for this fall collection: cigarette pants, fur, boleros, and double breasted blazers.

Jason softens up professional woman's wear, making it office and cocktail friendly, for those who talk business over martinis. Couture influenced lace politely appears on the trimming of clean satin suits. Sequins snuck into to this satin party, and bows were big. An airplane dress appeared now and then, perfect for those days when you have multiple travel destinations, enabling you to lounge and rub elbows comfortably. Cut out backs gave hints of the fifties. Peach, olive and smoky grays were used with consistency to form a cohesive classic look of glamour.

SCALE: Details were tiny and music was forward but familiar, i.e. Fiona Apple's latest and remixes of John Lennon's Jealous Guy. SHOES: Beaded, high and heeled. LOOK: Your favorite doll. [Xenia Viray] more...

Custo Barcelona :: Fall 2006

If the feudal days never ended, it was nineteen eighty three, and you were the most envied chick at your boarding school who knew about Nirvana before there was Nirvana, Custo Barcelona would be your uniform of choice. We should have known when the zipper graphic and strobe lighting appeared that Custo was not going to begin or end with a surprise. Custodio and David Dalmau was going to reinvent with every look, let paint splatter and textures mate.

A little bit goes a long way, so imagine how far a lot can go. Unrestrained and confident, Custo Barcelona's fox stoles were dyed red, his prints were geometrically vivid and his accessories were loud. For girls who don't let snow or wind put their favorite dresses on the bench, the fantastical tights were a reward for all those red knee January days. Following the knee high trail but quickly diverting onto the road less taken, CB added lace up details at the calf.

Remember how happy we were when logo tees went away? Well, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Like the naive member of the village who wanders away from home and comes back anew, the logo has returned, huge and on the side of a pencil skirt. My how you've grown! Bringing modern graphic design, printmaking and a graffiti influence, the latest Custo show was not influenced by pop culture, it was pop culture.

Taking the formal structure of the king's court, Custo Barcelona created harlequin neckpieces with glam rock outrageousness. Truly adding luxury touches to mens active wear, Custom Barcelona added fur lining to hooded sweatshirts, cowboy boot graphics, tiki pub floral prints and custom prints. Black flowers popped off dresses, boleros made friends with hoodies, dresses had high slits in the back and between the shoulder blades. Skirts were short. Button downs had tuxedo ruffles.

Take on shorts: Make 'em hot pants and do it in suede and its a deal. Prints: Ropes, boots, animals, roses, Hawaiian Pop. Hats: Built in Mohawks and feathers. Accents: Diagonal zippers, chunky burlesque heels, suspenders, plaid, wool, velvet, and patches. [Xenia Viray] more...

Joanna Mastroianni :: Fall 2006

The dramatic melancholy piano music turned Mastroianni into a spy movie melody when the beat kicked in. Boldly colored blunt bangs set the tone of the collection: dramatic femme fatale with Empress of China high necks and tall Russian Ostrich feather hats, the inspiration of this collection was unmistakably Mongolian. (I wrote it first, then checked my program to see I was right on the money... or was she?)

Mink fur and fox fur emboldened cuffs and collars. Red metallic fabrics reflected light and added dimension to the wraparound parachuting dresses. Airy structural dresses billowed around the shoulders and hips. One black scoopback dress brought go-go to the Great Wall of gowns and satin pants. Gold and black leaf prints evoked rainforest butterflies in the middle of a Russian winter. The Moulin Rouge-esque skirts, while structurally old-fashioned, were scandalously sheer. Joanna Mastroianni brought lingerie and couture to the evening gown.

INVENTED ACCENTS: Armor-like cap sleeve accesories with beads. COUTURE: The black ruffled lace pointed to Dior as an inspiration. HOW HIGH?: Hats were indicative of Russian culture, audacity, and cold weather forecasts. [Xenia Viray] more...

Araks :: Fall 2006

I was made less upset by the amount of time I spent in the frigid cold when I heard T. Rex's "Cosmic Dancer" and The Shins' "New Slang" in the Altman Buildling. But lo and behold, like the Michael Jordan of New York Fashion Week Fall 2006, the Postal Service's saddest track came on, and while it's a reliable track for putting me in that emotional space, it may be time to let someone else have a go and retire or try baseball.

