3:03 PM We Shot the Breeze with Claire Danes at Zac Posen.
3:34 PM Mr. Mickey + Mary-Kate Olsen = The Cutest Couple of Fashion Week.
4:14 PM Bravissimo Calvin Klein!
5:41 PM Our Fashion Week Footwear Reporter Spotted Two Crazy Kicks.

So we headed over to Milk Studios last night to fete the launch of Magnus Berger's magazine with Tenzin Wild, The Last Magazine. Berger is better know for being Julia Restoin Roitfeld's better half, but now he will be known for launching a juicy magazine with gorgeous photography, art and fashion. It is huge in size, like a newspaper, on heavy, matte-finished paper and the cover sports a giant head shot of Daria Werbory.

When I asked where he saw this project in ten years, he replied, "I don't know about in ten years, but I think the whole idea now is to promote a new generation. I feel like a lot of magazines it was always the same people working and it was really hard for the younger guys to get into it and get their work published. Not just with fashion, a lot of new artists, new music, new designers."

And where was Berger headed after this? "The after-party!" he exclaimed. But of course!

In the tents and around town at events throughout this past Fashion Week, the omnipresent look has been black patent leather bondage-style thickly-strapped heels. Sure, variations have been noted, but this may as well have been the below-the-ankles uniform. Interestingly, fewer boots than seasons past were observed out and about. Granted the weather has been warm, but Fashion Week is typically the time to showcase your most ferocious pair of femme fatale footwear. Blame the ankle booties.

Anyways, we leave you with a two-fer who really bucked the trend: A gal in United Nude's Eamz shoe in white after Sunday's Tracy Reese show. Loved that she took it up a notch with the white sports socks, too. Ra ra ra!

And spotted after yesterday's Rebecca Taylor show: A gentleman donning some seriously sparkly red Cesare Paciotti loafers. We'd like to think he was paying homage to the Wizard of Oz ruby slipper collection but who knows...

Mr. Mickey introduced me to Peter McGough and David McDermott at the Zac Posen show last night and what fun times we had! Apparently, the artists know Zac through the Schnabel family, all of whom they have known since they were children, newborns even.

Both were dressed as dapper as can be and when I asked them who they were wearing, McDermott replied, "My suit is a boy's suit from 1928 that I had to take out to the very nth degree of what was inside of it in terms of extra cloth so I could fit into it."

At which point, Stepen Posen (Zac's dad) came along, and with all of these old family ties around me, I had to ask them to tell me a secret about all the kids from their youth. As quick as whip, McGough exclaimed, "Zac did all of their math homework!"

Really? Daddy Posen confirmed, "Zac won a New York state math competition on fractals, so yes, some people might say that Zac won the Olympics of math in high
school."

Omnia Luo, the line designed by Chinese phenom Zheng Luo, is showing for the first time in the tents today at 5 p.m. I got to preview the collection before it goes up on the runway and truth be told, I was sort of blown away.

She is obsessed with using hand details that are practically extinct in fashion these days, even among the more major designer brands. Her ombre pieces are not dipped, but hand painted and dyed and the embroidery is not applied by machine, but actually sewn by an embroiderer.

Think elegant, chic yet edgy clothes you can dress up or dress down. And think silk. Lots and lots of silk, in some cases, 80 layers of it just to make one gown.

It's hard to do her collection justice by words, but maybe the five CFDA awards she has won, including best women's wear designer two years in a row, could paint a better picture of how talented she is. Omnia Luo plans to find its way to Madison Avenue by 2009. My prediction: she is going to give her neighbors up there a serious run for their money.

At yesterday's Calvin Klein show, Anna Wintour came out of the show smiling, until that is she had to navigate a little muddy puddle to get to her limo. Somehow Alison Sarofim's seating assignment card ended up near the puddle, as sharp-eyed, sharply-dressed Mr. Mickey pointed out to me! As for the show itself, Francisco Costa must secretly be an architect as well as a designer, because the details in the construction of these gorgeous dresses were so intricately splendid, and also splendidly simple. Bravissimo!

