So as I mentally and socially prepare myself for the love/hate drama of NYC Fashion Week, I’m desperately seeking stylish, chic, yet comfy daytime shoes. These beauties must be able to flow well with any and all skinny jeans, funky tights, super bubble, bubble skirts and quite possibly jogging pants (hey it gets like that.) They must be able to stand up to any looks given down the noses of snobby journalists, wannabe rock stars, red carpet divas and street style bloggers. I’m thinking these Kenzo pink and white woven rubber flats just might do the trick. In case you are wondering what my nighttime shoe requirements are…. I just need to be able to stand in one place with minimal pain. Yea….sad I know..but hey, that’s Fashion Week!

Lace, lace everywhere. It ruled the Fall 2008 runways, showing up at Roberto Cavalli, Derek Som, Dolce and Gabbana, Alexander McQueen–and especially Prada, who turned out full top and bottom ensembles with shades of orange, brown and nude. You can start lacing up now, as this is the one fall trend (unlike leather jackets or ankle boots) which make a nice summer-to-fall transition. A lace skirt is a good start–when the weather cools down, I like to throw some brightly colored tights under it.
[Image courtesy of Vogue.co.uk]

With the exception of Lacoste, Malo, Adam Lippes and a few others, the Fall ’08 shows at Bryant Park were all about the kind of flesh-baring, flowing fabric, crayon color you usually see in spring collections. The same was true in London. Personally, I love that fall fashion is moving away from heavy fabrics and somber palettes. What say you?

[l to r: Ashish, Eley Kishimoto, Louise Goldin, Biba & Roksanda Ilincic; all photos courtesy of londonfashionweek.co.uk]

[l to r: Rag & Bone, Sean John and Lacoste]
Like weddings, Fashion Week is primarily for the ladies. Though some boys did play dress up, I couldn’t help thinking that the menswear looks would’ve looked better on the female models. Our friends at Muse feel the same way.
[Rag & Bone and Lacoste photos courtesy of Style.com]

As you can imagine, covering Fashion Week is no meager task; between having to look fabo, sucking up to the gatekeepers and snagging relevant, witty interviews on the fly with some of fashion’s biggest stars, many “uh, oh,” moments can occur. Watch what happens here when I ask Christian Louboutin, about shoe trends for Fall ’08. Boyfriend wasn’t happy. LOL.

Despite the huge trend of both major retailers, brands and celebs going fashionably green; fun, fur looks for the winter are on the rise. Captured outside of the shows, these light grey fur coats managed to be both fuzzy & warm and suave & stylish.

Now that we’ve all taken a peek at the trends on the runway, I wanted to share a few trends off the runway. Soft, metallic booties adorned the feet of the trendiest, with details including a zebra like print, buttons around the ankles and an over-sized cuff.

Menkes did a 180 with her recent IHT review of the Marc Jacobs show. This season there was nothing but praise for the previously-maligned designer: “It was as though the demons that had been turning the designer’s shows into frantic and frazzled exercises in fashion overkill had disappeared.” She even went as far as to call it redemption for a dull fashion week (?!). Let’s compare that to last fall, when all hell broke lose after Menkes dared declare Marc’s Spring 2008 collection “a freak’s costume show.” I guess this time we won’t have Jacobs crying to WWD about how he doesn’t want to show in New York anymore. [Image courtesy of Wire Image for Getty Images]

…was spectacular. Problem is, it started on time. Truly. By 7:30p it was over. So was I…

–TONI SAUNDERS
[photos by Fernanda Calfat, GettyImages.com]

First fact: Carmen Marc Valvo has one dress, a “shutter pleated cocktail” that has sold 5 million dollars worth!!!!Not sure over how many seasons, but that is one big load of dresses!!!! (Guess which department store rang up each cha-ching!)
Second fact: His clothes are totally wearable, salable and glamorous for women of certain ages… he surely knows his customer.
His colors this season left no surprise: satins in red, jade, peacock, sapphire, and amethyst, plus chocolate, ivory, pewter, and black.
His lengths: Below the knee.
His accessories: Elbow-length gloves, dark tights, some hats.
His hair: Slicked back chignons by Odile Gilbert — perfect for the clothes.
This is the last you will hear from me until late tonight after Marc Jacobs closes down the week…supposedly at 7, but who knows? (Sorry…I no longer beg borrow and steal to get my old seats at Donna and Ralph and Calvin. The designers say please come but their PR departments do not hear them…)
–TONI SAUNDERS
[photo by Frazer Harrison, GettyImages.com]