Designer Erin Fetherston

California-native-turned-Paris-expat-turned-Manhattan-resident Erin Fetherston has had a busy year. Her Target collection hit (and subsequently flew off the shelves) stores, she and her artistic auteur fiancé Hedi Ferjani relocated to lower Manhattan, and, right this second, she’s finishing up a very impressive fall 2008 collection which will be unveiled tomorrow at the Bryant Park tents.

While others may query her on her inspiration and favorite fairytales, Fetherston can talk the real New York talk; specifically real estate, restaurants, and where a woman of impeccable good taste gets her shopping done.

Here, the talented Miss Fetherston (whose tres chic Paris abode has been featured in many a glossy magazine) points out her top 5 favorite home décor shops:

1. ABC Home; shop with Matt Falcone
2. Degournay for wallpaper
3. Erin Martin; she has a store in St. Helena, C.A. and her style is really cool
4. Maurice Villency in NYC
5. Bleu Nature for eco-decor

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Elle.com’s cute new blogger: Designer Alexander Wang…then and now

The generosity of fashion’s web gang never ceases to impress: While W Magazine is giving away luxe loot, Elle.com is giving a stylish soapbox—ie a guest blogger role—to designer Alexander Wang. You may know him for his sumptuous knits and downtown M-O-D staples, but after a few quick reads you’ll grow to appreciate the qualities that I admire most—including stellar wit, boundless energy, and excellent taste. Read on and should his insight inspire you to shop, you can find his latest pieces here.

*snaps from Alexanderwang.com

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Kate Bosworth for Calvin Klein Jeans

Today WWD announced that Kate Bosworth will be the new face of Calvin Klein Jeans come spring, a post–the piece seemed to suggest–she earned by consistently attending CK events. Surely Bosworth’s lithe frame played some part, because if good front-row attendance was the only requirement for such glamorous gigs, there’d be many more fashion week regulars on Times Square’ billboards, no?

Front-row regulars Fabiola Bercasa & Robert Verdi

Also, if you’re interested in the image & trend-making machine CK Inc, you might want to sear the name and face of Tonni Garrn into your mind. The 17-year-old German stunner is working exclusively with the house that Francisco Costa is re-building.

Images: WWD, Wire, The Imagist

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Victoria Beckham in Hervé Léger & Marc Jacobs  

Move over Marc Jacobs: Hervé Léger—the label that launched a 1000 sexy silhouettes—is coming to New York fashion week…bringing its VIP fan club with it. As WWD announced today, on February 4th BCBG’s Max Azria will unveil his new designs for the fashion house that he acquired in 1998. While the Léger show’s 11am timeslot isn’t exactly appealing to the glitterai (unlike Jacob’s ritualized post-dinner show) it’s a sure bet to expect that more than a few curvaceous, Leger-loving vixens will turn out. Perhaps even Victoria Beckham—who’s well acquainted with the house’s famous bandage dress—will take a break in her touring schedule to stop by for the show.

P.S. All you fashion-fiends may want to file away the interesting fact that Max Azria is Tunisian, as is Azzedine Alaia.

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Noot Seear walks in Alexander Wang’s Spring 2008 runway show

Alexander Wang’s MOD (Model Off-Duty)-inspired collection was one of my favorites during the recent New York shows. I can’t wait to get my hands on his cool-kid styles, especially the sequined sweatshirt Noot wore down the runway. And now, with a little crafty online sleuthing, I don’t have too:

Stephanie Beare sweater available on Bluefly

While this Stephanie Beare sweater makes for a good short-term substitution, you can’t beat Wang’s killer construction (nor the sense of “I’m-in-the-know” satisfaction one gets when wearing his designs). I plan on wearing this little Beare number to threads before I buy the real deal from Mr.Wang—which is sure to last me several seasons.

