"It's Part of the Game"

Sure, Thursday saw the first round of shows, but the fashion week floodgates didn't really open until just after eight last night in Soho, when Karl Lagerfeld and Sarah Jessica Parker arrived and parted the crowds at the unveiling of Chanel's newly renovated Spring Street store. Jessica Stam, Erin Wasson, and an awestruck group of lesser mortals stepped aside to let the headliners wade through; then, after them, le déluge. Diane Kruger, Claire Danes, Blake Lively, and Leighton Meester—they were all there.

Luckily, there was more to do than gawk at stars: The store's entrance was decorated with a digital graffiti wall that guests were invited to 'tag' with infrared spray cans, in keeping with Peter Marino's arty revamp of the boutique. Had she not had to hustle inside to take her place at the turntables, Alexa Chung mentioned that she would have stopped for a scribble. "Drawing on walls is one of my favorite pastimes," she said. Marino, of course, had put his stamp on the place, too—in pure black and white, and he'd done his spray-painting the old-fashioned way. "This one over here, we sprayed in the office," he explained, indicating a vinyl cutout installed between panes of Plexiglas. "That was great—we all got high after two hours of Krylon."

Speaking of high, Izia, the 19-year-old French singer and second coming of Robert Plant that Chanel booked for dinnertime entertainment, had the pretty young things—boys and girls—begging for more. Everybody except a nonplussed-looking Courtney Love looked thoroughly entertained.

Amid the excitement, Lagerfeld remained as cool as the 265-ton iceberg he brought in for the Chanel show in March. His thoughts on the hullabaloo? 'It's part of the game, you know.'

—Darrell Hartman

The Couture Council Luncheon

'I feel a little bit guilty,' Karl Lagerfeld told the crowd assembled to honor him at a luncheon yesterday at Avery Fisher Hall. Here he was, smack in the middle of day two of fashion week, keeping some of the industry's central figures from the shows so they could watch him accept an award that, as he put it, 'I don't deserve.'

Lagerfeld's hosts, the Couture Council of the Museum at FIT, would beg to differ, of course, and the same goes for the flocks of lunching ladies who couldn't have been happier to get up close and personal with the Kaiser himself. Lady Amanda Harlech, who accompanied him there, had seen it all before: "He gets pushed and grabbed and pinched and kissed. That's the actual love that he inspires for being Karl, me included. Everybody wants a piece of Karl—he is the piece.'

That included a few types, like Olivier Zahm and Leigh Lezark, who wouldn't ordinarily make it uptown by lunchtime. 'I was doing wake-up calls this morning for some of the downtown people,' board member Michelle Harper confided, adding that Terence Koh hadn't heeded his. Still, Lagerfeld had plenty of friends (including Daphne Guinness and Elisa Sednaoui) there to help him raise a glass—and, perhaps more quietly, wish him a happy birthday. Lagerfeld may prefer not to make a big fuss about that particular achievement, but he's powerless to stop his pals from doing so. "Karl's celebrating constantly," Ruben Toledo pointed out. 'Knowing Karl is a celebration.'

—Darrell Hartman

Iggy Goes Pop

There's a certain democracy to the most exclusive fashion week parties.

Arrive just before the ballyhooed, not-really-so-secret special guest is due
to perform, and you'll find it's not only the gatecrashers who are stranded
on the street, pressing against the doors, but a fair number of VIPs. Such
was the case last night, as Pop magazine's Dasha Zhukova and DeLeon's Nur Khan Sessions brought Iggy Pop and the
Stooges to the stage at Don Hill's. Pop's set was scheduled for 12:30; at
midnight, the likes of Karen Elson and Charlotte Dellal were still outside
the venue, conniving ways to get in.

Eventually, they both did. Dellal was wise to wear sky-high leopard-print
wedges from her Charlotte Olympia line, as they afforded her at least a
chance of sighting the shirtless Pop as he writhed and skipped onto the
stage. Elson, meanwhile, found a perch on the risers, where she and Jamie
Bochert led a mini-model mosh pit. Nearby, Terry Richardson snapped shots of
the most seminal abdomen ever to emerge from Detroit over the heads of
Giovanna Battaglia and co.