The Knife, A Swedish duo seems first in line to assume the crown of runway pop. Jersey Cotton was so thin you could feel it with your eyes, and garments had an innerwear or summer feel.

Reserved, streamlined, and full of pastels, Araks is what the popular girls would wear at their summer homes when they get too old for their Abercrombie. Hair was teased into a powdery messy beehive. Rather than bees, this hive was surrounded by thin ribbon headbands. Hair was reminiscent of the pre-wrap field hockey players use to keep their eyes clear during games. Every accent including the bunchy sleeves, pearls and keyholes, was quietly proportioned. A big proponent of cropped shorts, I was pleased to see my dear little friends again. Subtle, structural changes in the normal fare made these shorts a likely candidate for "signature item of the collection." Such changes included tiny double pleats and matching wide belts.

Silk was used to play multiple characters in the Araks drama: indigo knee length pleated skirts, simple sleeveless tops, and an indigo blazer that vibrated with color. Have your cake and eat it too? Araks had sailor pants and cigarette jeans under her wooden-sole pumps. Now you can maneuver a boat by day and enjoy a smoke at night. The boy cut bikini bottoms and cotton wireless matching tops were coupled with rosy sheer cardigans that almost covered their bottoms, but not quite, much to the delight of the onlookers. Thank you for those fit cardigans, a vibrant alternative to the cropped jacket saturation.

That beachy loose and sleeveless amber sundress lit the collection up and the backless short short one piece looked like you'd never want to take it off.

Cheers: To looking good when you're in a room eating popcorn and sifting through magazines. Cotton: Like your favorite worn t-shirt or the jersey cotton sleeps you can't live without. Sounds: Harpsichords + Major Chords = Emotional Chord. [Xenia Viray] more...

James Todd Smith, aka LL Cool J, presented at the Carlton Hotel on Madison. Often relaxed, unusually this affair was charged with champagne, celebrities (Selena Williams and obvioiusly LL Cool J) and even a little dancing. Not bad for 11am.

Furs, cashmere, cotton, silk. Pinstripe, herringbone, gingham. Navys, chocolates, camel, grey, black, plum. Sharp, uptown, almost English. There was even a Prince of Wales check shirt. With Jeremy Brandrick leading the menswear design team, and Matthew Priestly heading up women's wear Todd should not do too badly. [Mike Hartley]

VPL by Victoria Bartlett :: Fall 2006

The buzz amongst the photographers waiting for the VPL by Victoria Bartlett show was all about it being an 'underwear' collection but if they were expecting Victoria's Secret I'm sure they were disappointed because this Victoria has a whole different take on sexy. In fact while the brand has it's roots in underwear as outerwear it's moved on considerably and is now predominately outerwear. But the same influences still apply, the fashion is structured with a simplicity of form that makes it almost noble or proud, think vintage swimwear, or athletic wear from bygone Olympics or perhaps post WWII Russian propaganda posters. [David McIntyre] more...

Wunderkind :: Fall 2006

I thought this season was a vehement protest of the pleat - that damned fold that took over youth retail a few years ago. But a certain designer evoked a Siberian Princess who later told me that I wasn't being imaginative enough. The pleat in the last show you thought would be inundated with something associated with tennis, private school and Alicia Silverstone: Wunderkind.

With leather, to create a cape-like coat back, in the front of a trench coat, Wunderkind's pleats boldly went where no pleat went before. The hunting caps, Sherlock Holmes coats, and fur hoods were perfect apparel for the Russian Villainess archetype: the woman you don't want to want. Controlling thick unwieldy fabrics, Wunderkind perfectly tailored folds of leather and fur to sit cleanly. To be imaginative, luxurious, and technically masterful, this is what distinguishes Wunderkind. Thorough, this collection featured an unheard number of looks, including smooth hair, foggy atmospherics, and theatre stage lighting. But it wasn't all hunting fare: when a Siberian Underground Empress warms herself by a fire on a bearskin rug, she slips her mink cape off to reveal cupcake wrapper sleeves and a gold apron dress with metallic beads. For a formal soire?ɬ©, she goes high-necked and backless, in a black gown that punctuates itself with a popcorn cloud shape skirt.

