First the fun: Just before the show started, Amanda Peet and Joy Bryant dashed backstage to catch up with the designer, then chit-chatted about their whirlwind traveling schedules. When asked if New York Fashion Week compared to the chaos of LA’s own big weeks—Emmys, Oscars, SAGS, etc they’d said they’d never been to any of them, so wouldn’t know. (I’ll have to study up on my red carpet history, as I believe I’ve seen these lovely ladies taking part in such festivities, no?) Later they joined Kate Bosworth in the front row.

Now the fashion: When a designer includes preppy references in their roster of inspirations, one expects to see variations on the ole Nantucket reds/nautical stripes/natty twinsets theme. But Thakoon Panichgul, the Thai designer known for his clever tailoring and thoughtful approach, doesn’t take the old-school aesthetic literally.

For spring, Thakoon zeroes in on tiny details of the preppy aesthetic, then blows them up for all to see just how elegant the look can be. His cleverest pieces—such as the scarf-like sweater, rigged up in the shape of a cardigan casually knotted over one’s shoulder—put an artful spin on classic country-club styles. On the runway, crumpled panama hats accented other, more touristy ensembles, including batik shorts, high-waist navy trousers, and a tricolor striped dress—just the thing for a modern globetrotter’s wardrobe.

Finally, a word from the man himself: I popped backstage before the show to steal a few minutes of Thakoon’s time. It was then that he revealed his preppy inspiration to me, as well as a few of his favorite art haunts in Chelsea. Listen close for his well-edited list.

*Wireimages