new york fashion week spring 2008

My girl FabSugar has been doing her thing at New York Fashion Week and I was expecting to see some less skinny models this time around since other major fashion weeks took action against using super skinny models. Turns out, not so much the case in NYC. In fact it seems like no one was even talking about it...

Last season it was a big deal (or so I thought) when reports said that the Council of Fashion Designers of America issued guidelines teaching models about nutrition, banning those under 16 years old from runways and offering healthy food backstage, with no smoking or alcohol. But this season, no one seems to even remember it was an issue since most consumers never rejected designers who still used ultra-thin models.

Not entirely surprising, as we all know that a slap on the wrist guidelines don't usually do the trick. So now, Milan remains the only city of the four fashion powerhouses (New York, London and Paris are the others) to pass an outright ban.

So what do you guys think about this? Should ultra skinny models be banned from the NYC runways? Or do you think skinny models are simply an iconic mark of fashion week and should remain? You know I want to hear your opinion, so speak up and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Together with head designer Sophie Na, J. Lo produced a collection dominated by cute, casual minidresses for her new contemporary line, JustSweet. The line, which debuts in stores in March, is priced from $49-$99, so it's much more affordable than your typical catwalk fare.

The runway was bright with colors like "pixie dust," "magic mint," and "pirate pink," to go along with the fantastical inspiration - this was apparent on faces too. Colorful minidresses, bronze metallic cardigans, one shoulder looks, and white smocks reflected the youthful flair central to the look - part hippy, part funk.

Overall, the collection was a little hit and miss, but it was refreshing to watch J. Lo walk out and take her bow at the end of the show decked out in a JustSweet smock and shoes. After all, why design a line if you won't even wear it yourself? What do you all think of JustSweet?!

Be sure to check out all my New York Fashion Week coverage!

To see more, read more

Mother Nature works in mysterious ways and the downpour right before Alice + Olivia's Alice in Wonderland themed Spring show added to the mystique.

Located at their store, which they outfitted to comply with the whimsical and trippy story of Alice, I found myself falling down the rabbit hole while viewing colorful party dresses, high waisted pants and shorts, bold patterns, frilly sleeves and an overall fun and fantastical collection. There were casual pieces too, like light blue denim and laid back tailored jackets.

But the real treats, aside from a hippie lux sheer blouse with patchwork beaded front, were the yellow and black edible treats. From cupcakes beckoning "Eat Me" to absinthe, I managed to squeeze in the ultimate fashionable snack. I'd like Hayden Panettiere, a big fan of Alice + Olivia, to know that she missed out!

Be sure to check out all my New York Fashion Week coverage!

To see more from Alice + Olivia in Wonderland, read more

As New York Fashion Week drew to a close, Donna Karan positioned herself to end the schedule with a bang by presenting her collection yesterday, the last day!

And what a bang it was: beautiful off-the-shoulder jersey column dresses, slim-fit suits with portrait collars, and full high-waisted a-line skirts all showed. The color palette was very safari-chic, with lots of caramels, beiges, creams, nudes, and dark browns punctuated with a few red and indigo pieces.

A very womanly aesthetic remained prominent, just like so many other New York shows this season; it was all about dresses and skirts - no pants and only a few shorts appeared. And say ta-ta to trapeze silhouettes - waists were cinched with wide sashes and buckle belts.

Be sure to check out all my New York Fashion Week coverage!

To see more from Donna Karan, read more

One of the the more print inducing trends on the Spring runways was Going Tribal. An array of batik prints, nature-inspired, exotic and tropical prints will provide fabulous fashion fare. DKNY went tribal with a more subdued palette, youthful shapes, and obi belts; Oscar de la Renta knows how to deliver tribal to purveyors of luxury, and Diane von Furstenberg's "Under the Volcano" theme gave way to vivacious tribal delights. You can hear me talk about more about all the Spring trends here but this is one of my faves; there's just so many tribal trips you can take!