At this dramatic presentation, pearls climbed upon one another to create coral reefs on sleeves, necks, and torsos. The dresses seemed to be breathing on their own, bunched like theatre curtains on the bottom. They floated despite their massive contour. With white snow leopard sheer print and floral print to soften up the outerwear, Wunderkind made us wonder, and treated our eyes kindly. [Xenia Viray] more...

Abaet?ɬ© :: Fall 2006

Silk tunics and short shift dresses gave off a feeling that Abaete's Fall 2006 collection had distant ancestors whose Hey Day was in the Roaring Twenties. With loose and messy hair creating soft waves and giving the illusion of short bobs, these models gave off the feeling of cigarette holders and costume balls. Smart in high-waisted cumberbun skirts and sassy red polka dot prints.

Lavenders, golds, reds, and blacks interacted with one another, forming specific shapes in the straps of every dress. Abaete used the same crayons to color in their shoes: red, black and creme satin flats or plum and olive high-heeled mules. And before you go throwing a Veruca Salt "I Want It Now" you ought to know that you can buy a pair of those ruby ballet slip ons yourself since Ms. Poretzsky decided to partner with Payless.

In the style of the Guilded Era, another fantastic showing of gold and bows, Abaete reminded me why I liked Xmas so much. And what did we get for this fashion gift-giving of sorts from the Runway to our imaginations: hemlines full of miniature pleats, cropped fur, leather shrugs and imprinted roses.

Trends: Colorful dancer leggings under everything, high high waists and gold jewelry. Printed Matter: A singular geometric printed dress brought Mod and the Twenties together to evoke an imaginary Roaring 60's in the UK. [Xenia Viray] more...

Anna Sui :: Fall 2006

Every season Anna Sui seems to be presenting a different side of the sixties. One season it was about the flower hippy girls, another season it was the mods, and this season it was a la Catherine Deneuve from Belle du Jour. Prints were everywere but one can say it was a bit subdued for Sui this season as it was a more "grown-up" collection. The Sui girl was very lady like and prim and proper with the matching bags and shoes to prove it. That signature Sui boho was still quite evident as a mix of vintage sixties and roccoco prints appeared on the runway. Little dresses were playfully innocent with their white peter pan collars and starched white cuffs. Things were kept to a bare minimum length wise, waists were heightened up and the baby doll appeared yet once again. One can say Anna's a bit stuck in the past, especially the sixtes, it would be interesting to at least be in another decade (how's 2007?) [Rania Abu Eid] more...

Milly :: Fall 2006

French pop, fifties party dresses and gold chains. Milly is right, gold is necessary. Slim skirts are sophisticated and sexy. The image of a girl with a bow in her hair at her own birthday party comes to mind. With baby doll bibs, polka dots and chunky grain suit, the girl who Milly evokes has a bowl of freshly made Chex mix ready for the kids when they get home and looks like a Hollywood starlet while she is at work in her thick wool suit. The gold was everywhere. Chain linked belts, enormous buttons, retro print shift dresses.

For a surprise throw in an orange! No, not the fruit silly, the color. In Milly's palette pink, tan, black and white ruled the prints, a button down tangerine orange coat woke the attendees up like a glass of fresh-squeezed. Dress collars were trimmed by ruffling silk. Everything was double-breasted. There's almost nothing better than a backless dress (backs are so quietly sexy) and an enormous bow on a party dress.

But every party girl has a serious side. (Well, not every party girl.) With private university knit sweaters, this line was for a woman who entertains, gets down to business, and mills about the university grounds remembering that time she skipped class to run off to the beach with a boy she just met.

THANK GOD FOR: Putting the Milly print on shoes. COMMENTS: Is that girl's skirt made of icing? TRENDS: Those ruthlessly sheer tops, high-waisted trousers, and gold gold gold. [Xenia Viray] more...

Yeohlee :: Fall 2006

On the sixteenth floor of a building with virtually no lobby, Yeohlee and her determined staff were up to bat at the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, and in need of every runner to cross the plate. (I know! Baseball metaphors in fashion? Ungodly!) With bell and chime music so quiet you could hear photographers mumbling expletives and opening and shutting their shutters, there was a tightly packed crowd and a tiny runway.