"As you are only too aware, it’s fashion week in New York City!" Pop
bantered from the stage, a couple tunes in. "Just remember, fashion people:
Your pretty faces are going to hell!" At that, he launched into a rendition
of "Burn in Hell," and the crowd-surfing started. Pop took a stage dive
himself, and later, he invited members of the crowd to dance onstage with
him (much to the consternation of the security at Don Hill's).

It's worth pointing out that the Pop crowd wasn't limited to
fashion folk—the rather motley audience also included Perry Farrell
and Gavin Rossdale, and a particular gent in a plaid shirt and cowboy hat
who didn't look famous, but who turned out to be the star sighting
of the night. 'I swear to God, he was one of the original Village People,'
Bochert said.

—Maya Singer

Turning Purple

Not that long ago in New York City, it was hot. Melting-asphalt, beer-and-ice-cream-diet, go-see-any-crappy-movie-for-relief hot. Old men sat outside shirtless, complaining. Construction guys couldn't even muster catcalls as sticky, scantily clad girls walked by—because they were too busy wiping the sweat out of their eyes. It was a magical time.

'I'm freezing!' exclaimed Chloë Sevigny. It was a refrain heard often last night at the Purple magazine party at Le Bain, the Standard Hotel's rooftop bar. Aurel Schmidt, Rachel Chandler, Terry Richardson, and numerous other members of the Purple posse mingled, shivering, occasionally disappearing below decks to warm up in Le Bain's hot tub room. Frankie Rayder and other refugees from the madness at Alexander Wang's after-party arrived, chattered their teeth for a while, and then hotfooted it to Don Hill's, to catch Courtney Love. Purple editor Olivier Zahm seemed to approve of that idea: Circa 1 a.m., he and Lou Doillon disappeared from the fête for good, presumably heading for the Don Hill's hothouse. The party went on without them—eventually the crowd got so thick, in fact, that you could almost scare up some body heat.

—Maya Singer

Merry-Go-Round

Of all the things the Alexander Wang girl has done in tiny skirts and towering heels, bumper cars probably isn't one of them. Not until last night, at least, when the designer brought his leggy legions into a Chelsea parking lot that he'd turned into a fun fair, complete with merry-go-round, burgers, and abundant opportunities to win stuffed animals.

It was a step-right-up kind of evening, with much of the stepping being done by trained pros like Behati Prinsloo and Dree Hemingway. Wang took a turn or two under the carnival lights on stage, dancing with Agyness Deyn and launching bundles into the crowd with a T-shirt gun. Meanwhile, M.I.A., who'd been at the show earlier that day, was rumored to perform, but it was Rye Rye who ended up grabbing the mic after 2 a.m.

Back down at ground level, Wang explained that he'd wanted this season's post-show bash to be footloose as usual, but with more room to move. "Minus the sweat—you gotta mix it up a little," he said. Even so, he'd gotten a decent workout romping around in the bounce house: "I almost got my head cut off three times!"

—Darrell Hartman

6 Beauty Secrets From Keira's Makeup Artist

Could it be fair to say that makeup artist Kate Lee runs this town? Quite possibly. With her bustling schedule including prepping A-listers like Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway, and Sienna Miller for tours down the red carpet, the London-born, L.A.-based Lee is a front-runner for the award of Hollywood's most-wanted. Lucky for you, we caught up with Lee to get her take on pro-must-haves and the products she's snapping up this fall.



1. Chanel Sublimage Essential Revitalizing Concentrate, $425, available at Chanel.com.



"I love this product for its quick absorption, intense delivery of moisture, and overall calming effect on the skin. It leaves a velvety finish, which I find to be a perfect place to start creating a flawless complexion—because a great base makes for a beautiful overall look."



2. Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover, $5.99, available at Neutrogena.com.



'This is a great product and perfect for contact lens wearers or those with sensitive eyes. It removes the most heavily applied mascara (and I love to pile it on!) with zero eye irritation. On occasion, I need to start by removing my client's makeup, and this remover leaves no residue, so I can dive right in. Plus, it's easy on the pocket-book, so you can be very liberal. Hurrah!'



3. Chanel Nail Colour in Khaki Rose, $23, available at Chanel.com.


"Brace yourself, this is going to be one of the most sought after shades of the season. This shade may have the word "khaki" in it's name but it's in fact, the most amazing soft chai tea and rose petal concoction—flattering and feminine but still very modern and a step up from some of the harder-to-wear shades we've seen lately."



4. Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in Terre de Feu, $25, available at Saksfifthavenue.com.



'Of the six shades, Terre De Feu, a deep raspberry, is my current favorite. Lightweight and petite, the lipstick is easy to apply and personally, I love matte shades. My tip is to apply matte lipstick generously, then blot and blend. Some of the more intense colors leave a beautiful stain, and a nice extra pop is to add a touch of a light, reflective gloss to the upper crest of the cupids bow. The combination of a matte shade with a subtle highlight is so modern and chic.'



5. Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Liner, $22, available at Lauramercier.com.

This creme liner gives the effect of a kohl pencil, but because of its waxy texture, high pigment, and brush application, it's a lot more versatile. One of my favorite things to do with the liner is to slightly wet a tiny angled brush and apply a thin line along the upper lash line. I then dab the line, blending until there's almost nothing left with a clean, domed brush. The result is similar to an extra layer of lashes and also creates a longer lash line without an obvious cat eye or sharp edge. The liner comes three shades but my pick is Midnight, a very intense blue-black.












6. Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss, $32, available at Chanel.com.



'This is the Rolls Royce of lip-gloss. The wand is perfect and, of course, the packaging is beautiful. The color range caters to everyone, with nine shades that go from a perfect bubblegum pink to a deep chocolate tone. The best thing about this gloss is the formulation: There's enough pigment and moisture to apply just a tiny dab and blend all over the lips, leaving a really pretty hue. The texture is so luxurious though, that I think most people will find that they want to apply more than is needed!'

Coco Rocha's 5 Fashion Week Beauty Must-Haves

How Coco Rocha does it all, we'll never know. Lately, her schedule has been as hectic as rush hour in Tokyo. She's the new face of Rimmel, and she just opened and closed Tuesday's largest public fashion show. Add to that her constant hopping from editorial shoot to ad campaign shoot to the Fashion Week runways; her recent marriage,and her up to the minute blogging on Oh So Coco, and we kinda want to kill her for looking gorgeous the entire time. If one chick deserves the supermodel designation, it's her, and we only anticipate only bigger things to come, what with her chameleon-like ability to morph into any look. So, we used our best Nancy Drew skills to track Rocha down before her Fashion's Night Out appearance this eve at SoHo's Reiss store to get her beauty secrets for Fashion Week. Oh, and don't forget to wish her a happy birthday, she turns 22 today! Now, what were we doing at 22?? Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and peep her 5 fave products that keep her looking flawless!



Above, clockwise from top left: Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Mascara, $9.99, available in October, at Rimmellondon.com; Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Cuticle Pen, $5.99, available at Drugstore.com; Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lip Colour in Rose Passion , $6.79, available at CVS.com; Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat, $5.49, available at CVS.com; Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25-Hour Foundation, $7.48, available at Ulta.com.

Look Of The Day: Hat's Off To This Swedish Blogger

We spotted Carolina Engman from Fashion Squad outside the IFB conference yesterday afternoon. The combo of the wide-brimmed hat and draped cape-dress made the perfect incarnation of a modern-day bohemian. Love!

Rachel Comey Goes Clean, Mean, And Colorful For Spring 2011

One of the things we love most about Rachel Comey...well, there are many. But one thing in particular, is her very personal mastery with prints and unusually flattering silhouettes. No matter how minimal the designer may be feeling, there will still be that signature wink of color, texture, and pattern that has given Comey a very firm spot on Fashion's walk of fame. And yesterday's spring '11 collection was no exception. It was more of a Bauhaus minimalist moment that seemed to be emerging—a fantastically cool mix of angular dresses, starkly cut blouses paired with long, lean skirts, and lots of head-to-toe pattern that literally made our hearts race a little bit. From start to finish, this was a young yet completely sophisticated collection that we could see being worn equally well by the Bauhaus's famed Anni Albers or a super-cool girl on her way to Le Bain for the night. Either way, we know what we'll be wearing next summer.



Images courtesy of Style.com. For the rest of the collection, make sure to visit Style.com.

New Label Jack Robie's Menswear is Casual-Cool and Girlfriend-friendly

A little treat for the men in the audience—Jack Robie's Fall 2010 line just dropped and it's exactly what the doctor ordered. Their NYC approach to reducing wardrobe indecision with a firm set of button-up solids and finely tailored plaids applies to every walk of life, from backstage to the Wall Street. Inspired by a sharply-dressed Hitchock character, the casual-cool upgrade is instant. And ladies, this is where it gets good: every design is begging to be swiped and styled with a female touch. Make fall 2010 the season of sharing... or just buy one for both of you!

