When the James Hotel opens its doors this fall in SoHo, on the corner of Thompson and Grand, many things will be shiny and new. But some of the staff will look like they have waited years for customers to arrive. British menswear designer Andrew Buckler created uniforms influenced by Charles Dickens for the front of house staff.

Young labels like the Row, Jason Wu, Nellie Partow, Waris Ahluwalia and Prabal Gurung are trumpeting their New York roots on apparel and labels in an effort to create a sartorial version of the locavore movement. The idea: to link locally-made clothes with artisanal values to promote stitched-in-New York sales.

As New York's Garment District struggles to survive, a June report independently conducted by the Design Trust for Public Space has outlined the economic impact of New York's apparel manufacturing industry.

Debuting today at Film Forum in New York and Laemmle's Royal Theatre in Los Angeles, a newly restored "Breathless" will screen in honor of its 50th anniversary. A national release will follow.

As part of the 50th anniversary campaign, Rialto Pictures, the classic films restorer and distributor, invited Rodarte to produce T-shirts inspired by Jean-Luc Godard's seminal debut.

Iconic costume designer Pat Field hosted a disco-tacular swim party last night in conjunction with the release of "Sex and the City 2″. Or was it a swimstastic disco? Either way, Field was the belle of a rooftop party at 230 Fifth Avenue for 1500 guests featuring flowing Skyy vodka, a swimwear fashion show and the best people-watching this side of fashion week. Mannequins in glittery body-exposing suits and MCM bags were set up in a side stage next to life size (we think) faux tigers and (real) palm trees.

Over the weekend, sportswriters were clutching their pearls in dismay over Venus Williams' black tennis outfit. The French Open outfit stole the spotlight over Williams' first round win over Patty Schnyder, according to some headlines. "The sports star's lingerie-inspired outfit got tongues wagging more than her winning game," the Daily News wrote. "Williams' corset-like get-up made her look as if she were ready to perform in a 19th century Parisian cancan chorus line," the Los Angeles Times reported. "Is she naked?" CBS News squeaks hilariously, then adds helpfully that they have "pictures."

The fashion documentary is enjoying a moment, following the critical and commercial successes of R.J. Cutler's "The September Issue" and Matt Tyrnauer's "Valentino: The Last Emperor." "Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston," a look at the designer's rise and fall, screened on the closing night of the Tribeca Film Festival. The screening was followed by a panel of Halston's associates-Andre Leon Talley, designer Ralph Rucci, model Pat Cleveland and the film's director Whitney Sudler-Smith-discussing Halston's legacy, with Tyrnauer moderating.

Demand for the tickets, which were offered exclusively to American Express cardmembers, ran high and sold out quickly; some fashion industry sources told us of pleading phone calls scrounging for extra tickets in the week before the premiere. Attendees included Sarah Jessica Parker, currently a creative executive on the re-vamped Halston Heritage line, Mad Men's Bryan Batt, Marchesa's Georgina Chapman, and actress Melissa George.

For sartorial traditionalists, the first weekend in May, when the Kentucky Derby takes place, ushers in the start of seersucker weather.

Seersucker, a striped cotton fabric with a slightly wrinkled surface, connotes Southern gentlemen in a full suit with white bucks, but with men's fashion enjoying a preppy moment, young men can find fresh ways to wear seersucker without looking like their grandfathers.

In "Four Play," Christina Ricci's latest cinematic effort, the actress plays four sides of the same woman in downtown Manhattan. Her co-star: Donna Karan's Spring 2010 Eldridge bag, which has convertible straps so it can be carried in four different ways.

Released to blogs and to YouTube in December, the two-minute film has been viewed more than 100,000 times; it's now viewable only at the Donna Karan Web site. "You need all these different avenues to get your message out there," says Patti Cohen, Donna Karan's global communications executive.

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour joined a very exclusive club on Thursday evening, when she was formally inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame during the National Magazine Awards, held at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. She became the 25th editor to be honored, joining Tina Brown, Helen Gurley Brown, Lewis Lapham, Clay Felker and Michael Kinsley.

When Patrick Wintour, The Guardian's political editor and Wintour's younger brother, was unable to arrive in New York due to the volcanic ash-related travel delays, he taped a message in front of London's Parliament. "I understand it's like the John Wayne award, for someone who's been around for a long time and hasn't won any prizes," he said, in that very dry British wit. "So it's very sweet of you to think of the old girl at this stage."

A new iPhone app aims to displace best friends and sales clerks when it comes to fashion advice.

"Ask a Stylist," which was released today, doles out style tips in real time. Not sure whether that bright-red jacket is appropriate for work? Snap a photo of it, submit your question and a professional stylist tell you whether it's a go or no.

Marc Jacobs discussed his work and his life at the the French Institute Alliance Francaise's designer talks last night. He's been interested in fashion since the days of back-to-school shopping outings, he told the crowd, with one notable exception: "My cat was sick and I wanted to be a veterinarian. That was at age eight and it was a passing moment."

Jacobs was interviewed by the Museum at FIT's deputy director Patricia Mears, who asked him to explain his design philosophy. "I love things that are banal," Jacobs said. "I love clichés. I like things that are awkward. I like imperfection. But what that means within a given season, I don't know."

MCM epitomized glamour...in the 1980s.

The German-based company then-known as Michael Cromer Munich produced logo-ed leather goods that ranged from trunks to tennis racket covers to belts. The brand was ostentatious and flashy, perfectly suited for the "Dynasty" era. Then counterfeiters flooded the market with fakes. Tastes changed. By 1997, when MCM underwent a restructuring, its moment in the fashion world seemed over.

One might be forgiven for not knowing that March 8 was International Women's Day. First celebrated in 1911, IWD is a national holiday, on par with Mother's Day, in several countries across the world.

Though it has a lower-profile in the United States, designer Diane von Furstenberg has celebrated the date for several years. On Monday evening, she hosted singer Estelle and Brazilian artist Panmela Castro-Anarkia in collaboration with Vital Voices, a women's group founded by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton that aims to empower disenfranchised women.

The 82nd Academy Awards has enough dramatic storylines to make a great movie. The number of best picture candidates has been super-sized, from five to ten, and the number of hosts has been doubled. Leading up to the event Cablevision squared off with Disney over whether the broadcast would be aired in the New York City area. And on the show, ex-spouses James Cameron ("Avatar") and Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker") will face off over some of the top prizes, including best picture and best director. "Precious," "The Blind Side" and "Inglourious Basterds," are also in the mix.

Speakeasy will be live-blogging the Oscars from the arrivals at 7 p.m. ET all the way to the awarding of the last golden statuette, with reports from inside and outside the ceremony.

Many designers big and small would do just about anything for a chance to dress an actress at the Academy Awards. But gown designer Gilles Mendel, the designer behind glamorous line J. Mendel, is more sanguine about it.

At a talk at Manhattan's French Institute Alliance Francaise, the designer discussed growing up in a family of furriers, moving to Manhattan and how he grew the family company into luxury brand. He told anecdotes of sleeping on sables when he was child, and said that he started making women's clothes in the 1980s because he thought anti-fur protesters wouldn't smash his Madison Avenue windows at night if he showcased dresses over minks.

Vogue magazine's new iPhone app is primarily a shopping application, enabling users to scroll through every Vogue ad, click to buy and getting styling advice on the season's trends, Elva Ramirez reports.

Zac Posen's new exclusive collection for Saks Fifth Avenue, Z Spoke, was feted last night with the usual fashion party trappings: champagne, finger food, models and music. Posen, who's recently been dogged by questions of his company's financial health, was in good spirits, charming his models, gathering socialites into embraces for photos, even indulging a few fans with polite chatter.

With the release of R.J. Cutler's "The September Issue" on DVD, someone made the genius decision to pack in over 90 minutes worth of never-before-seen footage. The bonus footage actually exceeds the original film's length. Often, deleted scenes and bonus footage play like indulgent filler, but The September Issues's extras are as compelling and quirky as anything that made the film.

"The fashion show, the walking up-and-down, the turn-turn-turn -- it's really become cliched, a thing of the past," designer Marc Bouwer said Thursday evening at a viewing party for the premiere of his Fall 2010 runway film.

His film stars fellow South African expat and Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel modeling his Fall 2010 collection against a celestial background. Dutch designers Viktor & Rolf employed a similar technique with Shalom Harlow for their Spring 2009 show.

The crowd waiting for the doors to open at the Chelsea Art Museum for Marchesa's Fall 2010 presentation yesterday snaked around the block, like a very well-dressed pack of music fans staking out concert tickets.

Just inside the door, waiters stood at attention with trays of freshly-uncorked Dom Perignon. Amiable, chattering guests found themselves staring at models on pedestals, set against black curtains and under bright lights. Whether it was from the heat of the lights or the tightly-packed space, a few models looked like they might wilt and take their pretty frocks with them. A girl in an ethereal red dress visibly teetered, then caught herself.

Guests at William Rast's Wednesday evening show at Cedar Lake in Chelsea found staggered sets of tiered benches set around the event space, forming an H-pattern. There wasn't a bad seat in the house. As soon as the lights went out, a band in the corner, Freesol, kicked into some rock 'n' roll and a giant LED screen dramatically lit up. As models took their walks towards the photographers' pit, cameras caught them at different angles and projected them live onto a large screen in the back.

