So, what went down on Day 3 of New York Fashion Week you ask?

Londoners may be pleased to know that Rachel Zoe’s collection was apparently inspired by London’s rock and roll glamour of the 60s, as well as the styles of Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull. We can totally see how her collection was influenced by all of the above, with some of our favourite pieces consisting of the faux fur coats, thigh high boots and skinny tux styles.

Gwen Stefani’s LA.M.B collection had the signature edge that all Gwen pieces do, even though she went in a slightly more mature direction. There was an abundance of bright colours and pieces inspired by the 50s and early 60s as well as other rockabilly/rock chick/punk vibes. Some of the styles were somewhat reminiscent of Amy Winehouse’s Fred Perry collections (and not just because of the beehive dos), but with a more feminine and edgy twist.

Although Monique Lhuillier’s collection was darker, more sultry and less feminine than her previous outing (there are far less Oscar-worthy dresses) it had just as much impact, if not more. Red and black was very prominent, which the designer said was inspired by the Chinese year of the dragon. Silhouettes were long, lean and flowing, and patterns were busy, fiery and sometimes even shimmering. A stunning collection if ever there was one.

Prabal Gurung showed his highly anticipated collection, which was comprised of mainly form fitting garments, futuristic prints, colours and textures, as well as strong silhouettes with lots of lace, feathers, ruffles, tassels and sheer trains to name but a few. It was less distinguished than the previous collection which was made up of primarily purple printed pieces, but the Prabal Gurung signature is still very much apparent!

Hervé Léger by Max Azria went for an equestrian meets bondage meets Pocahontas theme, offering the signature bandage dress with a slightly different vision. There were mini and maxi dresses alike accessorised with harnesses of different shapes, colours, styles and textures, proving that the label  – and perhaps even the classic fan of the label – has grown up. We can’t wait to see how the celebs will work this look in the coming months!

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Day 2 of New York Fashion Week saw some highly-anticipated collections hit the runway, with Jason Wu, Kate Spade and Rag & Bone all debuting their autumn/winter 2012 designs. 

Regular MFL readers may know that we love it when designers seek inspiration from their own cultures and heritages, which is why we adored how Jason Wu injected some of Imperial China into his brand new collection.

The hairstyles were just as strong and defined as the outfits, as the models walked out with high and tight flowing pony-tails – with lots of attitude and fighting spirit to boot. And to our (and possibly even Kate Middleton’s) delight, there were clutch bags aplenty!

Over at Rag & Bone however, the inspiration was far more familiar for us Britons, as designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright seemingly drew inspiration from our very own Blighty. There were folded skirts, snug coats and wraps, high polo necks (presumably for those English winds) and textures and colour palettes reminiscent of old tapestries… we NEED that coat in our lives, pronto!

Kate Spade was another highlight for us on day 2 of NYFW, with hints of Parisian glamour making a firm and consistent appearance. The models were standing statuesque – although not without character – on rounded podiums, showcasing the bold and brassy prints, patterns and slogans.

Bring on day 3…

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The Lincoln Centre opened its doors for New York Fashion Week yesterday, with the likes of Cynthia Rowley, BCBG Max Azria, Tadashi Shoji and Richard Chai easing us into the start of the autumn/winter 2012 trends.  

To recap, there were digi-prints aplenty at Cynthia Rowley, while BCBG Max Azria once again played with blocks of colour and structured textures. Richard Chai went for a very prominent boy versus girl theme, and perhaps best of all, we got a first glimpse at potential Oscars dresses when the models at Tadashi Shoji glided along the runway.

A-Listers making up the front row included Fashion Week veterans Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Alexa Chung among many fabulous others.

So far, so versatile. We wonder what the emerging trends of the new season will be… no frontrunners yet, but it’s just the beginning, so watch this space!

[Image: Richard Chai Love, Tadashi Shoji, BCBG Max Azria]

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With Sarah Jessica Parker, Tamara Mellon, Harvey Weinstein and creative director Marios Schwab all leaving the brand recently, it’s safe to say that Halston hasn’t had the best 12 months… 

But, instead of hanging its head in shame and quietly disappearing from the fashion radar, Halston is coming back with an almighty bang, as it’s set to make its return to the catwalks of New York Fashion Week next year. Hurrah!

So how is the Halston revival going to work, you ask? It probably helps that Ben Malka – former BCBG president and current Halston chairman and CEO – has injected a whopping $20 million into the brand.

“We are very well-funded, so I don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “The money was put in by myself and my partners in a big way. The amount is enough for us to screw up for a long time.”

So eloquently put. We’re looking forward to Halston’s revival next year, as we imagine the New York Fashion Week regulars will too.

[WWD] 

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Stranger things have happened in the world of fashion, so why shouldn’t Whitney Port stage her own runway show? The 26-year-old reality TV star will take to New York Fasion Week’s runway on February 15^th to showcase the autumn/winter 2012 collection for her Whitney Eve line, which she launched back in 2008. 

Even though she probably didn’t do much of the designing herself (we can’t say for sure, but we can only assume from what we witness on The Hills and The City) and has a long way to go until she reaches Victoria Beckham status, we commend her for giving it a good go.

“My collection has grown so much over the past few years, and the next step for me as a designer was to put on my own runway show,” Whitney said in a press release. “I am so excited to show on schedule as part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, and can’t wait to show my new Fall collection on the runway.”

Bless her cottons – we’re intrigued and excited. Are you?

[Fashionista] 

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The fashion weeks for the autumn/winter 2012 season are shaping up to be pretty spectacular already, as not only do we have Stella McCartney’s special presentation and the Alexander McQueen McQ show in London to look forward to, but fashionistas across the globe can now get excited about the prospect of seeing Levi for the first time in New York! 

“Fall 2012 is the first cohesive collection we’ll market globally that consolidates all our product lines for all our regions in Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America,” creative director Len Peltier told WWD. “We wanted to show in New York because it’s such a global stage. We’re building out our presentation ideas now, and it’ll be something more interactive than just a runway show.”

We have every faith that Levi will wow the crowds with the presentation of its Red Tab, Vintage Clothing and Made & Crafted lines and look forward to seeing what they have in store for us.

[Vogue] [Image] 

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David Beckham’s five-year LA Galaxy contract is due to expire at the end of the year (didn’t all those years go quickly?), but he is showing no signs of resigning, taking a break or even slowing down, as he’s apparently already in talks to sign an 18-month contract with Qatari-owned Paris St Germain at the start of the new year.

This means that the Beckham brood would need to relocate to the City of Light for at least a year and a half, although the family would reportedly be returning Stateside after David’s contract expires.

This potential move now begs the question: if the Beckhams move to Paris, will Victoria therefore show at Paris Fashion Week instead of New York Fashion Week? We have a feeling that Paris could do wonders for Victoria’s fashion lines, possibly giving her a fresh start and a new edge to her much-loved collections.

We know that Paris has long been the fashion capital of the world, but will Victoria be able to manage her fashion empire in the same way she has done in LA? Will she rack up the air miles and jet back and forth? Or will she just Skype everyone as she said she did during her maternity leave?

Only time will tell, but if history has taught us anything, Mrs Beckham will make it work for her.

[Daily Mail] 

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