As I sat listening to the headset adorning woman, saying "Noelle...Go! Jovita...Go!" it became clear to me that this show was virtually inside out, naked, with its heart on an operating table. The producers were pokerfaced, brave, and graceful. While the crowd was acting like corralled bulls, the models like matadors. Working only in black and white, Yeohlee's newly invented garments included high-waisted cumberbun trousers with suspenders, skinny black ties, and experiments with heavier fabrics.

Leaving space around the body rather than hugging the skin, Yeohlee's distinctively Mediterranean models looked straight out of film noir. A brown leaf print wrap around coat threw warmer tones over the blacks and browns in the end. A muted plum heated the fabrics as well. Yeohlee took a bow, grateful and wise.

STRENGTHS: Fabrics as sculpture, i.e. the black dress at the end, with a skirt that seemed to be filled with air. MODELS: So few of them, so many looks, such brave faces. ART: Every piece belonged in a museum where you could touch, rotate, and try on. SUPERSIZE: The blazers and legs were oversized, but the cumberbun trousers maintained lean silhouettes. [Xenia Viray]

Carmen Marc Valvo :: Fall 2006

A designer who will not let youth-centric fashion culture push him or his "powerful woman" clientele into a corner, Valvo just said no: to pencil pants, wedge heels, PETA and color. For a woman who entertains, never flies coach and frequents charity events, this collection is a declaration of independence. Mink, cashmere and satin made you wish you were allowed to touch the hems of the model's dresses as they passed by. High-waisted satin skirts were matched with sheer boat neck blouses. The hair followed suit: sophisticated and simple. Each woman came down the runway as if she had stepped off a plane. Oh In Argentina. Open toe shoes and patent leather pumps accompanied flapper fringe and shift dresses.

Clean lines, a monochromatic palette, and play with geometry made Valvo a soldier marching to his own beat. The gowns were delicate and showed off collar bones and backs, with deep V-necks surprising us as the models disappeared. For me, it was a similar surprise that had me leaning forward: a 50's inspired creme dress was walking away from me when suddenly they appeared: big buttons that mimicked a double breasted navy coat, but on the back of a party dress!

REPRESENT: Cameras flocked when Vanessa Williams entered, a perfect example of a Valvo woman. INSPIRATION BOARD: Helmut Ditch and the Arctic. [Xenia Viray] more...

Rebecca Taylor :: Fall 2006

Is Rebecca Taylor made of butterfly wings? At Gary's loft where stress was low, ros?ɬ© was sparkling, and glasses were crystal, there was only one thing missing: models. While white netting adorned the sunlit space, Taylor watched as her friends enjoyed delicate cakes, video installations playing on antique television sets, and an apartment-like setting everyone eyed enviously. Tiny birds, antique creme furniture and enormous sheer fabric prints of mysterious women, this quiet, fragile collection could be viewed and photographed with serenity and concentration. All of the clothes were on hangers and mannequins.

Sexy turned gentle as the frilly silks and pink pleats paired themselves with powder blue knit thigh high stockings. Victorian inspired, this ethereal installation included Plexiglass fawn grazing on soft fashion. Bjork's Vespertine and other music selections reminiscent of John Brion's theme song for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind highlighted the soothing nature of Taylor. Cardigans had rose textures. Props were human-sized books and enormous bright views of the city. The Maitre D's
carried sterling silver trays, and instead of PR, Rebecca Taylor seemed to have people close to her guiding wide-eyed spectators amongst golden floral silhouettes.

Adding modernity to the fairy-tale collection, wide leather belts created shape and were worn on the empire waistline. Taylor's sweetness and goodnatured intimacy was reflected in her pastel clothes and loose trousers. From flowers painted on the walls to the Victorian kitchen this kitchen was hyper-feminine and had no apologies.

After hearing a friend say Taylor had given her a dress that was cut from the collection, just because she said she "loved it," the deal was sealed for me: graceful, hospitable, and tasteful, Rebecca Taylor's collection, use of space, nature and pastel palette calmed us down. Extracting politeness from push and shove fashion show attendees isn't the easiest thing to do, and we salute Rebecca Taylor for her marvelous hosting.