OK, so Mr. Mickey is biased, but how cute is this picture of MM of Mary-Kate Olsen at the DVF after-show dinner? Mary-Kate looks so great these days! The dinner was super chic, as always. DVF had her favorite restaurant (and ours), Indochine, cater and basically recreated the restaurant in her studio. It was such a huge party night, not to mention the day we shot a certain super sexy DJ/producer for our November Nightlife Issue cove, so MM couldn't stay very long -- but it was the most glamorous 15 minutes of the week!!!!

Bruce Wrighton, "Through an Open Window"
You may not have heard of this documentary photographer because he spent most of his 38 years holed up in Binghamton, New York, capturing the locals, the carnies, the working class and the architecture of the town with an 8x10-inch camera. This exhibition takes works from his three signature projects of the 1980s -- "Street Portraits," "Dinosaurs and Dreamboats and "St. George and the Dragon" -- showing us the scruffy and the scrappy, from classic cars to iconic images both secular and sacred. It’s the real deal.

Laurence Miller Gallery, 20 W. 57th St, (212) 397-3930. Sept. 11-Oct. 25.

Beverly Pepper, "Voyages Out"
Pepper, born in Brooklyn in 1922, has not slowed down. She is still creating monumental (in both size and implication) works, including this exhibition of five steel sculptures with her signature red-brown finish. Having been known for the intense strength of her oxidized steel and iron sculptures, these new pieces are rather sweeping and curvilinear. She has done works for public sites around the world, experimented with materials for both John Deere and U.S. Steel, and is currently working, among other projects, on a 60-foot fountain for a park of her design in Terni, Italy, and a 30-foot tall sculpture for the Cesar Pelli–designed Minneapolis Central Public Library. Small woman: big work.

Marlborough Gallery, 545 W. 25th St., (212) 541-4900. September 12–October 11.

Susan Breen, "Remedy"
Suffering from delusions of grandeur? Feeling superstitious or vulnerable? Fearing flying or celestial space? In the abstract world, there’s a visual representation of the ailment and the cure, according to Breen, who has slapped down your remedy down on canvas. Symmetrical shapes -- amoeba-like and many vaguely pill-shaped, anatomical-looking and brightly colored -- just might give you an idea to get rid of those hiccups. And take heart -- there’s one for political disillusionment, too.

Woodward Gallery, 133 Eldridge St., (212) 966-3411. Opening reception September 13, 6–8 p.m. Through November 1.

Claire Danes was sitting front and center at the Zac Posen show looking drop dead gorgeous. She chatted with me a bit about starting rehearsals on a new film for HBO, about an autistic woman, called Temple Brandon. But how does someone super-famous like her keep up with this crazy Fashion Week schedule? "I always go to Narciso and Zac's shows, they are my friends," said Danes, "And I love them and I want to support them however and whenever possible, but I try to keep it down to that minimum because I start having epileptic fits otherwise."

Since PAPER has covered every Zac Posen show from the beginning, I brought a few photos along from 1996 for Zac to look at. I was also trusted to take a photo of his parents and his grandmother. His father, an artist, always beams when talking about his handsome brilliant son. The show was beautiful. I had a wake-cup call when I realized that I've been soo obsessed with the hypnotizing effect that Coco Rocha has on my camera, that I was taken aback when another favorite Jessica Stam, with her cat-like blue-green eyes, seemed to burn a whole through my Canon 40AD.

What better way to ease into Fashion Week (I spent the majority of it traipsing around glorious desert dunes at one haute hippy New Mexican wedding) than with Mary Ping and her collaborators at Art/Architecture collective Bureau V. Their project, which debuted at the Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery on Monday, deconstructs our perception of the Department Store, reconstructs the concept of fashion presentations and features a flowy and fabulous addition to the growing collection of offbeat classics by Ping's label Slow and Steady Wins the Race: a $100 wedding dress.

Après-lecture yesterday, in which the architects and designer explored and explained their inspiration for the refreshingly cerebral retail re-creation (Japanese shopping centers, suburban layout à la Levittown, and the pervasion of purchases in our public and private lives) I had a chance to ogle both SSWTR's new perfumes as well as items from all previous collections. Newly found favorites include an amazing white poncho hoodie, and a zippered cummerbund which doubles as a fanny pack! Old favorites remain the four-sided Birkin which I reported on from Paris last season, and a pair of cashmere leggings that continue to haunt me.