Peep Wren's Spring Inspiration

Twice a year some of our favorite L.A. designers make a pilgrimage to NYC to show the east coast what they've been working on in the Southern Cali studios. So before the big reveal, we asked four of the finest L.A. designers to share their inspirations, and give us an exclusive peek at what was going on in their minds and what we'll see them show at NYFW. First up we have the lovely Melissa Coker. The wren designer makes clothing all the cool girls want to wear, and with fans like Alexa Chung and Tennessee Thomas, it's no wonder her effortless and adorable pieces have achieved cult-status. For spring, the look for long dresses with embellished collars, and sexy frocks. She was inspired by a mix of the drama and theatrical style of shipping heiress and Man Ray muse Nancy Cunard and Lolita's come-hither sexiness, we think these pieces will be in heavy rotation come spring.

The Perfect Outfit: Navy And Black Is The Ultimate Fall Combo

Red-hot Jamaican model Jeneil Williams knocks our socks off in this chic black & blue ensemble. The combination of deep fall hues creates an air of intrigue in the midst of summer-gone-fall. A high waisted skirt and a cropped jacket keep proportions in check, while flecks of gold in the accessories punctuate the look. It's a ladylike moment, but before you call her sweet, check out the studded Oxfords—a solid reminder that she's here to kick some ass.



Above, from left: Jeneil Williams from New York Models; Vanessa Bruno Athe Cotton Marl Tank, $32.50, available at The Outnet; Joseph Trenchie Wool Cropped Jacket, $595, available at Edit New York; J.Crew Solid Patent Belt, $35.00, available at J.Crew; Twenty8Twelve black check 'Savino' full pleated skirt, $137.99, available at Bluefly; Christian Louboutin Studded Lace-Up Oxfords, $995, available at Neiman Marcus; ASOS Quilted Lock Across Body Bag, $25.28, available at Asos.

Loeffler Randall Collaborates With Suno On The Only Sandals You'll Want Next Spring

The Suno spring 2011 show was yesterday at Milk, and if given the choice to run out of the premises with only one thing in our arms, it'd have to be one of their four types of of shoes. These Suno for Loeffler Randall shoes come in two styles, a stripy flat and a tall platform wedge, and made with prints exclusively created for the Suno spring collection. 'Working with SUNO's beautiful prints was inspiring. SUNO's bright fabrics added a new, colorful dimension to our sandal designs,' said Jessie Randall, Creative Director of LoefflerRandall. The collection will be available in February 2011 at Opening Ceremony and LoefflerRandall.com.

Jason Wu Grows Up, Gets Edgy

Jason Wu, the design wunderkind, has a knack for knowing exactly what women want to wear to feel confident (not to mention so, so pretty)—so it's no wonder that women from Diane Kruger to Michelle Obama have scooped up his cocktail dresses, fitted trousers, and unfussy separates in spades. And in a move that proved that the kid's got staying power, he's sharpened his designs, lost the bras, and created a spring '11 collection that was more dangerous than anything he's done before. Set in a warehouse in SoHo to heavy rock music, Wu sent models down what looked like a blue water slide dressed in super-sheer tops, Annie Hall-esque pants, and turbans that are bound to be a trend, resurrected. While we're going to have to recommend donning something more opaque underneath those gossamer tops, we applaud the man for ditching the music box and picking up some '45s. Bravo!



For the rest of the runway images, please visit Style.com.

Prabal Gurung Brings Sophistication to Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week is well underway and it seems that Spring 2011 is going to be a season full of color, funky shapes, and unexpected detailing. One of the brightest collections at Fashion Week has been from Prabal Gurung.

The collection is sophisticated yet sexy, fun yet understated, and definitely created for a confidant, independent woman. Created to show off curves, the collection as a whole is pretty covered up but still manages to give a sexy silhouette.

As an added plus, the bold colors of the Prabal Gurung Spring 2011 collection are mixed in with subdued nudes and neutrals.

Check out my favorite picks from the Prabal Gurung’s Fashion Week show after the jump!

(VIA)