Last night, I attended the inaugural “It” Designer contest put on by Yuli Ziv of MyItThings, held at Lotus Space in Manhattan. I always have high hopes when I go to see new designers, and this event did not disappoint. I think everyone in the style and fashion industry loves to see a new, fresh approach to fashion. The beauty is that the younger designers still believe in the craft, and haven’t sold out yet. Their designs are based on their creativity and vision, and not necessarily on pleasing the mainstream. Honestly, I’m so tired of mainstream. I want more creativity, and originality in designs. Lately, I walk through stores and I’m so painfully bored. I suppose it has something to do with our economy, but it’s sad to see no one taking any risks. Now, more than ever, I want to buy a piece that has character, not a piece that every Tom, Dick, and Harry has. For now, I suppose I will have to stick to creating unique looks on my own - mixing it up a bit. Congrats to Wakana Koike on a great collection, and to Yuli for putting on an awesome event.

We also had the chance to catch up with great friends in the online fashion community. Pamela Pekerman, and her sister Michelle Finkelshteyn of Bag Trends (looking fabulous on the bottom left picture above). We were able to meet Anna Sabino, the jewelry designer who runs Lucid New York, after many Tweets back and forth! Designer Kathlin Argiro (on the right with the pink bag on her shoulder) took in the show. And last, but certainly not least, our fav girls from the best Indie fashion site around Smashing Darling, Trish Ginter and Mo Puia.

Once the people have gone home, and the tents are taken down, what are we left with? When its all said and done, how do we interpret the impact of Fashion Week? Basically, the shows are an indication of where we are headed as far as trends and style go. This year the message was clear, it’s a return to flowing feminine style. Each collection had a fluid element that danced down the runway. The pieces grazed the body, making it mysterious and quite sensual. The skin-tight, super fitted look was missing from the collections with exception of Herve Leger. We also took notice of the shoes throughout the week, and they did not disappoint! This summer’s hit, the gladiator, will return for Spring 2009. The difference: it will be a “must have” in nude patent leather, which is like a beautiful extension of the foot with added texture. We also saw a lot of wedge heels, and strappy ankle platforms. There’s nothing delicate about the shoes for Spring, they are eye-catching and make a statement. The prediction on color is bold like the vibrant colors found in a beautiful floral landscape. There were also muted colors like grey used as a backdrop with a pop of color peeking out, as we saw in the BCBG show. We also saw a nice mixture of color and pattern, which DVF’s show portrayed beautifully. Overall, we think you should be excited for Spring 2009. There are no crazy surprises, and no uncomfortable fashion trends headed your way. It was all easy, relaxed, wearable pieces that will flatter the female physique.

Tibi was high on my list of shows that I really wanted to see. I’m always interested in seeing how designer Amy Smilovic uses fabrics, textures, and patterns. There is always something bold about how she mixes elements of design, either in the fabric she chooses or the cut and style of the garment. The collection Tibi presented for Spring ‘09 was clearly Asian inspired. The fabrics were silky, and had beautiful movement while still maintaining structure. The dresses I saw looked really wearable, and would easily work for any number of women.

As with any collection, while there were pieces that looked great on the runway, they will not work for the average woman. Tibi showed ballon-like riding pants that are probably not going to be as flattering on most of us as they are on the models. I will be surprised if they make their way into retail stores.. but who knows I could be completely wrong.

Jean spoke with über-stylist Philip Bloch after the DVF show at Fashion Week

This is Yuli Ziv (from My It Things) and I bright and early on the first day of New York Fashion Week. The scene was crazy, as we tried to get credentials and passes to all the lounges backstage. The lines were long, and security was tight. There were Divas galore, ohhh … and so much more! I’m a mother of two, and I’ve seen more grown women have tantrums this weekend than both my boys combined. It’s all about who you are, and who you think you are. Sometimes (most times) those two are very different. I literally thought one girl was about to lay down on the runway at the Tibi show and start kicking and screaming because she didn’t get a front row seat. It’s time to get a little perspective here! So, while it may seem glamorous, and sometimes it is, it’s also a big ol’ cat-fight and grown women acting silly. Ahhh.. sometimes a scandal is fun!

Catch the pulse of Fashion Week at InsideTheTents

As I prepare for Fashion Week, I ponder the aspect in which I intend to report to my readers. Throughout the week I will constantly be asking myself: How does Fashion week pertain to my readers? What aspect of Fashion do I want to report on? What emerging trends do I see? Can these trends translate easily to wearable fashion? And what will satiate the fashion hungry?
I want to try to observe all aspects of Fashion Week. My hope is that there is something for everyone to enjoy reading. So, I ask you… what do you want to know about Fashion Week?

The preparations are well under way. The tents are up, the designers are finalizing their show, the models are getting thinner by the minute, and the city is abuzz waiting to see what the fashion forecast is going to be. New York Fashion Week is the kick-off to fashion weeks around the world. New York, London, Milan, and Paris are referred to as “the big four”. Fashion week has gone from being strictly for the press, to being one of the year’s hottest events. The famous, the infamous, the celebs, the fabulous, the press, and (of course) fashion magazine editors. This year, though, you’ll be hearing from some of the most independent voices in fashion - the bloggers. We will take you inside the tents, and give the real scoop. We will twitter our initial impressions, and how it all relates to you … our readers. I’m personally looking forward to seeing shows like Diane Von Furstenberg, BCBG, TIBI, Mara Hoffman, and Zac Posen. Let us know if there are any designers you would like us to focus on. In the meantime, bookmark InsideTheTents and keep your finger on the pulse of Fashion Week.

Announcing InsideTheTents !!

The Style Observer and MyItThings, in cooperation with American Express (a major sponsor of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring 2009) had launched InsideTheTents, the fashion world’s 1st initiative to bring together all the independent voices in the fashion world during Fashion’s most important week.

InsideTheTents will be the destination for all of the best content produced inside the tents. Each contributor will be adding their content to an independent “dashboard” of news, insight, and analysis as it happens. Whether it’s a quick message from Twitter, a video interview, a snapshot just uploaded to Flickr, or a just-posted Blog article - you’ll see it unfold at InsideTheTents.

InsideTheTents has assembled a Who’s Who of fashion and beauty bloggers who are already attending Fashion Week. If you’re attending and want your voice to be heard, contact us. If you’re a fan of Fashion Week like we are, grab some code and embed the badge below on your site for a week. Tell all your readers to get their fashion Week fix InsideTheTents

Diane Von Furstenberg took us on a journey when presenting her fall line. Her collection masterfully moved us from Berlin, on to Shanghai, landing us in New York. Her focus (as always) was on the independent modern woman, which is truly the essence of Diane. While her collections are usually driven by the dress, this one consisted mostly of separates. The line used rich colors, lots of layers, and feminine lines. She used a skinny leather belt to enhance the waist, which is a nod to the past. The entire show had a forties feel, a throw back to old world glamour when women took pride in being beautifully dressed. What we love about DVF is how well she dresses the female form. Her fashions are always ladylike, a bit sexy, and never vulgar. Her designs really are “ready to wear” and very easy for women to work with. We loved this collection and hope to see most of the pieces make it to the retail stores.

Next week, we will be reporting directly from the runways of fashion week. The Style Observer will be focusing on: how to maintain an updated look without being devoured by the too trendy. We will report to you the pieces that you should add, and how to work them in with what you already have. We’ll be getting a look into the fashion crystal ball, so you can plan appropriately for seasons to come. Learn more at MB Fashion Week