TALENT: Making soft silks structured. COMMENT WHISPERED MOST TIMES: "Does someone LIVE here?". YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT: Rebecca Taylor canvas totes and Limited Edition Autumn/Winter books were given out to guests with pastel prints and photographs, everything seemingly handmade. [Xenia Viray]

Diesel :: Fall 2006

With those hand painted cherubs and angels looking down on us from their home in the ceiling, the opera house tiered section of standing fashionistas and not one, but two disco balls bookending the whole thing, Diesel was just like it's ballroom venue: loud and grand.

Foreign accents, juxtaposing soccer trainer sneakers with smart blazers, high water pants with tailored turtlenecks, the fashion was defiant. And those were just the attendees! Sunglasses on their heads to give a F#9@ YOU! to the cloudy sky, an international array of Diesel support only upped the anti on the glamour scale.

When curtains parted to reveal a revolving door in front of a hotel facade set, you knew there wasn't going to be any yawning. With the music stylings directly correlating with Debby Harry-Airy locks and thigh high leather boots, the Ballroom Blitz began just like Sweet said it would.

A film noir voice rang through the air over the rock n'roll magnitude sound system, summing up the whole shebang: "Sex, Drugs, Rock n' Roll, Chains, Whips, Chips and Dip..." Was this the voice of denim?

Some of the philosophical questions addressed at the Diesel show included but were not limited to: 1. Can you mix bandannas and ostrich feathers? 2. Satin and sporty caps? 3. Eli Cash from Royal Tenenbaum's Chic with Ninja Headbands? 4. Plunging necks and Male Models? 5. Grace Jones and David Bowie?

Diesel survey says: 1. yes 2. yes 3. yes 4. I'm sorry what did you say? I was looking at your nipple. 5. Duh.

Yes, we know cigarette pants are the "little black dress" of Fall 2006, but Diesel weaves gold into their skinny legged pants and attaches them to one-piece jumpsuits or uses turquoise and red to create Native American patterns fit for non-Natives. Yes we know that I have used the bolero nearly twenty times a day since last Friday, but Diesel's matadors rock boleros in leather.

Like a story with perfect punctuation, font, grammar, and composition, this year's dramatic presentation was complete- with Kabbalah-esque armbands trimming biceps, and Tortilla Flat's metallic colors peaking beneath the blouses. How did they pull off that little bit when the faux-hawk model pretended to answer her phone in the middle of the runway?

What wishes did fair Godfather Diesel make come true? Imaginative menswear, the glamourization of street wear, and an innumerable number of looks distinct from one another. A cardigan for a real man, a pink tie that emasculates somehow. A bustle and a train on a leather dress. Help me here, I'm running out of fingers to count.

Like two fresh menswear designers told me the other day - the first thing they do when they reconstruct vintage clothing is to chop anything below the part of your ribcage that juts out. Well, chop went the Diesel and we're proud to say that they shared their leather bolero with the men.

This egalitarian "Women are fabulous but so are men" show topped off the sweet sundae of fashion with a cherry- a satin red cherry suit for the unafraid forward-thinking man. Like an alternative high school that has cigarette breaks instead of locker breaks, the runway was a variety of loners, pairs and threesomes, sassing with their friends, luxury lunch totes in hand, fat ties 'round the neck, and gold chains and studs anywhere they can fit.

WHAT WILL HIT RETAIL EVERYWHERE: Button down vests have been creeping back for years. Get ready. HYBRIDS: Gutter-punk meets Sexy Italian Socialite. NEW MUST HAVE ACCESSORY FOR FASHIONISTAS: Toddlers. FAVORITE INVENTION: High collar, black leather studded cap sleeves that fit over top anything. BEST HAIR: that shaggy male whose face I couldn't describe to you, because I have yet to see it. BE BITCHY YET COMFORTABLE: Those triangle cylindrical heels save the sexy and tame the pain. OVER THE TOP: Grace Jones jumping from her center front row seat onto the Runway in all black leather, studs, and a hood, treating us to a swing around the revolving door and the pole. They don't call her Grace for nothing. [Xenia Viray] more...

Heatherette :: Fall 2006

Oh Heatherette! How we love you! You make us laugh, you make us smile, you make us dance and you make us question our sexuality. We tell ourselves that seven full days of what can be fashion hell; it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s all worth it all just to have a coveted seat in your audience full of B-level stars, drag queens and other circus acts. What was fashion week like before Richie Rich and Traver Rains? Yawn!