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Agnes B. runway at the Palais du Tokyo

If you’ve been paying close attention to all the recent runway shows, you’d have noticed that the arty trend is looking big for spring. Some exuberant bursts of color were spotted on the New York runways (namely Narciso Rodriguez and Anne Klein) and spray-painted bags, trenches and skirts turned up in the Moschino Cheap & Chic collection. And the conservative Agnes B. endorsed the inclusion of street-style graffiti into the high art of fashion, albeit not through her clothes. After her show concluded, graffiti artists took to the stage and tagged the walls of the runway installation. The guerilla art happening seemed apropos, given the show’s location at the Palais du Tokyo, Paris’s contemporary art museum.

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New York fashion week certainly flew by in a hurry. Before the Milan and Paris shows gear up, take a look at the top 15 spring trends native to this side of the pond–i.e. the styles you’ll be shopping for come March ‘08.

Designers borrowed from the boudoir this season but left behind the fetish-style bustiers in favor of daintier, more feminine pieces. While some of the more transparent looks—such as Rodarte’s filmy frocks—would be difficult to wear without any additional underpinning, Max Azria, Marc Jacobs, and others transformed the provocative into effortless separates.

Ombré, the distinctive dip-dye fabric, in which colors gradually intensify from dark to light, glowed during the New York shows. Diane von Furstenberg and Adam+Eve’s Adam Lippes tapped into the material’s bohemian vibe with their fuss-free, travel-ready dresses. When applied to any shape or separate, the result is a bold yet breezy look, one that hardly needs accessorizing.

Tailored white pantsuits brightened up the New York runways this season. Some—like those from Michael Kors and Rag & Bone—came with a strong dose of Saturday Night Fever–inspired sex appeal, while Erin Fetherston’s dropped-waist version recalled the subdued glamour of Marlene Dietrich and her peers.

Attention all dancing queens: The asymmetrical-strap dress—a Studio 54–era staple—makes its return for spring. Michael Kors turned up the volume on the season’s ’70s vibe with his glittery, disco-ready dress, Gwen Stefani offered up a graphic, neo-Grecian style in her L.A.M.B. line, and Cynthia Steffe showed a simpler, monochromatic version for those wallflowers not yet ready to steal the spotlight.

In keeping with the season’s laid-back vibe, tie-dye resurfaced in many designer collections. The revival of this hippie print is far from being a free-love fashion extravaganza; instead, designers such as Narciso Rodriguez and Antonio Berardi used the pattern to create tiny, controlled explosions of color. Look for a tie-dyed piece to add a burst of energy to your spring wardrobe.

Whoever said fashion is not an art was certainly proved wrong this season, as runways included many a museum-worthy style. Ladylike pieces covered in Crayola colors, brush-stroke patterns, and whimsical scrawls played a big role in Anne Klein and Thakoon collections, while Mondrian’s colorful paintings played muse to Catherine Malandrino.

The sultry heat of the Sahara and the 1970s infused many spring collections, as designers recalled an era when both cosmopolitan and exotic locales were more untamed than they are today. Derek Lam whipped up filmy leopard-print dresses, Rag & Bone paired khaki shirtdresses with panama hats, and belted pantsuits—just the thing for traipsing through today’s urban jungle—could be found on the DKNY runway.

Simple nude gowns, in buff, beige, or tan shades that elongate the silhouette, will surely emerge as the key evening look during the upcoming social season. The draped versions—like those from Donna Karan—came with a hint of Grecian elegance, as if found in Aphrodite’s closet.

For spring, the dramatic flamenco-inspired trim takes a charming turn, thanks to delicate floral blooms, pastel shades, and airy silk chiffon. Ralph Lauren outfitted his English roses in multi-tiered gowns, Zac Posen transformed a simple white dress into a layered, statement-making frock, and Jennifer Lopez served up flirty dresses with a dash of sass.

A new Victor-Victoria look will dominate during the weekdays this spring, according to New York designers including Proenza Schouler, Ralph Lauren, and Jill Stuart. The 9-to-5 uniform will be composed of a boyish, cinched-waist blazer and swingy, girlish skirt. Consider Sunday blues a thing of the past, as rarely has the working girl’s wardrobe looked so chic.