The cameras were focused on the front row, too. Singers Estelle and Matt Morris, French Vogue's Carine Roitfeld, Vogue's Anna Wintour and actress Jessica Biel, girlfriend of Justin Timberlake were all in attendance. Mr. Timberlake and his childhood friend Trace Ayala are William Rast's creative directors.

Two large all-white floral arrangements dominated the rooms at the Hosfelt Gallery, where Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen held their first runway show for their luxury line, The Row. Seating was limited to just 100 of fashion's top names; a coterie of A-list guests, including Anna Wintour, Nina Garcia, Chloe Sevigny and Carey Mulligan, were in the front row.

Models wore monochrome, layered ensembles, such as camisoles and dresses paired with corsets, with no accessories, minimal makeup, loose hair and flat sandals. The collection was strictly edited: There were only 20 looks, which meant there weren't deviations into other themes.

Every emerging designer remembers the first time that Vogue's Anna Wintour attends his or her fashion week show. Christian Cota got his inaugural visit Tuesday evening at the Metropolitan Pavilion as he presented his Fall 2010 collection.

The designer walked the editor through his looks, which were presented on a platform stage where models in ombre wigs stood (or tried to stand) perfectly still. Professional and amateur photographers created a little circle around the pair as they moved across one set of clothes to the next.

Charlotte Ronson's shows are gaining a reputation not just for her downtown cool clothes but also for the music played at her shows by her twin sister, DJ Samantha Ronson. The music for a runway show sets the stage for the collection, and designers often turn to music consultants and deejays to find the best songs to frame their clothes.

Here's how the soundtrack for the Charlotte Ronson Fall 2010 collection was created:

Dress-making at design house Chado Ralph Rucci means exacting fine details. Ostrich feathers, for example, arrive chemically treated so that they are not uniformly fluffy. Assistants sort the feathers one at a time, then glue them individually. Feathering one dress can take several days, and several assistants, to complete. For all the work involved -- each feathered dress is also hand-finished -- the dresses are expected to sell at upwards of $10,000.

View how an ivory georgette and guinea hen-feathered dress went from a sketch to the runway.

Guests arriving at Erin Fetherston's Sunday evening show at Milk Studios found a Valentine's Day gift: a long-stemmed rose and Jacques Torres chocolates. Servers made the rounds with pink champagne.

Ms. Fetherston's Fall 2010 "Chelsea Girl" collection, set to the sounds of Nico, featured dewy-skinned models styled with long bangs and straight, loose locks, similar to the hairstyle the designer herself wears. While Ms. Fetherston's Fall 2009 collection highlighted ultra-short poofy skirts, her newest autumn collection presented several billowy-sleeved, flowing, knee-grazing dresses among a smattering of short miniskirts and cocktail attire. The long dresses suggested an unfussy elegance that could easily segue from day to night.

"It isn't much warmer inside," a publicist leading us into the Commonwealth Utilities Fall 2010 show at the Nomad Hotel warned Sunday evening. Haven't heard of the Nomad Hotel yet? That's because it's still under construction.

Guests entering the space off 28th Street found a raw, unfinished lobby with exposed beams, stripped walls and peeling paint on the ceiling. The man next to us half-joked that it looked like the ceiling would collapse upon us. Ushers offered hand-warmers and warm (non-spiked) apple cider. We mention the virgin apple cider because the gift left on the seats was a Commonwealth Utilities flask, wrapped in a paper bag.

If you are more than 10 minutes late to a Jill Stuart show, you risk losing a limb to the paparazzi, who form a pack of jostling elbows, clicking cameras and blitzkrieg flashes around the likes of Jessica Szhor, Mena Suvari and Michelle Trachtenberg.

Ms. Stuart's Fall 2010 collection featured ultra-high miniskirts and saucy over-the-knee boots, accessorized with chunky scarves and heavy-knit sweaters. A few jackets had a straightforward militaristic look, but most looks were flirty, sassy little things meant for dancing on tables.

There are a few shows every fashion week where the crowd's affection for the designer is palpable in the room. Tracy Reese's shows are often packed with her family and friends, who cheer her on, present her with flowers and after the show, laud her latest work.

The newest collection opened with One Way's slinky R&B song "Cutie Pie" as models sauntered down the runway in a melange of textures. Sweet lace dresses were topped with fluffy scarves that mirrored the models' softly teased hair. Sweaters with faux fur sleeves worn over studded blouses ended in fingerless opera gloves. Tweed sweaters were paired with suede skirts. The overall effect was a downtown girl's twist on proper uptown preppy dress codes, with just the right amount of skin on display.

Zero + Maria Cornejo's Monday morning men's and women's show at the Hosfelt Gallery was an austere event. Seats were arranged across several makeshift rooms, leading models to walk by at such a brisk pace that they were gone in a blur of wool and leather.

This is a collection for a sophisticate who takes risks with volume and who understands that clothes need to look good from many angles, not just the front. One of the striking details of a woman's wool swing coat, for example, was the way the high collar was sewn down so it was perpetually stiff; it was subtle, but the side view of the collar compelled the eye forward, to examine it up close.

While making our fashion party rounds on Saturday night, Speakeasy bumped into "Mad Men" and "Community" star Alison Brie, who was parlaying her four-day break from shooting "Community" into a visit to New York's runway front rows. At the Paper magazine shindig celebrating the new Camper flagship store on Madison Avenue, ebullient partiers jostled for drinks while navigating around an inordinately large table in the center of the room. Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl spun music in a corner (they're fond of Prince).

Brie stood by the front glass doors, and discussed juggling comedic and dramatic roles. "There's so many moments on 'Community' which are dramatic, especially with my character," Brie said. "Similarly, I think that Trudy and Pete provide a lot of the comic relief on 'Mad Men'."

Alice & Olivia's Stacey Bendet can throw a good party. She's had the Hilton sisters cause a paparazzi swarm at a fete at her Bryant Park store and has held loft parties that included Lindsay Lohan and Jared Leto as guests. At her Fall 2010 presentation/party last night at Provocateur, guests, press and paparazzi shivered in the sub-freezing cold for 30 minutes at a time while waiting to check in. Once inside, the small lounge was so packed there was no demarcating space between celebrities and the non-famous. Everyone had to push past each other for a drink or a place to stand.

In the span of one hour, Heard on the Runway spied a platinum-haired Kelly Osbourne, Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz, Sophia Bush and Gossip Girl's Matthew Settle, who was showing baby photos to Kelly Bensimon. On our way out the door, we had no choice to but squeeze past Mena Suvari entering the party, as Mad Men's Elizabeth Moss introduced someone to her husband, Fred Armisen.

Last season's Chado Ralph Rucci show took place in the main tent at Bryant Park; the backstage chaos leading up to the show was recently shown on Bravo's new behind-the-scenes fashion show, "Kell on Earth." This season the haute luxe label took a calmer approach: It held its Fall 2010 runway show at its showroom on Thursday evening. The room was brightly lit and set with rows of clear plastic chairs.

The monied ambiance was intimate and chummy; a lot of guests knew each other, swapping air kisses and trading compliments. The invitation had requested evening attire, and New York's doyennes did not disappoint. There were many delicate high heels in the front row, despite snow slush clinging to Soho's sidewalks just outside the door.

Expectations were set high for the Fall 2010 Christian Siriano show when a press release sent just hours before the show trumpeted a coterie of bold face names that would sit in the front row. As promised, popping flashes surrounded Amber Rose, Kristen Johnson and Mena Suvari as they took their seats. American Idol Adam Lambert was expected to attend, but Heard on the Runway didn't spy him; perhaps we missed him in the opening chaos.

A few scenesters dressed up for the occasion: At least two women were not wearing pants, a trend seen on the runways last season. Despite the just above-freezing temperatures, a guest donned a black leotard paired with printed leggings and heels.

New York City's fashion week begins with a somber note on news that iconoclast designer Alexander McQueen had died. WSJ's Elva Ramirez gets reaction from the fashion-show attendees at Bryant Park.

The usually ebullient crowd at Duckie Brown was a tad quieter this afternoon. As guests waited for the show begin, conversation inevitably led to the death of Alexander McQueen. In an unexpected Hitchockian twist, two lost sparrows flew among the crowd, causing people in the front row to duck manically while in the middle of conversations.

The dub music that opened Duckie Brown's Fall 2010 show gave it all away: the '80s rude boy is back. The fitted pants paired with boots and oversized jackets brought a new spin to the shrunken suit stylings popularized by Thom Browne. Duckie Brown upped the sartorial references by adding a ska edge to the mod influences.

At the Chado Ralph Rucci show on Thursday evening, Vogue's editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley was clearly moved when asked for his reaction to Alexander McQueen's death. "It is a great loss. It's a tragedy for the fashion world," Mr. Talley said. "He was truly an innovator and a master."

Mr. Talley added: "It's just an extraordinary loss for all of us and a shock to the fashion world. [McQueen] had incredible talents and gifts and at the same time, he was a great poet. There are very few poets left."

As New York fashion week kicks off, the area's first major snow storm of the year is muscling in to snag a share of attention normally reserved for opening show buzz.