The presentation wraps today, so hustle down to Saatchi & Saatchi and experience the pseudo-shop in all of its Slow and Steady glory.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race
The Department Store
Saatchi & Saatchi
375 Hudson St.
September 9-12
11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Radiohole is back, and The Kitchen has them. Yes, there are other anarchistic, madcap theater groups, and I love them all, but Radiohole always seems to go further to do something on stage that you won’t see anywhere else. Like in Fluke, where they effectively did most of the show sightless, with eyeballs painted on their closed eyelids. Or the endless chicken-eating and beer-guzzling scene in another. In any event, their shows are not to be missed. They are futuristically theatrical and grounded in hard work, grit and the pure fun of performance. This one, Anger/Nation is about the erotic cult filmmaker, Kenneth Anger (Scorpio Rising), and the hatchet-wielding, barroom-busting, temperance prohibitionist, Carrie Nation. I spoke with Eric Dyer and Maggie Hoffman on speakerphone. Scott Halvorsen Gillette rounds out Radiohole, and Iver Findlay is the special guest performer.

I love the title. I thought it referred to the emotional state of the U.S.

Eric Dyer: The essence of the show is this very bizarre and sensory world that’s coming out of this Kenneth Anger film, The Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1959), about a hedonistic side to us; that is, people in general, and you can apply that any way you want.

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Two nights ago, actress Liv Tyler, along with guest DJs Alexandra and Theodora Richards, hosted a fun star-studded soiree at the Gramercy Park Hotel's Rose Bar. The party was for the launch of jewelry line Hearts on Fire's Architectural Collection, and boasted some of rock 'n' roll, Hollywood, and society's finest. In one corner, you had clan Mortimer (Tinsley and Topper Mortimer, Dabney Mercer and Peter Davis) and in the other you had team Richards (Keith and Patty and their two gorgeous, hot, fun and super chic daughters Alex and Theo). Other party-goers included Catherine Keener, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alan Cumming, Mena Suvari, Dave Navarro, Perry Farrell, Adrian Grenier, Sean Avery, Ellen von Unwerth, Tara Subkoff, Jamie Burke, Richie Rich, Claire Distenfeld, Maggie Gray, Russell Simmons, Lauren Santo Domingo, Diego Garcia, Alexa Winner, as well as Andrew Saffir and Daniel Benedict (who had just come downstairs from the after-party for the Cinema Society screening of The Duchess).

Speaking of The Duchess, later in the evening a number of us migrated down to to Beatrice, where Kiera Knightley could be seen shaking her moneymaker and signing along to the beats. Ten feet away, Kirsten Dunst presided over the club of cool from behind the DJ booth.

Epic night.

XxPJC

On Wednesday night I ran around to a few places. City magazine had a re-launch party at the New Museum on the Bowery, hosted by Leigh Lezark. It was a real treat being in there after-dark with a cocktail, the view was fantastic and Mick Rock DJ-d. Before that, being a British but New-York-based designer, I'd been asked to be part of the OK! magazine Britannia Rules event along with Marchesa and Keanan Dufty... and the hard working Mick Rock!

For those who said it wouldn't last, Harry of Wales and his longtime girlfriend Chelsy Davy seemed to still be going strong as they visited a local London club. Chelsy is about to return to Leeds where she's in university and Harry will shortly return to his regiment. Whispers get louder and louder that Chelsy and her possible future sister-in-law are already on the guest list for the gala celebration of the Prince of Wales' 60th birthday in November. Royal wags point to this as proof that the relationships, particularly Kate's romance with Harry's older brother William, are getting more and more serious. Also up in da club with Harry, Chelsy and crew was 18 year old Eugenie of York working a metallic headband and ethnic boots. Ah the Princes and Princesses grow up so fast these days.

Photos from Hola!

11:01 AM Ryan McGinley Emerged From the Bat Caves.
2:14 PM Oscar De La Renta Dazzled.
2:33 PM Waris Likes His Suits Tailored.
3:56 PM One Night, Five Parties -- Only Caroline Torem-Craig Can Pull Off Such a Feat.