Day-Glo hues illuminated many a runway show, as the brightest stars in the early ’90s palette resurfaced on the season’s most refined pieces. Takes cues from the trendsetters—including THREEAsFour, Phillip Lim, and Nanette Lepore—and temper those intense shades by pairing them with more neutral-colored separates.

To see the rest of New York’s Spring ‘08 Trends–as well as the all-important designer and photo credit–skip on over to Glam.

Technorati Tags: New York Fashion Week, Fashion Shows, Fashion Trends, Trends, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Phillip Lim, Diane Von Furstenberg, Style Tips, Shopping Tips, Nanette Lepore, Jill Stuart, Ralph Lauren, Proenza Schouler

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Aveda’s fashion week water bottle

The fashion industry is no fair-weather friend to the environmental cause. Green-lines, organic goods, eco-conscious packaging, even whole store make-overs (stay tuned for Barneys “Green” Christmas this holiday season) have been increasing quickly over the past few years. During the fashion week swirl we spotted a few more eco-acts. Backstage at many runway shows including Thakoon’s, original organic beauty brand Aveda gave out re-usable water bottles to all the models, hairstylists, make-up artists and hangers-on. (The thoughtful Aveda team covered each bottle with a name-tags, thus avoiding any Lily C. and Lily D. mix-ups.)

The week also hosted the second annual Limited Edition New York show. The exhibition—comprised of limited-edition pieces designed by artists, designers, models, and celebrities as well as a selection of wares by big-name brands including Calvin Klein and Paul & Joe—is primarily for press and store buyers, as the proceeds of these pieces go to benefit Al Gore’s The Climate Project. Look to buy some of these unique separates designed by a few of our favorite fashion icons—including Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalia Vodianova, and YSL’s Stefani Pilati—at select stores in the spring. For more on LENY see leny-icons.com while you can read up on Aveda’s other good deeds here.

Gwyneth Paltrow-designed bag

Natalia Vodianova & Stefano Pilati’s t-shirt designs

Technorati Tags: New York Fashion Week, LENY, Aveda, Eco-Fashion, Green Fashion

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Seeing all these spring collections in September is enough to drive a devoted shopper crazy. Who can wait till March ‘08 to wear the latest styles? Get a jump start on next season’s shopping by looking for key trends now—as some can already be found in stores.

OMBRE

Narciso Rodriguez Spring ‘08                                                 Jonathan Saunders

CITRUS-COLORED SILKS

TSE Spring ‘08 Vanessa Bruno

GRAPHIC GRECIANS

L.A.M.B. Spring ‘08                                                                                     Giles

NEUTRAL COLORED GOWNS

Calvin Klein, Spring ‘08                                                                        Vera Wang

BOLD PRINTS

DKNY Spring ‘08                                                                                            Issa

TUXEDO JACKETS

Ralph Lauren, Spring ‘08                                                                          McQ

CARMEL & CREAM LAYERS

Cynthia Rowley, Spring ‘08                                                                  Phillip Lim

*runway images from bottom up; All Wireimage except for DKNY, Getty.

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Even though crews have already de-constructed the Bryant Park tents, our New York fashion week coverage is far from over. We already banged out the coverage of the city’s big-guns, but there’s a few emerging labels that are worth your online reading time—and offline shopping dollars. The following names are already favorites among the fashion congnoscenti; no doubt once you see their spring collections you’ll become a fan too.

Ashley Verrier, Spring 2008

Why She’s Worth It: Though her feminine pieces have air of vintage delicacy about them, you won’t find any ubiquitous retro references in Verrier’s work. Instead she distills potent favorites of yesteryear—culling from the Victorian and Pleasantville eras—into the essence of ladylike grace.

