2012 New York Fashion Week

The tour de force of our favorite designers and their collections past continues right here with a look at the ever-talented Phillip Lim. Read on to see his collections as we prep for New York Fashion Week's impending kickoff.

Phillip Lim debuted at Fashion Week with a presentation of his Fall 2006 collection and then showed his Spring 2007 collection the following season on the runway. Since its beginning, the label's been praised for its cool and easy aesthetic, combining the worlds of street style and ladylike elegance in collections filled with subtle femininity. With a celebrity fan base that includes so many of our favorites — Kate Hudson, Kate Bosworth, Natalie Portman — he's created a wildly popular brand with major staying power. Click through to get a glimpse of Lim's past collections as we eagerly await his Fall '13 lineup.

For color enthusiasts, the New York Fall '12 runways were positively bursting with cool, unexpected colorblocked combos. Both Vera Wang and Marc by Marc Jacobs were drawn to super-saturated rusted brick hues offset with muted tones, while BCBG injected its downtown-chic pieces with up to four colors at a time. For the daring dresser, Diane von Furstenberg sent silky fuchsia and sky blue blouses paired with even brighter lime green and red complements. While an autumnal color palette served as initial inspiration, designers didn't limit themselves to dark and dreary matchups. The use of neon pops and pale pastels kept the jazzed-up juxtapositions energetic and fresh — something we're definitely in want of during the cold Winter months. To see the coolest color combos to emerge from New York Fashion Week, keep clicking.

What is arguably one of the most glamorous weeks of the year gets an extra dose of fun thanks to all the celebs who descend upon Fashion Week to take in the latest collections from all the top American designers. From Malin Akerman at Rag & Bone and Whitney Port at Rebecca Taylor, to the statement-making Nicki Minaj at Prabal Gurung, take a look at who's sitting front row at New York Fashion Week.

As far as Fashion Week goes, the looks spotted on the street can be just as inspiring as the looks on the runway. Even with the threat of rain here in NYC, fashion insiders and enthusiasts are bringing their A-game in a bevy of snap-worthy styles. We spotted Harper's Bazaar's Joanna Hillman sporting printed pants, The Glamourai's Kelly Framel giving her LBD a twist, and more in the way of the on-trend and the perfectly offbeat. If you're looking for some Fall styling inspiration, look no further — click through for the first batch of our favorite street styles from New York Fashion Week.

Photos courtesy of Greg Kessler

Jason Wu showed an exceptionally beautiful, frothy and surprisingly sporty collection for Spring 2012, and singlehandedly made us stick peplum skirts at the top of our must-have list. While Wu promised to go "back to femininity" in our behind-the-scenes interview, he did it playfully. He partnered with the artist KAWS to create a floating petal print that at close view revealed the artist's signature "hands" motif, which suggested how many hands played a part in creating the soft blouses and skirts. "Floating skirts" flew away from the body on an asymmetric angle and boasted big peplum trims, ladylike blouses had intricately beaded collars, and sporty windbreakers — windbreakers! — brought a whole new definition of polish to an outerwear staple that rarely makes its way to a designer's runway. While some pieces, like the white peplum top and black cigarette pants worn by Joan Smalls, were seriously elegant, it was hard not to smile when Wu sent out his floating skirts and dresses in colors like canary yellow, cobalt blue, and candy pink. It was a fun show that beautifully melded Wu's couture-quality workmanship with a sporty, playful attitude.

• Trends: sporty, peplum, asymmetric hems, ladylike, windbreakers.
• Colors: candy pink, canary yellow, cobalt blue, petal prints.
• Key Piece:"floating" skirts, the windbreakers, any of the peplum pieces.
• Accessories: edgy black lace-up stilettos, blue and green python handbags.
• Who Would Wear It: Jason Wu's muse, Diane Kruger, is our prediction to be the first one in look 36 —the pink floating skirt and silk v-neck top.

Steven Alan stayed true to his classic cool aesthetic for Spring 2012, showing a collection filled with chic basics: cropped and wide-leg trousers, colorblocked tunic tops, and breezy plaid dresses. The presentation was a refreshing nod to classics with a twist thanks to modern details like a back seam slit and the most notable look, a perfectly tailored checked suit, equally fitting for a day at work — or relaxation in the Hamptons. Leather brogues, low-wedge wraparound sandals, and sweet simple satchels complete the classic cool collection. Get the quick lowdown below, then click the slideshow to see the rest of the collection.

Photo courtesy of Chi Diem Chau