Prps, the label created by Donwan Harrell, celebrated their Spring/Summer '09 collection with a party at the Highline Ballroom with a performance by MGMT that attracted the downtown elite. Think Aimee Phillips (in a Boy George paint-splattered skirt), Kate Schelter, ELLE's Kate Lanphear, Frank Tell, Fabiola Beracasa, Purple's Caroline Gaimari, Pamela Love, Mickey Boardman, Julia Frakes, Peaches Geldof and husband Max Drummey and the omnipresent Cobra Snake in teensy Jeremy Scott shorts.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of sitting front row at my friend -- and one of my favorite womenswear designers-- Erin Fetherston's Spring/Summer 2009 show. The entire collection was amazing . What caught my eye as it strutted down the runway, however, was a tie-dye blue and white romper that had just a touch of a hippie vibe (which I say is always okay). I liked it so much so that I nearly contemplated pulling a Silence of the Lambs and dancing in front of a mirror in it to "Goodbye Horses." Although, that wouldn't be very normal, now would it? But, much to my surprise and delight, a couple models later, a pair of shorts in the same fabric/pattern sauntered past me. Now those, we all know, I could totally pull off!

Erin, baby, I will definitely be placing an order!!

XxPJC

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

PAPER was able to keep its ten-year photo tradition alive: A photo session with Anna Sui and her family backstage before her show. Then it was through the construction maze of Little Italy to the Givenchy party at the Christopher Henry Gallery, where the artwork by Ian Wright was an eyelash-popping piece of work. DJ Alexander Dexter-Jones had a little help from Jake (son of Dustin) Hoffman on the ones and twos. Then it was a car service ride to Da Silvano for what Mr. Mickey called a “drive-by” at the dinner celebrating new Malo designer Alessandro Dell’Acqua. Outside the restaurant, we spotted a duo of trés populaire models Agyness Deyn and Magdalena Frackowiack with model agent to the stars Louis Chaban. After air kisses all around, it was up to Bergdorf’s for a richly-deserved tribute to the New York Times’ bicycle-riding Bill Cunningham. What a kick it was to take a photo of brilliant Lynn Yaeger’s giant image in the window with her standing in the flesh right next to it! I wound up the night with one of my dearest friends, the one and only handsome and unique Kai Kuhne. His party in the Rose Bar was grand and elegant. I can’t remember whether Julia Stiles had just left when I arrived or came just after I left – so much for total recall!

Following the Ben Cho show, I cornered jewelry designer and actor Waris Ahluwalia, and chatted him up about his current projects, which include a movie titled Io Sono Amore, and his immaculate style. The man wears impeccably tailored suits, so the first thing I needed to know was who did the suit he was wearing. With a sly smile and a bit of a laugh, he replied, "My tailor." Ah, but of course!

Truly though, how does a man master such a perfect sense of style? I asked him if it was innate or if he got help with it. His response: "I don't know, I wouldn't say it's either. It's fun, I like to be connected to what I wear and I like my tailor. I like material and fabrics and so it's a fun ride."

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Racing through my mind at yesterday's Oscar De La Renta show was the thought that if everyone had the chance to be cloaked by this genius designer, total civility would reign paramount.There would be peace in the valley, complete and utter satisfaction for all. He is that GOOD!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

"I love socialites," declared author Tatiana Boncompagni at last night's party for her juicy debut novel Gilding Lily, hosted by Vogue and Christian Leone, Tinsley Mortimer, Lydia Fenet, Jennifer Creel and Emmy Rossum at the Elie Tahari boutique. That's good news for the slew of socials there like Dabney Mercer, Douglas Marshall, Carrie Cloud, Billy Gilbane, designer Holly Dunlap, Dorothy Barrick, Annie Churchill, Fiona Thomas and Scott Currie.

