Interview

When Christopher Kane's Topshop collection appeared on Broadway on September 18, there was a near stampede, in spite of Fashion Week fatigue and high-for-Topshop pricetags. Signs littered the store with buying limits: "No more than five"; "None of the same items in different sizes." Regardless, absurd eBay prices followed, as did and the near-selling out of the collection in Topshop stores in the UK. The collection itself is classic Kane–club kid-worthy sheer tops and grommets with an emphasis on punky, asymmetric cuts. Even the look that garnered mainstream attention–the brightly colored animal prints made popular by Rihanna–gets an update with a crocodile on both a tank and a sheath dress. The lace and metal, pink, black and printed leggings, dresses, and hooded sweatshirts are tough. They give the average Topshopper the impression that C. Kane likes his ladies rock-and-roll. (IMAGE: CHRISTOPHER KANE SPRING 2010)

So, earlier this week in London, Kane gave fans a minor shock with his spring collection, a gingham-laden, all-American frock fest. Some of his darker, more downtown leanings appeared with a tailored blazer or a sleek, cut-out turtleneck, but for the most part, his London show featured picnic-ready, flowing checked skirts and bodices. The last half premiered lilac rose prints embroidered on ladylike chiffon. Granted, the majority had thigh-high slits or bustier cuts, but this is quite a step away from the cutouts, enlarged prints, and toy-like, neon paperdoll dresses of last spring.

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Hardly known for breaking ground (more for taping up), Hervé Léger sticks to the contour look that made him famous. The bandage dress–the brand's great, if stifling, legacy–was essentially invented by Léger, and when the label was acquired by the Max Azria group in 1998, that skin-tight garment continued to stay front and center. The Azrias have done much to honor the "sex on heels" history they inherited. This year, woven fabric and braided material added texture to the smooth, body-con silhouettes that spectators have grown to expect. The addition of chiffon and pinched, raised fabrics even allowed for flowy movement, adding a hint of elegance to the racy, cut-out-and-Bandaid looks. While the added layers and shimmery beads gave depth to a designer known for sleekness, most of the models looked typically strapped-in as they paraded down the runway in bandage-like bodysuits and ribbon dresses to slow, sultry rock-and-roll. Instead of black and beige, the palette of choice of Max Azria for Herve Leger, the spring prints had a desert tinge. Sky blues, dust-colored greys, and cloud prints were a welcome bohemian touch. Even though there was some stumbling with ungainly denim-patchworking, the line always hits its stride for spring and summer. After all, nothing says warm weather like the suggestion of skin underneath a Leger bandage dress. (LEFT: LOOK 10)

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Among the eminent ladies in the front row at Alexander Wang, there was mini-blogger Tavi, the 14-year old Chicago-based critic, sat with her sister in the front row. Her first fashion week in New York, the well-spoken, grounded pre-teen told us she was "thrilled to be here" but "Cushnie et Ochs stole her heart."

When the drum corp music kicked off (the  soundtrack was by electro-dancehall duo Major Lazer), Wang's message was clear: critics be damned, he's going to have fun. Nimue, Jac and Edita looked like skinny, scantily clad quarterbacks, and this was Wang's homecoming. "He's making leather emblazoned sweatshirts," a reporter nearby asked. He was indeed, with football-style shoulders, netting, and even a letterman jacket. Freja wore leather baseball shorts with a lace-up, corset-style waist below a sports bra. Clutches were little pigskin footballs and long, tunic-length sweatshirts had sheer cut-outs. Rich materials like thick cotton or soft suede were added to the preppie mix, but there wasn't anything glamorous about this show. In fact, the show was decidedly 'anti-glamour,' and while some might complain that Wang has fallen too far into the Gap prep-chic, it's more possible he is rebelling against the "return to exquisite basics" that the rest of the industry has adopted to survive. (LEFT: LOOK 9)

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With an interconnected set of boxed rooms designed by New York wood worker Andrew Ondrejak, Phillip Lim's laid-back house of cool showcased the designer at his most poised. Lim has a devoted following, and that's the sharp way he tailors and details, with hand-stitching or rolled edges, making the Lim man a dandy, but with more swagger. At the center of his show, a young model sat and played Miles Davis on the piano while boys stood in a James Dean meets Nick Carroway way. Models lounged in Lim's glasses (he'sone of the few designers who succeeds in both accessories and garments in equal parts), slick and leisurely. As always, his prints are tops, with subtly busy paint splashes on two piece suits, or small, thin grid-like lines on jackets. The designer, who rushed around effusively, coat over his shoulders, showcased his ease with materials, from lambskin shorts to silk zip ups. The drink of choice was Maker's Mark, for a man of fine taste enjoys a Southern bourbon, now and again. (LEFT: LOOK 12)

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