Publicists sent out notes Tuesday and Wednesday advising on the status of their runway shows. Adrienne Landau's presentation was moved from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday at noon, due to the weather. Emerging label Nary Manivong postponed its noon presentation today.

Hermès inaugurated its first stand-alone menswear store last night with a celebrity-packed cocktail party, followed by a lavish private party at the Park Avenue Armory. The 690 Madison Avenue space stands directly across the street from the flagship store. It was formerly a Luca Luca store.

Plans for the store didn't falter even as the luxury sector took a pummeling. "We plan out for many years ahead," said Robert B. Chavez, Hermès president and CEO. "We don't change our strategy just for one or two years. We know the potential for this type of category is really great."

"Catwalk Countdown," Sundance Channel's new Web-only series is a simple concept: Pick an emerging designer and catch behind-the-scene moments as he or she prepares a collection. "It's about addictive storytelling, but we also hope it is elegant, interesting and fun," Sundance Channel executive vice president Sarah Barnett said.

The first crop of designers to be featured in "Countdown" includes Vena Cava, Christian Cota and Erin Fetherston.

"Where humanity exists, beauty exists," writes Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, Chairman of L'Oreal in the opening essay to a five-volume work published by the L'Oreal Foundation.

The phrase pithily sums up the thesis of "100,000 Years of Beauty," a four-year academic project to dismantle the cultural constructs of beauty. The project tapped 300 authors of 35 different nationalities and across 20 different disciplines to decipher and explain how aesthetic exercises occurred not just in contemporary society but throughout time. The first book begins with a look at pre-historical efforts at jewelry, embellishment and colored powders.

So officially, New York fashion week starts next Thursday, Feb. 11. But for those in the know, the ramp up to the Tents began this week with H&M's party for Sonia Rykiel's capsule collection at Bobo.

The party had all the trappings and buzz of a runway season event: off-duty runway models (check), CW actors (Leighton Meester, Kelly Rutherford, check), hours of open bar (check) and a DJ who has graced Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Victoria's Secret (Chanel Iman, check).

In a nod to growing power of digital word-of-mouth, the Donna Karan company has released two Web-only videos to social networks and blogs. The DKNY ad directed by Kai Regan features leggy models wearing the fall 2009 "Cozy" sweater parading through New York in a runway-cum-Abbey Road lineup. The second ad, "Four Play," stars Christina Ricci and the Donna Karan Eldridge bag; the nearly two-minute long spot was directed by filmmaker Jake Sumner, known to music fans as Sting's son.

Last fashion week, American audiences were introduced to French documentarian Loic Prigent, who camped out with Karl Lagerfeld, Proenza Schouler and Jean Paul Gaultier in the hours leading up to their runway shows for his "The Day Before" series. But Prigent is as well-known in his native France for several seasons of "Habillées," a light-hearted but comprehensive look at the themes dominating each runway season. Prigent directs host Mademoiselle Agnés, a Frenchwoman of such charm that Karl Lagerfeld sweeps her up in his arms for an impromptu waltz.

As a German philosopher once noted, "In fashion, one day, you're in, and the next day, you're out." So it goes for reality fashion shows, which keep rehashing work from seasons past instead of coming up with fresh, forward-looking concepts. There are some indications that fans are beginning to lose interest. Lifetime's inaugural "Project Runway" season six finale garnered 4.2 million viewers (versus season five finale's 4.8 million viewers), while Bravo's "The Fashion Show" only mustered under a million viewers a week and has not been renewed.

It takes a special kind of moxie to turn heads at a fashion party that includes Russell Simmons, pop singer Cassie, Amanda Lepore, Amber Valletta, and fashion designers Marc Jacobs, Olivier Theyskens, Phillip Lim, and Erin Fetherston. But at last night's NARS 15×15 party, in honor of the 15th anniversary of Francois Nars' signature cosmetics line, people openly gawked, swooned and, in the Rachel Zoe sense of the word, died over party host Daphne Guinness.

Fashion brands like Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and Ralph Lauren have released new iPhone apps that allow users to browse collections, watch runway footage and in the case of Gucci, mix their own music. Elva Ramirez reports.

By Vanessa O'Connell and Elva Ramirez

A self-described iPhone freak, designer Norma Kamali spends each morning reading the day's headlines on her gadget's current-events application. To unwind, she plays Scrabble on a game app. When her miniature dachshund Zeke acts up, Ms. Kamali looks up her iPhone's encyclopedia on canine ailments.

Last month, Ms. Kamali entered the iPhone app business herself, launching a free application to sell looks from her three collections. From their phones, users can purchase 15 new looks from Ms. Kamali's lines at eBay and Wal-Mart as well as her high-end designer line. "In the fashion business, you see the runway collection, and then it's a few months later that you actually get it, in stores," Ms. Kamali says. "But we know that everybody is taking pictures during the shows and downloading them on YouTube--and what's the big secret?" She adds: " 'We want it now!' That's the kind of attitude we're at."

Famed shoemaker Christian Louboutin has turned out heels in leather and silk, but he's adding a new material to his portfolio: glass.

For a new collaboration with champagne-maker Piper-Heidsieck, Louboutin created a glass slipper that evokes both Cinderella fantasy and Parisian decadence. The shoe flute is packaged as part of the $500 Le Rituel gift set, which also includes a bottle of champagne. It will only be sold in select Neiman Marcus stores and online at www.le-rituel.com.

Glamour magazine hosted a panel last night on the future of women's fashion at the 92 Street Y. Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive moderated a lively discussion between designers Ashley Olsen, Isaac Mizrahi and journalist Robin Givhan. The conversation ranged from Michelle Obama's style influence to skinny models on the runway. While Givhan was sardonic and thoughtful, and Olsen geeked out for moment when discussing how excited she gets over branding, it was Mizrahi who stole the show. Herewith, some of the evening's most colorful quotes on fashion, culture and style.

Andy Warhol's early, hand-drawn illustrations don't garner as much attention as his iconic Pop art, but he was a regular contributor to Harper's Bazaar throughout the 1950s and '60s. Last night, the magazine unveiled "Andy Warhol: The Bazaar Years, 1951 - 1966″ in the Alexey Brodovitch Gallery at Hearst Tower.

"You think that no Warhol rock had been left unturned, but, frequently, in a Warhol retrospective there might be one illustration," said curator Charlie Scheips.

Let's just get it out of the way: Yes, fashion people eat. Maybe not all the time, and never ever in the amounts touted in a typical restaurant commercial. But for some designers, a well-considered plate can be as satisfying as a hem that hangs just so.

Last night, the Council of Fashion Designers of America celebrated the release of its first cookbook with a party at Saks Fifth Avenue. The cookbook, edited by Lisa Marsh, compiles over 100 recipes such as Carolina Herrera's pommes toupinel, Cynthia Rowley's truffle mac and cheese, Diane von Furstenberg's Saturday night chicken and Tory Burch's Andalusian gazpacho.

For all of the fashion industry's glamour and refinement, it also has a grittier, less photogenic side that receives too little attention. In HBO's "Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags," which premieres tonight, documentary filmmaker Marc Levin mines the rich history of New York's garment industry, which once thrived as an employer to thousands and now withers as jobs migrate overseas. "Schmatta" is a Yiddish word that means "rag."

The dress code at last night's National Arts Club award dinner was black tie, which meant that designer Betsey Johnson arrived wearing a pink tutu, a chartreuse jacket, electric blue capri pants and a neon printed shirt over a tangle of sparkly necklaces.

The irreverent fashion designer was honored with the 2009 Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement in Fashion, an award whose past honorees include Arnold Scaasi, Oleg Cassini and Carolina Herrera. Her work as a New York designer was cited, as well as her oversized personality -- a trademark of her work for the past four decades. (Her in-house model at the start of her career in the 1960s was Warhol muse Edie Sedgwick.)

The big names at fashion week tend to get the lion's share of attention. But the majority of the fashion industry is comprised of dozens and dozens of lesser-known designers trying to get a stitch closer to label recognition. Here are a few emerging talents to look for in a store near you.

Spectacle has its purpose, but what on the runway can women wear to work? Here are a few stand-out looks from the Paris fashion week shows that won't embarrass a CEO.

When designer Henry Holland was asked what a perfume bearing his name might smell like, he told perfumer Stephan Nilsen, he wanted something that suggested friends gathered on an overstuffed purple couch.

"Sometimes, musk can be a big, puffy white sofa," Nilsen says. "But he said purple. He said he liked some flowers, lilac and mimosa. To me, those smell purple so I added those notes to give a purple connotation to it."

Nilsen and five colleagues at fragrance company Givaudan teamed up with six fashion designers, including Phillip Lim, Toga and Henrik Vibskov, to create a limited edition perfume set. This is the second series of the "Six Scents" collection; bottles retail for $95 and are sold only in high-end boutiques like Paris's Colette, New York's Henri Bendel and Milan's 10 Corso Como.

For more than 20 years, "Retail Hell" author Freeman Hall sold designer bags at a Nordstrom in Southern California. His new book, in the style of "Waiter Rant," exposes bad (occasionally disgusting) behavior from customers, retail managers and co-workers. Because runway-watching also involves first glimpses at the next hot thing in accessories, we asked Hall for tips on finding and taking care of a prize Spring 2010 handbag.