Photos from PatrickMcMullan.com

Marc Jacobs's more youthful vision of Spring/Summer shown at the NY State Armory offered forth many of the same ideals as his main line's breathtaking reverie conjuring "The American Dream." While there were many parallels between his main and contemporary lines (most notably a prairie appeal and a penchant for Summer layering), the Marc by Marc Jacobs team's sprightly reemphasis of paper-bag waists, undemanding silhouettes of baby doll and trapeze dresses, and coloration in the piquancy of the profitable Spring/Summer 2007 season married with Venetia Scott's spry styling concepts was a definite nod to the "old Marc" aesthetic. The MbMJ collection is undoubtedly the preeminent precursor for major league retailers when assessing a season; one that when taken either stylistically or piece by piece (at such a comparably accessible price point to boot) was a definite home run.

Photos courtesy of The Cobra Snake

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Hood By Air designer Shayne Oliver is an extraordinarily talented force of a young man who is running the New York culture gamut sooooo fiercely and prolifically I'm almost worried for his health. But he's young and he's got so much energy, and his spirit is strong. A great combination of traits that will fuel the various projects he has yet to undertake, I'm sure. He is someone to watch in general. Here's some highlights of our conversation the other day...

How long have you been designing Hood By Air?
I started in 2006 just doing T-shirts for friends. It wasn't a joke, but kind of like a "fuck you" to street wear in general. I started out making T-shirts that just said "HOOD" on them, and people kept saying, "Ooh, I like that." So I started making more elaborate pieces.

Things are really happening for you. You've been working a ton of angles. The most recent is the work you've done for Hercules and Love Affair.
They're amazing. I did some visual direction for them. Like, styling and stuff like that.

How did you get hooked up with them?
I knew Kim Ann for a while. She liked my spirit. That's what she said. I would dance a lot and she appreciated that. So she asked me to get on board and that was it.

You have a connection with Willie Ninja. What's that all about?
I met him when I was younger. He took me under his wing. I was like one of his children. He was part of the family. He knew my mother. We used to call each other and hang out. I thought of him not as a mother, but more of a father figure. It's weird, I don't get sad about [Willie's death] because of who he was, you know, he was always really joyful. I appreciate what he brought to the world. I appreciate what he brought to me, too. I just love his memory.

What's the most exciting thing going for you right now?
Well this month, there's this thing at ASS gallery (Asia Song Society) all month. There will be a video presentation of my newest collection, included in A-Ron's show, called "My Life In T-Shirts." He's gonna give me the basement. I'm gonna fuck it up a bit. Make it a little House of Galore.

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On Monday night after I'd had a birthday curry with James Gardner (he was really milking this birthday!) we went to the Armory together with Catherine Baba for the Marc Jacobs show. The collection was divine. It was a touch YSL, a touch Eliza Doolittle and a touch disco. The fabrics were really amazing and so was the mirrored set. Afterwards we went to the party at the new Greenwich Hotel, which was of course slammed, but the kids were all there...

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

When I caught up with photographer Ryan McGinley at the Benjamin Cho show, he had just returned from spending an entire summer hanging out with bats in a cave shooting photographs. Really. So
it's no wonder he's not hitting every party and every show this week. "Usually, every summer I do a trip around the United States," he said, "And I come back right when Fashion Week starts, so I am just trying to decompress myself. I am not trying to make it out every night." As we stood there chit-chatting, I couldn't help but notice a tiny, gold pendant hanging from a string around his neck that read, "Let's get naked." So the conversation then went something like this:

Me: Your necklace says let's get naked, do you mean it?

Ryan: Ya! Always and forever. For eternity. I give them to all my models, after they are done modeling for me they get a little gold "Lets get naked" necklace and it has my name written on script in the back [turns it around to show me].

