Cynthia Rowley

Cynthia Rowley's Spring 2013 collection found beauty in the decay of a decaying hotel in downtown New York City. And what better way to show a collection inspired by a dilapidated building than to cast models as partygoers inside of it?

That's exactly what Rowley did at 5 Beekman Street in New York on Thursday night. While confetti fell from the building's interior balconies onto the floor below, models stood for photographers wearing some of the most imaginative and restrained garments Rowley has cooked up yet. The emphasis in the clothing's shape was volume, but the designer covered her wide-legged pants and generous dresses with prints inspired by the peeling paint in the hotel, and foiled brocade was used to make a bomber jacket and matching shorts. And though the clothes were party ready, Rowley took that theme one step further by putting flask-shaped bracelets on all of her models.

Check out the all the pictures from Cynthia Rowley's Spring 2013 collection, and come back soon for our full review. 

Fashion designer and style legend Cynthia Rowley took a minute out of her crazy Fashion Week schedule to talk to us about her new, more accessible, and definitely "scaled-down" line, DreamPop by Cynthia R., now available at JC Penney for girls 7-16.

"I have two young daughters and when shopping with them, I've always had a hard time finding things," Cynthia told us. "I think this is the age where girls start wanting to express themselves through clothes." And they'll certainly be able to with DreamPop's collection of colorful and printed denim, sequined tees and skirts, and ruffled and metallic embellishments. Keep clicking to check out the adorable collection and hear more from Cynthia Rowley, a new tween style icon!

Industry heavyweights Cynthia Rowley, Michael Bastian, and Alexis Bittar met at FIT to dole out advice and talk about the beginnings of their careers with a group of fashion aspirants from across the country.

Mickey Boardman of Paper magazine moderated the discussion, clad in a leopard-print cardigan and a necklace from Givenchy. "With luck and a lot of hard work you can make it to the middle the way I have," he said, making the audience giggle for the first of many times that evening. Stylist Lori Goldstein and Saks Fifth Avenue executive Terron Schaefer joined the conversation, which touched on everything from the panel members' zodiac signs (Schaefer, like Anna Wintour and Glenda Bailey, is a Scorpio) and how they started their careers (Bittar sold vintage jewelry from a table on St. Mark's Street in New York City when he was 13 years old).

The stories were memorable, but perhaps the most valuable tidbits for the intern-filled audience — many of whom were participants in the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Program — were pieces of the panel's sage advice.

Photo: From left, Cynthia Rowley, Mickey Boardman, Alexis Bittar, Lori Goldstein, Michael Bastian, and Terron Schaefer.

Deriving inspiration from craftsmen — mechanics, cobblers, and (much more obviously) leathermen, Cynthia Rowley's own Fall craftsmanship honed in on these artists with a succinctly modern and much sportier interpretation. Save for denim on denim suiting or brilliant colored leather, there's not too much literal interpretation, but rather a cool collection of womanly, curve-conscious design married with menswear-inspired structure. We're treated to bold all-over prints washed over body-skimming sheaths, skinny pants, and even gloves. And while a tougher, boxier leather jacket lined in shearling might pinpoint Rowley's craftsmen influences, what takes shape is still definitively for the girls.

• Trends: Colored leather, abstract prints, menswear.
• Colors: Blue, black, maroon, orange, olive green, gray, white.
• Key Piece: We love the printed pants, shearling-trimmed jacket, and deep navy leather pieces.
• Accessories: Aviator shades, ankle boots, strappy platforms and socks, jeweled necklaces at the collar, feather-adorned bags, graphic printed gloves.
• Who Would Wear It: Girls with an appetite for truly modern, crafty sportswear.

>> Though she may have cited some hard-edged references — "mechanics, cobblers, and leathermen" — for Fall 2012, Cynthia Rowley still managed to churn out exactly the kind of collection she's known for: feminine, whimsical, and steeped in art. Here, the art and whimsy manifested itself mostly in kaleidoscopic, tortoise-shell prints; painterly shades of vermillion and orange; and jeweled turtleneck collars — courtesy of the girls at Dannijo. But don't go thinking that Rowley can't do tough: the designer also offered up straightforward silhouettes inspired by coveralls — and plenty of them came in leather.