Heard on the Runway: So let's say I spied a Dolce & Gabbana handbag on the runway and I'm in love. What's next?

If you want that high-end bag from the runway, you need to make a connection with a sales associate at the high-end stores like Neiman Marcus or Saks or Nordstrom. Stores are a little more hungry [than some designers] to get a sale -- if you call a store and you tell them you want a certain bag and they know it's coming in, they're not going to put you on some long waiting list and play games.

Do you remember that Dior campaign that featured Jessica Stam in a vibrant pink dress against an abstract background of the same color? What year was that? Answer: It was the Dior Spring/Summer 2007 campaign, which appeared in Vogue's July 2007 issue.

Until recently, there have been few options for fashion obsessives to track down a memorable ad from seasons past. A new start-up, My Fashion Database, has stepped into the breach. In scope and ambition, its most similar comparison is film database IMDB.com.

Eco-friendly outdoorsy clothing company Nau has quietly rolled out Changing Room, an online-only payment option in which customers pay half of the full price upfront, then have 30 days to pay off the rest. You could call it a test drive, or, as the company prefers to call it, "premium layaway."

Either way, it's a way to get $350 jackets into customers' hands.

When the weather warms up again, it will be fashionable for women to wear panties as outerwear if some of the industry's greatest minds are betting correctly.

Designers picked up and modified Martin Margiela's 2007 thought experiment on clothing that toyed with exposure. One year later, Marc Jacobs and Chloe presented sheer clothes that revealed the garments beneath; this motif was later echoed in the Spring 2009 collections of Erin Fetherston, Prada and Luella.

Stars with fashion-forward radar noticed -- and possibly contributed -- to the trend. In 2005, Madonna donned micro-briefs to promote her album "Confessions on the Dancefloor." In 2007, Sienna Miller borrowed Edie Sedgwick's iconic look (sweater, tights and leotard) while promoting her Sedgwick bio-pic "Factory Girl." Lady Gaga all but established her fashion cred by swanning about in leotards starting in 2007. Just this month, Beyonce and her back-up dancers shimmied onto the Video Music Awards stage in spangly leotards and tights.

Does the trend, er, have legs?

Designer Toni Maticevski has not yet broken into the mainstream in the U.S. though he's a successful designer in his native Australia. His stateside insider status is partly by design. While Maticevski shows during the New York shows, he doesn't actively court retailers or celebrities. His shows, which combine a mix of fragile dresses with an occasional aggressive touch, are meant to appeal to private clients. In a zig away from runway routine, the designer does not leave collection and inspiration notes on front row seats, arguing that his clothes should be strong enough to communicate his design motifs.

While Maticevski's aesthetic veers more towards the avant-garde than mainstream, his intellectual take on classic beauty will find fans among fashion-forward women who want to wear something feminine yet subversive.

For artist Greg Lauren, a garment defines a person as much as the other way around. For example, a Cub Scout uniform is like a totem, marking the wearer as a would-be hero. "I was never a Cub Scout," Lauren says. "[But] I knew that the shirts were endowed with some kind of heroic image. All the patches meant something, and made me feel proud to wear [the shirt as a child] even though I didn't do the work to earn them."

Lauren's newest solo exhibition, "Alteration," is on view through November 1 at the gallery space at 28 Wooster Street, which was recently home to the Guild & Greyshkul gallery. The installation includes 40 paper sculptures that Lauren hand-sewed into replica to-scale clothing using his mother's old sewing machine.

Designers interchanged materials and tailoring but the styling always played with proportions.

At Alexander Wang and Charlotte Ronson, boxy sleeveless jackets were paired with sexy skin-baring blouses.

Ralph Lauren and Isaac Mizrahi pulled the jacket closer to the body, but balanced out the look with loose pants.

And sometimes, the jacket was a statement piece in itself, as in Diane von Furstenberg's head-turning orange creation.

Thanks to the Internet, fashion blogs and a dash of Project Runway, public enthusiasm for the private runway show is at a high. American Express hopes that access to a 3.1 Phillip Lim runway show will mint retail sales.

On Thursday night, just as the last show of New York's season ended, American Express card members were feted with a cocktail party at the American Express Skybox in the tents. Later, guests were seated in the Salon at Bryant Park.

At Marchesa's Wednesday afternoon presentation in Chelsea, the guests were openly rapturous. "If I were getting married again, I'm going to wear that," a woman told her friend as she pointed to a white tulle gown so airy it appeared spun out of meringue. "Wait until you see this one!" a man excitedly exclaimed to his friend as they turned a corner into a new vignette.

Each season, Marchesa designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig whip up delicate, luxurious gowns that later grace editorial spreads and red carpets. Expect this season's Madame Butterfly-inflected collection to be no different.

Christian Cota has a simple objective: "I just want women to feel beautiful." Amid the gloomy recession, the designer aimed for a classic style, punctuated with the optimism that dressing up confers.

Cota's design notes reference "an urban garden," which is an apt description for classic ladylike dresses highlighted with edgy details like laser-cut flowers, saturated prints and hand-sewn cording that looks like over-sized lace. The effect might be described as Oscar de la Renta for "Gossip Girl." (In fact, Leighton Meester wore a sequined Christian Cota Fall 2009 dress to the VMAs this week.) It's quite a feat to pull off simultaneously young, fresh and classic in a single dress.

For all of fashion week's exclusivity, there is one all-access way to catch a peek at Cynthia Rowley's Spring 2010 collection: Catch a cab.

"Hide and Seek" is a 60-second film currently playing in 5,500 New York City taxi screens roughly every 15 minutes. It is estimated to reach over 2.5 million passengers via the NY10-Taxi Entertainment network. "We felt like taxis were this overlooked medium," says Rowley, who debuted the short the day before her Sept. 11 runway show of the collection. "We thought it was this great place where we could do something artistic."

Menswear line Commonwealth Utilities staged its first runway show last night at a storied New York barber shop, Astor Place Hair Designers. Although the label is relatively young, it has already captured a high-profile fan in New York Rangers player Sean Avery.

Six months ago, Commonwealth creative directors Anthony Keegan and Richard Christiansen sent Avery a sweater that was modeled off a hockey jersey. To their surprise, Avery called the duo and asked to work with them. He stops by their studio to weigh in on designs, Keegan says.

British avant-garde designer Gareth Pugh should be in Paris, prepping for his Sept. 30 Spring 2010 show. Instead, Pugh hosted a film installation at the MAC & Milk Studios space on Sunday night.

The film, directed by Ruth Hogben, is a four-vignette reverie on the elements and undercurrents of Pugh's newest collection. Last season, Pugh opted to present a video instead of a runway show, which Hogben also directed. The new films are projected onto four sides of a towering cube, and accompanied with a rumbling soundtrack not unlike the second coming of Stanley Kubrick's monolith in "2001."

Women of various generations flocked to Jill Stuart's noon show at the New York Public Library today. Teen girls in frothy Fall '09 dresses watched while cameras trailed Leigh Lezark, Kim Kardashian, Kelly Rowland and Peaches Geldof to their chairs. A bevy of Bravo's Real Housewives from the New York and New Jersey editions attended; after the show, New Jersey Real Housewives Dina and Caroline Manzo interviewed Stuart backstage.

The mainsteam media loves to use "couture" as a word analogous to "very fancy" or "expensive," but the French take their couture very seriously; only designers that are invited members of the elite Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture may show during the haute couture shows and use the label to describe their clothing, which is defined by exacting handmade details.

Ralph Rucci is the only American in 60 years to be invited into the elite society; he's still an member even though his label Chado Ralph Rucci hasn't shown at the couture shows for two years. Rucci has quietly shed the "couture" label, but when he describes the fabrics and techniques that he employed for his newest collection, it's clear that he hasn't strayed far from couture's roots.

Saturday's evening party roster was packed for those who had access. For stars like Lindsay Lohan and Jared Leto, the first stop of the night was Stacy Bendet's Alice & Olivia Spring 2010 party/presentation in the Meatpacking District. Guests such as "Gossip Girl" stars Kelly Rutherford and Jessica Szohr, Nicky Hilton and socialite Tinsley Mortimer packed into the industrial space. At one end of the space, tableaus of models lingered in the new collection, while a stage dominated the center -- French girl band the Plastiscines performed for the crowd. A front wall was open to the street, allowing guests to sip drinks just above the sidewalk. Guests shot phone images of the models, but really, the event provided a chance to mingle, dance and drink after a long day of rushing to runway shows. The overall (and intended) effect was of the iconic insider downtown New York party that is catnip to film and TV producers.

The pushing, impatient crowd that showed up for Christian Siriano's 4 p.m. show yesterday testifies to the Project Runway star's still-high popularity among fashionistas and pop culture nerds. Not everyone who arrived was let in; those who had tickets were forced to evict others.

When the standing-room-only chaos settled, the front row revealed Tim Gunn flanked by actress Kristen Johnson and Victoria Secret's model Alessandra Ambrosio. Kelly Rowland, Leigh Lezark, Tori Spelling and a gorgeously decked-out Mena Suvari were also in front.