This season the girls boys at Heatherette looked no further than their own backyard, New York City, for inspiration and designs. The ?¢‚Ǩ?ìGothamism?¢‚Ǩ? line was everything you would expect in a Heatherette collection; lots of large patterns, textures, fur and color ?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ all over the place! Boys and girls can look forward to glittery tops and flared pants, bright bold geometric chiffon dresses with two totally different prints finished at the sleeves with a sweet ribbon bow. Tight pants and little jackets had bold images of rainbows, the Empire State Building and other New York novelties. Usually I am drawn to Heatherette, not because of the wearability or desire to actually own the clothes, but more so by the unusualness and creativity of the whole collection. This season I found myself lusting after more than half of the collection! The sequin flapper dress and shirts with a rhinestone silhouette of the NYC skyline had me thinking ?¢‚ǨÀúhello?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ and the long metallic slate blue dress had me day dreaming about all the Christmas parties there are to come (didn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t we just get over that?).

Only Heatherette can create an environment where The MisShapes, The Trinity and Vogue editors can come together and live in harmony. As Amanda Lepore sashayed toward the blinking lights at the end of the runways, she held a sign proclaiming, ?¢‚Ǩ?ìDreams really do come true ?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ in New York City?¢‚Ǩ?. For those 45 seconds the city felt happy as the socialites, hipsters, trannies and thugs all joined in applause?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ finally we all agree on something! [Meghan Casey] more...

ZOOZOOM Interviews Heatherette

ZOOZOOM interviewed Heatherette and we'll be featuring it on our upcoming podcast series on New York Fashion Week Fall 2006. You'll learn what dance club Richie Rich would re-create if he could and what Traver thinks about dressage. We love them. [Mike Hartley]

Nanette Lepore :: Fall 2006

Edwardian England set the backdrop for the Nanette Lepore show this season. The collection included Lepore's menswear inspired wool suitings and youthful feminine dresses. Tweeds and plaids were mixed in with floral blouses and embroidered sweaters. Silk satin dresses came in polka dots and foulard prints, while evening wear seemed to reminisce in that 1940's starlet trend we've been seeing. Gowns came in velvet, gunmetal lame, and chiffon. The colors were vibrant reds and blacks for the most part, but it did start to look a little like Christmas when those red velvet dresses came down the runway. [Rania Abu Eid]

ZOOZOOM Interviews DJShakey

DJShakey aka Julie Covello tells me to meet her at Botanica Bar and when I ask her what she looks like she says "I have bleach blond hair. I'm kind of hard to miss. I'll be wearing a Rush t-shirt." She's right and I spot her as soon as she walks in the door with the help of a friend who I've relayed the description to.

Julie tells me we should get down to business and offers me a cocktail in this candlelit bar where the tables are full and the music is funky. And get right down to business we do. In a husky voice and a winter hat, she tells me about music selection on the runway.

"You meet a room full of people, production, Nanette, office managers, sales reps, six people or so, and you look at the inspiration board. Between you and me, [not anymore!] do you know what an inspiration board is?" she asks me. I tell her I can probably guess, and the obvious is true. It's a huge cork board, and on Nanette's is everything from scraps of cloth to Polaroids and buckles. Though Women's Wear Daily quoted Nanette's latest to be Edwardian themed, DJShakey sees disco and early 80's decade influences in the button-downs with dagger icons and vibrant reds.

As expected, the music is an ever-evolving animal, beginning with research and a roster of up to 300 songs which have to be whittled into some recognizable shape that strengthens the look of the collection without detracting from the visual. Starting with 65 looks and editing down to 58, Shaky has re-mastered her final edit four times, and like everything in the whirlwind week of catwalking, it continues down to the wire.

What else does the DJ DJShakey see in Nanette: tweed, english Sherlock Holmes influences, short capes, and even Eastern influences with huge keyholes and vibrant reds. So how did this Rush t-shirt adorning regular DJ at Botanica Bar jump onto the runway scene? Ed Potokar who's company is called "Music for TV" had been working with DJShakey and kindly referred her when he moved on. A creative partnership ensued, one that DJShakey understands from a branding perspective, a technical perspective, and everything with an eye for fashion.

