Best Dressed: The Rest of NYFW

Alexa Chung and musician Diane Birch stole the show at 3.1 Phillip Lim. Diane Kruger Looked amazing in Prabal Gurung, one of our favorite collections of the week. Rachel Bilson rocked Suno, one of our Fashionista 15. And Vogue cover girl Carey Mulligan looked lovely in Elie Saab in Toronto and can definitely hold her own amongst the fashion week crowd.

Newsflash: The Fashion Industry Contributes £37 Billion to the UK Economy Each Year

LONDON–Remember that teaser for The September Issue where the voice-over would say, “Fashion is $500 billion global industry…” or something like that? Well, it looks like the UK makes up about a tenth of that $500 billion.

At least according to a new study commissioned by the British Fashion Council. Fancy-sounding consultants Oxford Economics researched and wrote the report, which states that £37 billion is made–directly or indirectly–from fashion each year in Great Britain. That’s not too shabby, given the size of the country. In fact, fashion is the 15th largest industry (out of approximately 81) in the UK.

The results are a boon to those like designer Christopher Raeburn, who produces much, if not all, of his product here in the UK. Fashion’s importance to the economy reinforces his mission.

What this means for the British fashion industry as a whole, we’re not so sure. But it’s obvious–particularly from the temporary designer showrooms the organization has set up at Somerset house–that they’re serious about getting the clothes sold, not just seen.

Oscar de la Renta’s Posh Garden Party

Oscar de la Renta S/S 2011 Cheat Sheet:

-a decadent garden party
-classic silhouettes
-silk faille
-evening gloves, hair bows, and kitten heels
-lime green, light pink, glamorous black
-playful appliques
-‘50s feel; modern aesthetic

From a seat a few rows back from the catwalk it’s apparent: Oscar de la Renta is a man apart. The designer offered a fashion week finale far from the rush of the Lincoln Center tent. The celebs that filled his front row were top-tier editors (with a single flashbulb celebrity exception in SJP) and the mood was relaxed.

The start: drums, Spanish guitar, hair in big buns and silk. Pantsuits in swinging silk, tightly belted, and day dresses were in wide, elegant plaid or floral patterns. But the night looks were the most striking. The luxury of seasons past remained, of course, with a playful infusion of color and textures (lime green, pink, red and yellow appliquéd carnations, lace and sequins). In all their complicated construction with silk chiffon ruffles, floral embroidery and organza volume, they seemed lighthearted and youthful, especially when set to the music of the ’50s.

The capstone dress, a green silk faille confection with delicate pink appliqués and a voluminous pink silk faille bolero, tied together the most lyrical part of the show. The look was a complete Oscar de le Renta finish with dramatic tension (felt in the hair), playful volume and serious femininity. De la Renta seems to think his most devoted uptown clients are ready for pieces imbued with a light-hearted, youthful flair. Ah yes, aren’t we all?

Gallery: Emilio de le Morena Spring 2011

We gave you a first look at Emilio de le Morena‘s Spring 2011 collection. Here’s the rest.