One way to gauge a fashion designer's prominence is by the fame quotient of his or her front row. At Diane von Furstenberg's shows, the star-wattage extends as far back as the third and fourth rows. Editors who are normally front row fixtures elsewhere were pushed back for an A-list group Sunday that included Graydon Carter, Candace Bergen, Rachel Zoe, Terry Richardson and "Gossip Girl" stars Blake Lively and Kelly Rutherford.

Charlotte Ronson's runway shows are reliably something of a spectacle, and yesterday's 2 p.m. show was no different.

A paparazzi pack four people thick crowded around the front row, cameras flashing like strobe lights. Photographers caught Tinsley Mortimer in an "I Heart Ronson" dress from Ronson's JC Penney line, along with Russell Simmons and pop singer Keri Hilson. Nicky Hilton, whose straight brunette hair seemed to be the only mane to elude the downpour outside, took the lion's share of the flashbulbs.

Erstwhile muse Erin Wasson's debut brought out the crowds for her Erin Wasson x RVCA collection at the Bryant Park tents. Crowds were corralled outside the tent until 40 minutes past the 8 p.m. showtime. Once seated, guest passes were triple-checked by publicists intent on not letting any seat-stealing interlopers into the first and second rows.

The show began at 8:52 p.m. The crowd seemed to instantly forgive the long wait when doors opened to reveal a live band. Brooklyn group Gang Gang Dance performed against a video backdrop as models walked down not the a traditional runway, but the normal everyday floor. The band, which included a member whose only job seemed to be to wave a vinyl flag with his back to the audience, sounded a bit like Banco de Gaia with Siouxsie Sioux vocals. (Too obscure? Here's a performance on YouTube.)

MTV's resident ingenue Whitney Port had a long day yesterday, beginning with her debut at the Bryant Park tents and ending with a party in Soho.

The "Whitney Eve" collection premiered in a group show along with labels Mara Hoffman and Nicholas K. The show had a late start, which caused a minor panic among guests and photographers when the show ran past 3 p.m., potentially thwarting plans.

At high-fashion lingerie company Agent Provocateur, "naughty" is not frowned upon -- it's part of the business plan.

For the U.S. debut of the company's new line, "Soiree," Agent Provocateur put on an intimate runway event at the Soho Grand hotel. While the barely dressed models nearly melted the camera pit, the audience was decorous, and the ambiance was rarified.

Each fashion week comes packed with its own themes -- and we're not necessarily talking about hemlines. For the last few seasons, the lack of runway diversity and outrage over too-skinny models has dominated fashion week coverage. This season's theme is shaping up to be about getting people to buy clothes, now, please, and not at a discount.

But lest people forget about the price too-skinny models pay for bright lights and big cities, model Crystal Renn is ready to remind us. Renn's autobiography "Hungry: A Young Model's Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves" arrives in stores on Sept. 9, just in time for New York's seasonal shot of unattainable glamour.

With little more than a week to go before their Spring 2010 show, Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez looked relatively calm as they took interviews before the premiere of Loic Prigent's documentary "The Day Before." (The four-part Sundance series takes viewers behind the scenes at Fendi, Jean Paul Gaultier, Sonia Rykiel and Proenza Schouler.)

After cocktails at private club Norwood, a small group of journalists and industry insiders watched excerpts of the Proenza Schouler and Sonia Rykiel episodes. The audience chuckled in recognition and sighed in sympathy as Proenza's team tried to manage oncoming fashion disasters such as painting Italian handcrafted brown belts and bags black.

On "Project Runway," viewers often look forward to the nail-biting, pre-runway sequence in which amateur designers scramble to finish their outfits before sending their models onto the runway, sometimes literally sewing clothes on at the last possible minute.

In his four-part "The Day Before" series for the Sundance Channel, which premieres tomorrow night, fashion documentarian Loic Prigent reveals that real world luminaries such as Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez aren't immune to such scrambles. The film shows the designers fussing with a collar two seconds before pushing a model onto the runway.

The indomitable Miss Piggy was the featured star at last week's Glamorama, Macy's splashy annual Chicago charity event which included a retrospective of her style.

After photos surfaced of Miss Piggy's visit to designer Marc Jacobs' studio, Speakeasy couldn't resist a call to the Divine Miss P to dish about Jacobs, Lady Gaga and the new Muppets movie. (And honestly, does one ever need an excuse to talk to Miss Piggy?)

Tonight, TLC will air "Gown Crazy", a one-hour special starring "Project Runway" Season Three alumnus Johnathan Kayne Gillaspie (yes, that's spelled right). ProjRun fans will remember Gillaspie as the fast-talking Southern charmer with an unapologetic passion for pageant dresses.

"Gown Crazy" follows the designer at his sprawling Oklahoma home-studio as he juggles finishing dresses and talent costumes for Miss Oklahoma contestants while also planning a charity fashion show in his backyard. Although there are no snarky asides from a Michael Kors or a Nina Garcia, the show borrows some effective ProjRun techniques: there are multiple looming deadlines, an increasingly overworked and sleepless designer, quippy commentary to the camera and show-stopping gowns.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America gave out their top prizes last night, handing out the industry's equivalent of an Oscar or an Emmy. What was easily the best-dressed group in all of Manhattan gathered in the newly revamped Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center to celebrate the industry and each other.

Rodarte, a young label that was recognized last year with an award for emerging womenswear designers, took home the top prize of Womenswear Designer of the Year. Sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy's distressed, futuristic-yet-gothy designs, a favorite among fashion editors and starlets, beat out Marc Jacobs and Narciso Rodriguez.

Reporter: Vanessa O'Connell
Multimedia Producers: Matt Rivera, Elva Ramirez, Matthew Lynch

A luxury fashion shoot and retail operation is set inside a Brooklyn warehouse. WSJ Magazine's Vanessa O'Connell goes behind the scenes at Gilt Groupe.

The Fall 2009 collections that premiered for the press and buyers at last week's New York fashion week were created last fall, amid lackluster consumer confidence and slashed retail prices.

Many designers said that because of this, they tried to straddle pragmatic business options (making sure to include classic black trousers, in Duckie Brown's case, for example) with eye-popping looks that tugged at consumer's heart-strings (Diane von Furstenberg's luxe coats). We asked a few designers how they designed for the downturn.

American Express and Diane von Furstenberg staged a special runway show for American Express card-holders and executives Wednesday night. Most runway shows are invite-only, but this one, which featured Ms. von Furstenberg's Spring/Summer 2009 collection and a few looks from the Fall 2009 collection she showed Sunday, was open to the public. Tickets to the event were sold online for $150.

"Everyone talks about fashion week and the tents and the glamour of it, but those are really trade shows for the buyers and the press," Ms. von Furstenberg said backstage before the show. "I've always thought, Wouldn't it be great to make real shows for consumers?"

For many designers at New York fashion week, finding a sponsor during a recessionary economy was much harder than in seasons past.

"I was having a lot of difficulty raising money for the show this season -- it's more difficult than ever before," says Daniel Silver, one of the designers at menswear brand Duckie Brown. Although Duckie Brown obtained a sponsorship from Florsheim shoes, it didn't cover the entire cost of the show, which can run upwards of $100,000, Mr. Silver said. Mr. Silver and his design partner Stephen Cox decided to consider every company they had ever worked for. At the end, they joined up with McDonald's, who was looking to promote its new line of McCafe coffee drinks. Mr. Cox had worked at McDonald's in London as a cashier when he was 16 years old.

For the 50th anniversary of its blockbuster doll brand, Mattel invited more than 1,000 guests to view a fashion show featuring 50 designer looks inspired by Barbie. By 3 p.m. show time on Saturday, a large crowd, including many children, overwhelmed the tents. Organizers hustled to get guests in, but dozens did not -- including many crestfallen little girls.

New York fashion week officially kicks off this Friday and Twittering fashionistas have already started sending out updates with #NYFW tags. Among the fashionable set, scoring a runway invitation imparts cachet because shows are invite-only and often, the invitations are non-transferable. On Monday, the New York Times' blog The Moment told its 9,753 Twitter followers that it was offering up tickets to Project Runway winner Christian Siriano's Feb. 19th show.

With three weeks to go to New York's fashion week, the Japanese government backed its first runway show outside Japan - in the Big Apple.

Ten emerging designers from Japan presented a total of 47 looks from their Spring 2009 collections, in a show that organizers said was intended to promote the Japanese textile and apparel industries as well as the designers. The show was organized by the Japanese Fashion Week Organization, a non-profit that puts on shows in Japan, and the Japanese government's Japan External Trade Organization.

Brazilian designer Valdemar Iodice is the latest designer to opt to do a showroom presentation at New York Fashion Week in February rather than a runway show in the official venue in Bryant Park.

But Mr. Iodice has an unusual plan for how to entice store buyers and fashion magazine editors to attend his presentation: he will offer them each a free dress from his current collection, along with free car service to ferry them to the showroom, according to spokeswoman Myra Joloya.

In another sign of the times, luxury house Emanuel Ungaro is pricing its pre-fall collection about 15% below last year's.

Individual pieces are still being priced. But that's the plan, according to Mounir Moufarrige, Ungaro's CEO and president.

"The past five years have been a boom and I think prices have gone wild," Mr. Moufarrige says. "I think it becomes too expensive, even if there are people who are buying it." As the pre-fall 2009 looks were being developed, there was an ongoing conversation about how much garments would cost in different fabrics.