(L-R: Behnaz Sarafpour, United Bamboo, Jenni Kayne)

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You may or may not know that many of the shows I saw at New York Fashion Week were not at the famed Bryant Park tents. A lot of designers showed off site, for a number of reasons; budget restrictions, an anti-sponsor preference or simply to present a no frills collection of clothes. We feature Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent often, so I was jazzed to see her Spring offerings...especially since the showroom setting was casual, filled with light and easy going.

With the feather weight clothes hanging on mannequins, Vincent also provided a viewing of her coveted shoes and accessories and an immense inspiration wall. The inspiration wall was really cool; images from Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides, a young Patrick Dempsey, youthful beachy photo shoots via NYLON, all made sense of the clothes. And the clothes were in punchy colors of 70s suburbia with feminine details like jeweled necklines, crochet and ruffles. Sporty aspects like racer backs, hoods and tanks toughened things up. All in super soft fabrics like chiffon, silk, voile and jersey, I bet if models were wearing these pieces they would seriously flow. I guess we'll just have to wait for some of these to appear in Celebrity Styles to really know!

As for the accessories, buttery leather clutches were adorned with fun star-shaped beads. Colorful leather was preferred as was patent leather, on shoes that were colorblocked, banded and woven. Looks like Cynthia had fun with this collection!

To see Spring inspirations, more clothes and accessories from Twelfth Street, read more

The Calvin girl for Spring is quite a will-'o-the-wisp. The collection was very ephemeral and barely there, and the cuts were of the essential Calvin Klein persuasion. There were no frills, no muss, just clean, minimal pieces.

Pretty watered-down shades of blue, pink, yellow, gray, nude, and white, along with a few green pieces formed designer Francisco Costa's color palette. Everything was pure and fresh, from the green calf-length shift dress to the cream kimono-inspired jacket.

The essence of Calvin is here to stay, and I'm not going to complain - it's so elegant! I'm loving the streamlined look for Spring, it's so effortless.

Be sure to check out all my New York Fashion Week coverage!

To see more Spring C.K., read more

It was prom night all over again at Betsey Johnson. For those who had a bummer of a night the first time around, the Tent at Bryant Park was outfitted with glittering side tables and a disco ball. Betsey decided to show ultra feminine party dresses of tulle, ruffles and lame with flirty details like polka dots, pom poms and swirls. My favorite prom-inspired decade? Surprisingly, the 80s. This group was mostly in Betsey pink and black and had details like bows and corsets; it seemed the most wearable to me.

One thing is for sure: there is always a party at the Betsey Johnson show. LL Cool J and Tori Spelling, with hubby as prom date, were there and the models did their Betsey required flirty poses with the photogs at the end of the runway. The grand finale was, of course, Betsey and her cartwheels but this time she had granddaughter in tow. It was all very fun, very colorful and very Betsey!

Be sure to check out all my New York Fashion Week coverage!
To see more pictures and a video from Betsey Johnson's Spring collection, read more

Zac Posen and the Little House on the Prairie? Now that's a pair I never expected. Zac and Gwyneth? Sure. Zac and Demi? Absolutely. But for Spring, Mr. Posen's inspiration is the country gal - an odd choice, since he's a through and through New Yorker.

Posen sent ruffled-sleeve white prairie dresses, straw hats, and dresses decorated with rhinestone bundles of wheat down the runway. And there were plenty of earth tones: sepia, golden brown, beige. But my favorite were the big poofy watercolored dresses, each representing a different type of cloud: Nimbus, Cirrus, Cumulus...just beautiful, and quite befitting of what they were meant to represent.

There's no doubt about it: Zac's strength lies in his eveningwear. So take notes, you'll definitely be seeing some of these dresses again on the red carpet. Who would dare wear this sexy, slit black number?!

Be sure to check out all my New York Fashion Week coverage!

To see lots more Zac Posen, including a video, read more