11:19 AM Sophia Lamar Told Us About Her Raw Jalapeno Diet.
12:29 PM Sue Stemp Partied at Norwood.
1:22 PM We Recovered from Super Tuesday.
4:29 PM We Talked Jeans with Heidi Klum.
5:03 PM We Found out Stella Schnabel Is a Trained Nurse.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Over the weekend, team PAPER TV, led by host Sinsu Co, headed over to the Tents for Charlotte Ronson's S/S '09 collection. The show (her first in Bryant Park) was was an incestuous affair. Her brother Mark Ronson DJed, her sister Samantha Ronson (and significant other Lindsay Lohan) sat in the front row, and Mark's significant other Daisy Lowe strutted her stuff on the runway.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Last week, PAPERMAG hit the posh opening of Kwiat Diamonds’ first flagship store on Madison Avenue. The elegant 1,000-square-foot UES store coincides with the company’s 100th anniversary, and a celebration of cocktails and diamond-ogling seemed in order. Songstress Jennifer Hudson -– who had worn Kwiat jewelry the night of her Oscar win -– stopped by. She looked radiant in emerald green but could not outshine the baubles as several pieces from the Kwiat collections were removed from their custom-made display cases for revelers to try on. Getting a little nervous around $1M necklaces, we shifted our gaze to the space’s appointed touches instead… an 18-foot atrium with a shimmering chandelier, a dramatic white marble stairway in the back, and textured champagne-colored walls that complement the light blue and gray hues of the boutique.

Kwiat
725 Madison Ave.
(212) 725-7777

Less haute and more hip is the just-opened colette x GAP concept store, situated alongside GAP’s NYC flagship on Fifth Ave. and 54th Street. The store is just a slice of white retail space, and though it certainly lacks the magic of the wunder-boutique back on rue Saint-Honoré, the mix of wares inside is consistently cool. There are some fresh colette collabs with brands like Oakley and Keihls, and The Gap Grey Jersey line of accessories is quirky and cute (especially the Alexis Mabille bow-tie evening bag). This is the first time products from the popular Parisian shop are selling in the States (not counting the colette booth at PAPER's 24-Hour Department Store during our L.A. PAPER Project!) and the store will be around for one month -– which is about how long you have to wait to actually get inside! We suggest perusing and purchasing the limited edition goods online instead.

colette x GAP
Fifth Ave. and 54th St.
(212) 977-7023

Kwiat images courtesy of Ben Chang and Brand Building Communications

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

My collection for Spring 2009 was really inspired by music and what my friends and I were listening to from the mid-'80s to the early '90s. It all started with a playlist my sister Samantha made for me that had everything from The Cure to Guns’n’Roses to Violent Femmes on it. The show music Mark put together was a great mix of songs from today that have been influenced by that time period and he also played an unreleased Lily Allen song he did with her. Everyone has been asking me for the track listing! I'm getting it from him, I promise. The clothing really reflects the music with little elements like zipper details, acid-wash denim and rivets, but in a fresh, modern way for S/S 2009. There are also more feminine pieces in pink lace and floral-print chiffon for a softer look. I love all the knits in the line, which we do in a really sexy way with peek-a-boo cutouts and asymmetrical sleeves. I'm proud of how the line has grown and progressed and am really happy with the new spring collection.

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It's all about no bullshit and no pretensions with Stella Schnabel. Whenever we see her out and about she always seems to be chillin and soaking it all in while wearing designer clothes like she's wearing any old T-shirt. And that's exactly what she was doing when we caught up with her at Benjamin Cho's show last night.

Standing outside the venue in a slinky black Ben Cho number with a lacy neon green bra, I had to know what was this it girls favorite fete of fashion week? "The V Man party at Indochine that James Kaliardos threw. And actually my friend got a bunch of glass in his foot. He was dancing barefoot, and so I acted as a nurse for the rest
of the night, but he was fine."

Nurse? Really? Naturally, I wanted to know if she was a good nurse, to which she replied, "Yes, I was actually trained as a nurse when I graduated high school. I used to work with babies and at clinics, so yeah, I mean I took the glass out of his foot, I put his foot up, I bandaged it up. So, he was fine."

Who would have thought? Next time you need medical attention when you are out and about and Stella Schnabel is nearby, don't worry.

Heidi Klum, supermodel/mom/Project Runway host has added yet another title to her roster: denim designer. Klum joined forces with Jordache Jeans to debut Heidi Klum by Jordache, a line of moderately priced denim, tops and jackets which are available at Bloomingdale's. To celebrate the launch Klum held a meet and greet at the store on Lexington Avenue, where shoppers and reporters alike were battling to get her attention. When I finally got my turn we had the cutest chat about moms, hair and of course her new clothing line.