"I learned a lot," she tells me while I ask her what the day of is like. In the end she lists the names of every track off the top of her head, including Morningwood's Nth Degree, the Rolling Stones' Emotional Rescue and Blondie's Good Boys from their most recent album. After we are done with the business and mulling over other stories of our lives, she goes on to tell me that Debbie Harry had called Nanette Lepore's office to request an invite to the show only to find that she had a scheduling conflict.

"Did you feel like you were dead on when that happened?" I asked her. "You know, of all people..." I say. "No, she says. It was cool, but just a coincidence she says." She does not seem impressed with herself in the least. That makes one of us.

Since she uses Ableton Live and ProTools to shape the jigsaw together, DJShakey says that all the environment on the day of the show is high energy and high stress with "hundreds of people including famous people," the only thing to do on the day of show is to get there on time. DJShakey says everything, and she means everything, should be ready the day before the show. "The most important thing is to be cooperative."

DJ Shakey also curated runway sound for Secrets of Charm, a newcomer to fashion week. "They have this feminine, country western and Middle America base," says Covello. For their "Montana" theme attire, she chooses the Raveonettes. With every question and answer, there is an apparent gratitude for all of the work she has been given, and her experience with the back and forth process of an industry that is designed, and sometimes thrives on changing its mind, she is calm and shows no signs of stress.

While people come and leave the candlelight, they give her hugs, ask her what she has been up to, and comments fly around, like the occasional "Remember when I didn't know how to spin and you gave me that tutorial?" When I ask her why she interviews so well she says, "I've done filmmaking and interviews, so I sympathize." Julie Covello schools me on internationally-known Soul and Funk 45 collectors, how she ended up writing for Sweet Action, a "Porn Magazine for Girls" that also reviews music, and a series of synchronized events that connect seventies basketball shorts and eBay to lead her into a world where she does what she is happy doing and surrounded by good friends. She's the type of girl that offers you a ride, bonds with you over her Hello Kitty fanaticism, offers to draw you a Hello Kitty version of yourself, and forces you to let her take a picture of you even though you're interviewing her.

You see, people know Shakey for being in the NY Times, for mixes on Moma WPS1 Online Radio and her Nightowl Record Fair, but no matter how they know her, people know DJShakey. They like her and they learn from her, and I'm proud to be one of them. [Xenia VIray]

Thakoon :: Fall 2006

It was a pleasure to see Thakoon taking a risk this season. Usually the Thakoon girl is natural and seems to float down the runway, but this season she had an edge, complete with patent leather heels and crimson lips. She is still a romantic, but not in a floral dress sort of way. She is more of a poet, with an air of mystery to her. Think of Faye Dunway in Bonnie and Clyde, but tr?ɬ©s serious and French. Colors were classic navy, white, black, and grey. Huge sweaters were over tight black leggings, cropped dresses were beautifully crocheted, while Thakoons jackets were simply stunning. Pleated and draped they hung beautifully in all their shape and glory, without looking too much like a piece of abstract art. One can say Thakoon is slowly carving out his hiche and identity in fashion. Overall, a very ambitious collection that has me looking forward to next season. [Rania Abu Eid] more...

Bill Blass :: Fall 2006

The first look said it all. Model Daria Werbowy graced the runway in Bill Blass signature style, clad in a red double-faced cashmere coat and cinched in with the iconic Blass belt. Designer Michael Vollbracht continued to carry the Bill Blass legacy by presenting a collection not only for the ladies who lunch, but one with an appeal for their daughters as well. Little jackets were cut ever so gracefully over light blouses and came in a cool slate grey. But what captured our heart the most were those silk crepe cocktail dresses. So chic and classic, it makes us nostalgic for those days we didn't play it safe by wearing jeans to parties. Tucked under a shearling coat, a standout was a french grey embroidered strapless dress. While the ball gowns towards the end were a bit frilly, the collection still succeeded in conveying the confidence and spirit we see in American fashion. [Rania Abu Eid] more...

ZOOZOOM Interviews Michael Vollbracht

ZOOZOOM interviewed designer Michael Vollb