Berardi, Spring 2008

Why He’s Worth It: While most ‘90s all-stars have handed over the reigns to someone else, Antonio Berardi keeps on trucking. And clearly he isn’t worse for wear; his tie-dye separates were the most vibrant and youthful of those spotted on the spring runways.

Brian Reyes, Spring 2008

Why He’s Worth It: You don’t toil away in Oscar de la Renta’s atelier without coming away with a clear idea of what refined elegance really is. Now in his fifth season, the thoughtful de la Renta alum has sharpened his skills to a sharp, well-defined point. His construction techniques are comparable to those in an older, wiser generation, while his silhouettes suit the young and winsome.

Katy Rodriguez, Spring 2008

Why She’s Worth It: When the co-owner of killer vintage store Resurrection starts a clothing line, it doesn’t take a Cathy Horyn wanna-be to know that there’ll be more than a few retro notes. Blame it on the fact that she’s been outfitting starlets with Old Hollywood gowns for years, but Rodriguez has perfected the red-carpet-worthy party dress. And it seems her VIP client list (which include Ashlee Simpson, Claire Danes, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel Zoe, etc) agree.

Marchesa, Spring 2008

Why They’re Worth It: You can expect to see a lot more of Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig’s confections on the season’s never-ending stretch of red-carpets. As any studious tabloid reader can tell you, wearing a dress from Harvey Weinstein’s girlfriend is the newest move in the Hollywood flattery dance. But even without the studio strings, there’s plenty of other reasons to want to seek out work from the Marchesa duo including their unrivaled (in the US at least) sense of femininity, frivolity, and fun.

Sari Gueron, Spring 2008

Why She’s Worth It: The anonymous dress phenomenon—ie luxe frocks that aren’t bedazzled, beribboned, or branded by stars—has stayed strong for the past few seasons, and Sari Gueron has been a major player in this trend. Lately she’s been branching out, bringing that sense of low-key elegance with her. Not only are her uptown girl skirts, nipped-waist dresses and boxy trousers timeless, they’re flattering too–which makes them worth the pretty penny they’ll cost you.

Sue Stemp, Spring 2008

Why She’s Worth It: If something is good enough for Kate Moss, Cameron Diaz, Ginnifer Goodwin, and more than it’s good enough for you and me. And if that something good comes in the form of ’70s disco dresses, ombre satin cocktail numbers, and sultry Indian-inspired gowns–like the do for spring–so much the better.

Trovata, Spring 2008

Why It’s Worth It: Though the number of designers on board keeps dwindling, Trovata’s sure-fire hits increase season after season. (Perhaps that’s partly due to John Whitledge’s party-style presentations. The even this season was more a rock concert than a runway show, as Jane’s Addiction Perry Farrell entertained the crowds.) For spring, it’s all—only might be a better word—about breezy little white dresses. And why not? When the mercury rises, there’s no better way to beat the heat.

United Bamboo, Spring 2008

Why They’re Worth It: Just look at Thuy Pham and Miho Aoki’s sheer blouses, fly-away tanks, high-waist shorts: Who, I ask you, else offers up hipster silhouettes with high-end fabrics and tailoring? Certainly not Urban Outfitters.

VPL, Spring 2008

Why She’s Worth It: Spring is shaping up to be the season of VPL. Sure, it takes a forgiving eye to get past the pancake hats, but once you do, there’s plenty of au courant pieces to be found in Victoria Bartlett’s latest collection. She’s nailed the ‘80s boxy-shoulder silhouette, while the rest of her trademarks—nude hues, underpinning-inspired pieces, slightly inflated shapes—fit right in with the season’s key trends.

Photos: All Wireimage except Gueron, Marchesa, & Stemp which are GettyImages

Technorati Tags: Ashley Verrier, Antonio Berardi, Brian Reyes, Katy Rodriguez, Marchesa, Sari Gueron, Trovata, UNited Bamboo, Sue Stemp, VPL, New York Fashion Week, Runway Shows

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