Interest in the First Ladies' inauguration gown goes back to George Washington. On the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration, a look back at some of the most famous evening dresses in the world.

"The September Issue," a documentary on Anna Wintour and Vogue will premiere tomorrow night at the Sundance Festival. The film follows the Vogue editor and her team from January through August 2007 and focuses on the production of the September Vogue, which remains the largest magazine ever published. Director R.J. Cutler first approached Ms. Wintour at the end of 2005; yesterday, nearly three years after the first meeting, he was finishing the final sound mixing before the film's Friday premiere.

If trendforecaster ESP Trendlab is right, thriftiness will still be in style in spring 2010.

One of the emerging trends the firm is forecasting for that far-away season is "urban archaeology," which it defines as a mixture of old, worn-out clothes and new styles.

Windows at Kate Spade stores trumpet 75% off deals (and a plea to “Please pop in”) and Kenneth Cole’s posters joke that sales were “a free for all (more or less).”

These are among the signs of the times reported by retail analyst Amy Noblin of Pali Capital, who also says in a recent report* that, on some days in the second week of January, returns outweighed sales at some stores.

Designer Peter Som, who announced yesterday that he is ending his joint venture with investor Creative Design Studios, is exploring options for the fall season. Mr. Som has already canceled his runway show, which would have taken place during fashion week next month in New York.

In recent months, shoppers have voted with their wallets, spending more money at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. while cherry-picking the sales at other stores.

New data from BrandIndex, which polls 5,000 consumers each day, asking "Do you receive good value for what you pay," confirms the trend. Discounters Target and Wal-Mart have seen their scores rise over the past six months, while Abercrombie & Fitch, which bucked the discounting trend, and luxury retailers Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue saw their saw their scores stay in the negative range.

Last night, after retailers reported dismal sales for December and many warned that their profits would take a hit, Louis Vuitton and designer Marc Jacobs celebrated the launch of a limited-edition capsule collection of accessories and apparel inspired by artist Stephen Sprouse.

The collection, which follows a collaboration between Messrs. Jacobs and Sprouse in 2001, is timed to coincide with a new book on the late artist by Roger Padilha and Mauricio Padilha and a retrospective at New York's Deitch Gallery.

Today's Journal reported that, following a dismal holiday season, some spring 2009 apparel is discounted as soon as it is arriving in stores. The findings were not surprising to Erin Armendinger, managing director of the Wharton School's Jay H. Baker Retailing Initiative.

"Now that you've given people 70%, 80%, 90% off on goods, people start to think, 'Well what was it that I was paying full price for?' " Ms. Armendinger says. Consumers are currently re-assessing their "value proposition," which is business lingo for the trade-off between the money spent and the goods the consumer gets in return.

Waterford Wedgwood, the well-known maker of fine crystal and china that filed for insolvency administration in the U.K. on Monday, is continuing to operate in the U.S.

See more photos.

Photo Slideshow: From 'Sex and the City' to the final farewell of Yves Saint Laurent, a look back at 2008's most memorable fashion moments.

Click to enlarge.

Given the gloomy economic outlook, fashion retailers are hoping shoppers will indulge in one or two key pieces this holiday season, even if they aren't splurging on entire outfits.

Here are some of the items getting second looks.

Even with sharp discounts and aggressive marketing, this holiday season has been tough for retailers.

Department store Macy's is tapping into celebrity star power as a way to bring shoppers inside. On a recent Monday, Olympic gold-medalist Nastia Luikin promoted her new youth line, "Nastia Gold by Vanilla Star" to a line of starry-eyed girls and a few boys.

French luxury jeweler Boucheron is hoping its bespoke jewelry will thrive despite the decline in luxury goods sales.

This December, as in years past, Vena Cava designers Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai will set aside time to craft handmade holiday accessories and gifts.

Homemade items are creative and meaningful, say the designers, who last month were named runners-up for the Council of Fashion Designers of America /Vogue Fashion Fund award, which recognizes new and emerging talent.

With sales of designer apparel plunging, it might come as a surprise that officials of the Council of Fashion Designers of America were talking up new opportunities for designers at a breakfast on Thursday in New York.

British designer Gareth Pugh, one of six emerging designers who collaborated with perfumers Symrise to create a new collection called Six Scents, said that “gloss” and “patent leather” best described his collections. His answers were part of a 20-page questionnaire that was the first step in his collaboration with perfumer Emilie Coppermann.

One month before Black Friday, on October 29, Swedish fast-fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz said its Penn Station store in New York and its Powell Street store in San Francisco will each open at 6 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, and remain open through 11 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29. Two other H&M stores — one on the Third Street Promenade in Los Angeles and the other on Chicago’s State Street — will stay open until midnight on Friday.

Video reporter: Rachel Dodes
Multimedia producer: Elva Ramirez

With the economy in a downturn and world financial markets in meltdown mode, Macy's will try to woo shoppers this holiday season with a simple message: Believe. The 813-store behemoth's "Million Reasons to Believe" campaign, highlighting the iconic "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" newspaper editorial first published in the New York Sun in 1897, will appear in 300 newspapers, on TV and online starting Nov. 9. Two-page newspaper ads will include reprints of the original letter by Virginia Hanlon and the New York Sun's reply, along with blank forms for children to use to write their own letters to Santa.

Tomorrow, Christie’s London will auction off an unusual collection of avant-garde fashions that each make a political statement about a moment in time during the last half century. The lots contain over 250 pieces from the personal collection of Katy Rodriguez and Mark Haddawy, owners of Resurrection, a vintage boutique with locations in New York and Los Angeles.

See more photos.

Despite the gloomy economic news, retail sales for the week ended Saturday rose 1% over the same week last year, according to an estimate from ShopperTrak RCT. But although gas prices have fallen, consumers may be waiting for last-minute Halloween markdowns. “We anticipate that there will be some retail activity leading up into Halloween,” said Dan Natale, ShopperTrak senior vice president. “More and more folks are holding out. They’re looking for the markdowns.”

From statement necklaces to sheer dressing, here is a roundup of some of Spring 2009's trends.

Banana Republic’s new creative director Simon Kneen unveiled his debut collection last night, showing clothes in soft neutrals accented with pops of blues and greens.

“A lot of what we’re known for is still there,” Mr. Kneen, who was previously vice president and creative design director at Brooks Brothers, said. “But it’s updated and made modern for people who live and work in the city.”

Retail sales, which are being closely watched this fall, strengthened a bit in the week ended Oct. 18, rising 1.1% from the same period a year ago, according to ShopperTrak RCT.

The uptick reflects the Columbus Day holiday and cooler weather in the Midwest and the Northeast, ShopperTrak says. The comparable 2007 results didn’t include the Columbus Day weekend.

It should come as no surprise that the Chanel Mobile Art Installation, a traveling exhibit that opened in New York's Central Park today, features this homage to a classic Chanel quilted purse.

The exhibit, honoring the 50th anniversary of the iconic Chanel purse, is housed in a temporary structure that some observers have said looks like an architectural handbag, or a spaceship or a pavilion from a long-past World's Fair. Conceived by Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld and designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, the structure required nearly two years of planning to come to life. The exhibit premiered in Hong Kong in March, then traveled to Tokyo. It will spend three weeks in New York, before heading off to London, Moscow and Paris.

Does this Bordeaux go with my Noe bag?

LVMH conducted an odd experiment in corporate synergy Thursday night when it held an intimate party pairing its handbags with its wines. (Bags were matched to wines, according to “personality” and “heritage,” and not because, say, a bag’s caramel leather details suggested a wine’s buttery finish, the company said.) Vuitton’s Noe bag, which was paired with a Cheval Des Andes, was chosen because it was originally designed to hold five bottles of Champagne (three on the bottom, with two inverted on top). A Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, a bright citrus-y white was paired with the Papillon, because both are “youthful” and “exhuberant.”

Next April might indeed be the cruelest month, if Spring 2009 collections are any indication. Bondage styling appeared in several shows, including those by Thakoon and Narciso Rodriguez.

Despite spring’s archetypal association with soft pastels and printed florals, designers instead offered an edgier evening option.

Click to view more bondage styles.

Photo Slideshow: The sky is the limit when it comes to heel height. As heels get higher, designers are engineering ways to obtain new elevation.

New York fashion week's Spring 2009 runways were a potpourri of styles meant to serve as an escape from the current economic climate. But there were a few standing motifs that peppered collections and which designers hope will ignite impulse buys despite tighter pocketbooks. Here are some of the trends to look for next spring.

Click to view more royal styles.

For the Spring 2009 runway collections this September and October, designers in New York, Paris and Milan looked both forward and backward in time for inspiration. The 1980s were a common cultural touchstone, but nearly every decade since the 1920s was represented on the runway, albeit updated for the modern woman.

There were futurist designs, too. Designers such as Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga’s Nicolas Ghesquière featured avant-garde structuring, innovative textiles and new silhouettes for tomorrow’s wardrobes.

There are two ways one can approach dressing for the downturn. There is the understated look, full of somber gray cashmeres and navy wools. Then there is the carefree credit crunch approach, where the clothes provide a gleeful respite from gloomy times. One tactic? Pretend you’re royalty.

Regal motifs, including Elizabethan ruffs, elaborate shoulders or Empire waists have been on the runways for a few seasons now.

Click to view more royal styles.

The jumpsuit can connote everything from children’s clothing to workmen’s uniforms and late-era disco styling. For several seasons now, designers — especially those with audiences that skew young — have offered variations on the jumpsuit.

Click to view more jumpsuits.

Nearly every runway season, spring or fall, designers offer a fresh take on gold fabrics and styling. Gold is a malleable color which designers have forged into looks ranging from aggressive sex-appeal (see Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall 2007 crumpled gold dress) to head-turning elegance (Oscar de la Renta’s Spring 2008 beaded column gown). And in perhaps a nod to how investors buy gold as a safety net in tough times, several designers have spun gold looks for next spring.

Click to view more golden styles.

When avant-garde houses Maison Martin Margiela and Comme des Garcons played with peek-a-boo dressing some seasons back, they created clothes that looked unfinished or that mimicked exposed undergarments — and launched a look that has continued on the runways.

Click to view more see-through styles.

Like the “It” bag and status shoes, designers have turned the necklace into a statement piece — and a consistent revenue source.

Since the early 2000s, necklaces from Lanvin and Vera Wang to Prada have taken on more and more heft with each passing season. The unapologetically chunky jewelry , featuring stacked, oversized beads and pendants, can offset minimalist or demure designs. Another sales appeal: It’s more likely to be more comfortable, and sometimes less overtly recognizable, than the season’s “It” heels (just look to Prada’s stumbling shoes for spring).

New York fashion week's Spring 2009 runways were a potpourri of styles meant to serve as an escape from the current economic climate. But there were a few standing motifs that peppered collections and which designers hope will ignite impulse buys despite tighter pocketbooks. Here are some of the trends to look for next spring.

Wedged between New York and Milan fashion weeks, London fashion week often plays host to the next generation of fashion darlings. Here’s a peek at the looks of some of the designers who showcased their Spring 2009 collections in London this week.

There are few things that the fashion industry agrees on. One of them is Polaroid film.

Polaroid is used daily across the industry, among publicists, model agencies, casting directors and designers, to capture and file instant images. But Polaroid announced in January that the company would stop producing its instant film.

The crowd at fashion parties, usually a mix of journalists, industry executives, bloggers and friends, typically isn't impressed with many celebrities.

But when hip hop star LL Cool J arrived at his party Wednesday night at the Bryant Park Grill, nearly all of the guests rushed over and many of them jockeyed to be photographed with him.

Today, Cole Haan announced a collaboration with tennis ace Maria Sharapova for its new fashion-and-sports line, Cole Haan Sporting. The spring 2009 line is scheduled to arrive in stores next February with Ms. Sharapova as the line's spokesmodel.

Cole Haan CEO Jim Seuss and Maria Sharapova.

The Sporting line, which will include 40 casual styles for women and 30 for men, will carry ballet-style Mary Janes, elevated wedges and sandals in fuschia, orange and cobra for women and boat shoes and lace-ups for men in bold and neutral shades. Prices will range from $115 to $200. Between the colors, styling and Ms. Sharapova's association, the line is meant to appeal to a young, active and fashion-conscious consumer.

Designers often begin their collections with a mood or inspiration board. Like haute magpies, designers gather images, trinkets and scraps that resonate with them and tack them onto a board to help them better visualize ideas for their clothes. As inchoate themes start to take shape, sketches and fabric swatches may be added.

A month before her collection was due to make its New York fashion week debut, designer Erin Fetherston gave the Wall Street Journal a peek into her design process. Fairy princesses, dragonflies and images of dreamy models were sifted into what became Ms. Fetherston's Spring 2009 collection, titled "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."

Is this the Fashion Week when diversity comes back into style?

It's been nearly nine months since CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg urged designers to create "truly multicultural" runway shows. Media reviews of last season's shows, however, suggested that the CFDA's suggestion was not always heeded. When Jezebel counted up last February's New York shows, they found that about black models were used only about 5% of the time.

Paco Rabanne mink and metal
jacket.

This October, Christie’s will put up for auction a private collection of avant-garde fashion spanning from the 1960s through the 1990s. The fashion, which includes work by Norma Kamali, Issey Miyake and Paco Rabanne comes from the private collection of Katy Rodriguez and Mark Haddawy, founders of Resurrection, a vintage clothing store in Los Angeles and New York. Early estimates for total sales range between $440,000 and $530,000 (£250,000 - £300,000).

The exhibit, which gives a nod to the 1980’s goth musicians, is grouped around themes that include The Laboratory, The Haunted House and the Ruined Castle. “Some designers, like Alexander McQueen were acting as artists, creating things which evoked beauty and horror, claustrophobia, madness in a very sophisticated and artistic way that I found quite thrilling,” Dr. Steele says.

Featured artifacts include Mina’s dress from the 1992 film Bram Stoker’s Dracula, a Victorian mourning gown and gowns from Alexander McQueen’s fall 2007 Salem Witch Trial-themed collection. “There are layers of fears that go into” Goth, Dr. Steele says. “It’s not just the idea of ghosts but of the mind being haunted by fears, regrets or a family history of madness.”

About three weeks before fashion week starts, the offices of casting directors, stylists and designers are flooded with show packages containing cards of models that agencies want to promote for the bi-annual runway shows. Model cards are meant to provide basic stats on available models for hire: A typical card features photos of a model, his or her measurements and contact information.

In the last few years, the show package has evolved from a simple informational tool to an industry art form.

This fall, the biggest change in womenswear is the return the hourglass silhouette. After seasons of flowing gowns and baby-doll dresses, designers bring clothes back to the body, with cinched skirts and waist-defining silhouettes.

Chanel fans and fashionistas will soon be able to live a high-style life in homes designed by Karl Lagerfeld.

Mr. Lagerfeld signed an exclusive deal with Dubai Infinity Holdings to design 80 homes in what aims to be the most fashionable address in the world, the man-made Isla Moda ("Fashion Island") in Dubai. The development will include a mix of penthouse apartments and two- to four-bedroom homes.

Some of this year's fashion trends look hard to wear for women who aren't long and lean. But Jose Solis, the designer of Bill Blass New York, likes to figure out ways that women with all kinds of figures can wear current styles.

Italian Vogue's new edition featuring only black models once again brings to attention the issue of diversity in the predominantly white fashion world. The topic has generated some buzz in recent years, but has had little lasting effect on the runways and in magazine fashion spreads.

The magazine's July issue, which arrives in Italy this Friday and the U.S. next week, features nearly 100 editorial pages of the world's top black models, including Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell. Modeling agent Bethann Hardison, who is behind much of the recent diversity-awareness efforts in the industry, contributed to a feature on 10 up-and-coming black models. Celebrity photographer Steven Meisel shot the spreads.

Click to view slideshow of auction.

Christie's New York will host its first multi-owner sale of vintage couture and accessories on July 2. It's sale of seven pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, who died earlier this month, is expected to draw the highest interest.

If you had a collection of old magazines, would you spend over $50,000 on a box to house it?

The Visionaire Goyard trunk will house the magazine's first 50 issues in a hand-made trunk.

That's how much Visionaire magazine – a publication where design, marketing, style, trends and art intersect – is charging for a special Goyard trunk designed for its collectors.

This summer, Visionaire will also offer 10 complete sets of its first 50 issues in the Goyard trunks for $150,000.

Reporter: Elva Ramirez
Multimedia Producer: Michael Kofsky
New Yorkers weigh in on whether dressing younger makes one more employable in the job market.

Maverick Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren have cultivated a reputation for showing whimsical clothes in highly theatrical runway settings. So when London's Barbican Art Gallery approached the duo for a retrospective, the quirky designers wanted to do something playful. The result: A three-story playhouse showcasing dolls dressed in miniature Viktor & Rolf designs.

Western fashion often draws from other cultures - as evidenced by batik shirts, sarong skirts or the prevalence of plaid.

Ms. Ray received criticism for
wearing this scarf in a Dunkin' Donuts ad.

But when Rachael Ray appeared in a Dunkin' Donuts ad wearing a black-and-white paisley scarf last week, conservatives accused her of donning a keffiyeh, the traditional headdress for Arabic men, and of supporting extremists. Dunkin' Donuts quickly pulled the ad. What seemed like A simple style choice suddenly ignited a long-simmering debate about the politics of clothing and the power of context.

What It Is: Auto makers are turning to the fashion world to inject some hipness into their brands and distinguish themselves as car features and reliability become more standardized. But recent collaborations are straying further outside the practice of merely tapping a designer to suggest color combinations and fabrics. In the 1970s, fashion designers like Emilio Pucci, Bill Blass, Hubert de Givenchy as well as mainstream brands like Levi's created special-edition interiors and color-combinations for brands such as Lincoln's Mark series and the AMC Gremlin. Now, the collaboration between the two industries includes unique marketing efforts like running shoes with auto-design styling.

Auto makers are turning to the fashion world to inject some hipness into their brands and distinguish themselves as features and reliability become more standardized.

According to Wes Brown, partner at consumer research and trend consulting firm Iceology, luxury consumers view vehicles as fashion statements that convey who they are or whom they want people to think they are. "We've done research and literally, we've had people in the room say, 'My BMW or my Jeep is the last thing I put on before I go out,'" Mr. Brown said.

At New York Fashion Week, senior fashion reporter Teri Agins spoke to retailers and executives about how the luxury market is adapting to a possible economic slowdown.

How are designers and retailers responding to warmer global temperatures? Senior fashion reporter Teri Agins spoke to executives and designers during New York fashion week.

The buzz from New York fashion week was that young American designers are now just as respected in the industry as the long-established names from Europe.

Victorya Hong may have been eliminated from "Project Runway" before fellow contestants, but she beat them to the runway with the debut of her line at New York Fashion Week.

Even as designers debuted their newest looks, some worried that their work would be copied as soon as runway photos hit the Internet. Last year, a group of designers, including Nicole Miller, lobbied Washington for laws to protect original designs. During New York fashion week, Teri Agins spoke to designers and executives, including Ms. Miller and Oscar de la Renta, about copyright legislation.

Typically the clothes seen this week on the runways won't appear in stores for another six months. But the newly revived Halston brand decided to use a different merchandising strategy: The label, backed by investor and movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, teamed with online fashion retailer Net-a-Porter to sell two outfits the day after the runway show.

During New York fashion week, senior fashion reporter Teri Agins caught up with designer Marc Jacobs after his Marc by Marc Jacobs show. The designer discusses his latest collections, his Hillary Clinton fundraiser T-shirts and how he juggles planning for three different shows.

Despite jittery economic markets, Gucci unveiled its largest store yet on Wednesday -- a 46,000-sq.-ft. empire on New York's Fifth Ave.

Senior fashion writer Teri Agins spoke to Gucci Group president and CEO Robert Polet about his label's new flagship shop and his plans for maintaining a strong brand.

Some of the world's largest luxury brands are betting that the new luxury consumer is increasingly aware of design in conjunction with earth-friendliness.

At Thursday's FutureFashion show at Gotham Hall, the industry's top designers, including Marc Jacobs, Narciso Rodriguez, Doo-Ri and Stella McCartney, created and exhibited one-of-a-kind looks using materials such as organic cotton and cashmere.

Celebrity hairstylist Peter Butler, who has coiffed Natalie Portman, Claire Danes and Avril Lavigne, created the women's hair styles for the Rock & Republic show Saturday night. We went backstage with Mr. Butler as he prepped the models for the runway.

Ashleigh Verrier has been designing for several years now. But last night she showed her first runway collection in the Salon in Bryant Park.

"I hope that when our customers see this collection for the first time, they'll feel that it's a little bit more grown up than last season," Ms. Verrier, 26, said.

She found the inspiration for her Fall 2008 collection in an unlikely spot: "The theme of Russia came through a trip I took to Tokyo, believe it or not," she said. She witnessed young Japanese women sporting ladylike outfits, but it was their use of fur headbands that reminded Ms. Verrier of Russian czarinas and their Hollywood counterpart, Julie Christie in "Doctor Zhivago."

"This past year I've done a lot of growing up," Ms. Verrier says. "Now that we've been in business for three years, it's put myself in a different mindset [where] I'm becoming confident with the decisions I have to make. Hopefully, the result is in the clothes."

Purple: from runway to highway When the models wearing Betsey Johnson's spring/summer 2008 collection sashayed down the runway at New York Fashion Week in September, their sky-blue tulle skirts and cotton-candy-pink prom dresses were noted by sundry fashion editors, retail buyers, celebrities and photographers. Also in the audience: Jon Hall, Ford Motor Co.'s chief paint designer.

Clothing designers are currently working on fall 2008's fashions, but design teams at auto makers like Ford, General Motors Corp. and Volkswagen AG's Audi are tweaking the paint choices consumers will be reviewing for cars in 2011 and beyond. Companies are paying more attention to color because consumers are, and having the right -- or wrong -- color in stock can affect the bottom line.

David Hamilton was 25 years old before he knew what shirt size he wore. Mr. Hamilton grew up wearing the bespoke button-down shirts that his family business, Hamilton Shirts, has sold since 1883.

"I've never had to buy a shirt off the rack," says Mr. Hamilton, 29 years old. He is partner, with his sister, Kelly, in the Houston-based custom-shirt-making company. One time when he did bring home an off-the-rack shirt, he says, "my dad took it apart and said, 'No. You can have that fit but we're making it.' "

Set in a third-floor suite in New York's Plaza Athenee, the Yuta Powell salon offers a selection of hand-picked, limited-run designer clothes and the type of personal tailoring normally associated with French couture houses.

This season, designers are showcasing intricate construction techniques. Experts explain the differences in the making of a luxury and a more affordable garment. See the video report.

Even in the less-than-genteel world of reality TV, Tim Gunn, the mentor figure on the "Project Runway" TV show, never fails to project poise. With several high-profile jobs -- he is also chief creative officer at Liz Claiborne Inc. and co-host of the show "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" -- Mr. Gunn must attend numerous social functions and confidently navigate social interactions with executives, fans and people who have never heard of him.

During fashion week, a typical model might work up to 18 hours a day, running from castings to fittings to shows. For all the long hours and constant chaos, though, most models don't get paid.
Because new designers often lack funds, models many times work for "trade," meaning that they will receive clothing from the designer in exchange for their work, or for "image," meaning that they receive nothing but the addition to their resumes. Douglas Perrett, a casting director who worked for designers Benjamin Cho, Vena Cava and Verrier this New York fashion week, estimates that of over 200 shows each season, only 20 might pay with actual dollars.

Marc Jacob's reputation for theatrical openings surprised even his audience last night when the designer took his bows before showing any clothes.
The show then ran backwards, opening with the parade of looks, then moving into evening dresses and daytime wear. The collection's theme was an off-kilter, shattered glass perspective featuring gowns with unfinished skirts, suits with sheer panels and dresses missing sleeves.

Oscar de la Renta's spring collection stayed true to the designer's reputation for elegant and sophisticated womenswear. Daytime looks evoked the early Givenchy dresses that Audrey Hepburn made famous, while evening gowns were refined, glamorous and ready for the red carpet.

Proenza Schouler's Spring 2008 collection drew a packed crowd to the Armory this past Friday night. The A-list crowd included Anna Wintour and her daughter, Bee Shaffer, actresses Demi Moore and Kyra Sedgwick, beauty executive Aerin Lauder and photographer Terry Richardson.
For their newest collection, designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez contrasted masculine detailing such as bold uniform buttons, samurai leather belts and closely cut vests against cinched-waist jackets, short bubble skirts, metallic mini-dresses. The military-inflected show harnessed a tension between sharp men's tailoring and flirtatious female silhouettes.

Narciso Rodriguez's Spring 2008 collection turned away from the figure-skimming gowns that established his brand towards sporty dresses and frocks that move the body. The women's collection featured kimono-inspired cuts, loose jackets and sheer dresses that turned structural elements into ornament.

Column dresses inspired by ancient Rome. Skirts with mid-century New Look volume. Chunky jeweled necklaces over sheer gowns. These are some of the looks Vera Wang sent down the runway. See the video report.

While much of the attention- and pressure - surrounding fashion week is focused on the designers and their clothes, the week can be just as defining a moment for models. And few assignments signal a model's success like walking the runways at New York's fashion week. But it's a long, competitive process the leads up to the first stiletto hitting the catwalk.

Estee Lauder's After Hours palette This fall, womenswear trends herald a return to a ladylike polish -- a sharp contrast to the whimsical bohemian influences of recent seasons. Expect hair and makeup styles to follow suit, beauty experts say.

"You can't be demure [with makeup] when the fashions you're wearing are so bold," said Anne Carullo, senior vice president of corporate product innovation at Estee Lauder.

Mr. Bjerknes's shirt collection Philip Leif Bjerknes knows what he likes, and he's not afraid to stock up.

"I have pretty specific fit requirements, so whenever I find something I like, I buy it in multiples," says Mr. Bjerknes, a 22-year-old creative technologist at Gucci. Those with an attachment for a particular item of clothing could take a lesson from his playbook.

Improvements in online video and the growing prevalence of broadband access are encouraging luxury brands to create glossy new Web sites that better reflect their elite appeal on a medium that can make things look equal.

"Go look at some shoes from Marc Jacobs and then some shoes from Target," says Marshal Cohen, chief analyst at the NPD Group. "Shoes from Marc Jacobs are $499. The shoes from Target are $14.99. They look almost the same online."

Miu Miu relaunched its site earlier this month, replacing a relatively simple design with one that includes stylized videos and "behind the scenes" access to photo shoots.

Buying a $10 paperback from Amazon or a 99-cent new release from iTunes is now commonplace. But has online shopping matured to the point where people don't blink at dropping a $20,000 half-carat diamond into an online shopping basket and proceeding to checkout?

De Beers Diamond Jewellers, Inc. is banking that the answer is yes. And given the success of online-only jeweler Blue Nile, they might be right.

The work of the fashion photographer might seem glamorous, but during the most-watched fashion event of the season, the work is grueling, chaotic and occasionally even boring. We take a look behind the scenes of Fashion Week as photographers rush from one show to another, and prepare to take on Fashion Week's biggest assignment: the Marc Jacobs show.