How is your capsule collection different from Jordache's regular line?
To be honest, I don't know what their line is right now because I am only focusing on mine. I want a great fit, I want something that's stylish. I do love the fashion shows and I love all the beautiful things that they do, but it doesn't always necessarily work with your real life. And when I'm not working, I am very busy. I go grocery shopping, I am going with my kids to the park, I am doing things in the house. I still want to look cute and I want to look cool. So I wanted to make things that fit really great, but still are stylish and work with my life. So I am basically designing for myself. I just wanted some cute tops I want wearable things. I don't want anything complicated or tricky things that need alteration or this that and the other. I just wanted really fun, basic pieces that are fashionable that you can actually wear.

How do you maintain your composure amid all this chaos? I would have been done about two hours ago.
I've been here for two hours already? I am happy that people come! I think it would be awful if I came here and no one was here. So I am excited and happy that people came to see my line!

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Nothing like a good Yohji Yamamoto show to ease me into the hectic schedule of the week. In a construction site of what used to be the Barnes & Nobles on Sixth Avenue, the Japanese designer amused his audience with a comprehensive and playful collection that transformed, or perhaps evolved, sportswear into a detailed and incredibly chic post-modern commentary. If only I could be as hip as the Japanese!

I left uptown to head to the show with my friend Amanda Hearst (clad in a beautiful nude Lanvin number). As usual for this time of year, we got stuck in midtown traffic for a good 20 minutes. But we did arrive on time; well, by on time I mean the show was fortunately running late making us seem very punctual. As we arrived we were greeted by Nadine Johnson’s always efficient and lovely troupe. They escorted us to a little lounge backstage, the perfect opportunity to have a little bubbly and catch up with some friends before heading to our seats.

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WHO: Alex Jordan Harrington, stylist
WHERE: MiniSpace on W. 36th Street
WHERE HE'S FROM: "Around Northwest Washington D.C."
WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO NEW YORK: "I had to get out of there."
HIS LOOK: "I am a reformed hood rat. When I was younger I used to love wearing 'hood clothes. Now, I'm adding a high-end fashion eye to it. But I'm still kind of a hood-rat."

Telfar Clemens's show on Monday afternoon was held in the airy and sun-drenched gym of St. Patrick's Church in Nolita. The Olympics ended a few weeks ago, but the spirit of sport was alive in that space. A sure highlight were the Jack Purcells with an added heel in the form of a tennis ball. There was a wrestling-inspired onesy for the body confident man. And the highlight was the final walk, led by four models on folding bikes in primary colors. It was a colorful and much lighter mood than we experienced last February for his A/W '08 collection which showed in St Mark's Church. The mood was darkened slightly but welcome-ly by Fatima Al Qadiri's somber but powerful score. I asked Al Qadiri a couple of questions about it after the show:

So what was the theme you were going for here?
Well, the title summed it up: Symphonic Diet Rave.

OKAAAAY. Wow. Can you break that down for us?
I decided to make rave music without the beats, so it's diet rave. Like, the beats are the calories. Just like, cut the fat. So it's diet rave, but it's really symphonic.

You used some real symphonic touches to get everyone in the mood while we were all being seated. What was that?
That was Beethoven with breathing sounds recorded over it.

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Benjamin Cho's collection, though small, was gorgeous. Everything was perfectly constructed, a little offbeat without being off-the-wall, and completely beautiful. The models jingled as they strutted the catwalk because many of the dresses were ornamented with rows and rows of keys. And as Julia Frakes said to me after the show, "It was very Ben." That is because it is his ten-year anniversary and he wanted to go back to what makes Ben Cho, Ben Cho. The designer darling was gracious enough to chat with me post-show.

I absolutely loved this collection!
Oh you did! Oh good!

So tell me, was this an easy collection to birth or did you have any stumbling blocks with it?
Well, this is actually my ten year anniversary show, which is really weird, so I decided to do everything by myself this season and with that comes the pressure of getting everything together -- you know, when things come in, getting things made, getting everything together, so it doesn't always come together the way I hoped it would. Doing that DIY again, it was kind of a weird experience. Next season I am going try something different, so this is the last time I will spend so much time with the clothing, which I kind of don't want to do anymore. I just want to experiment with something different after this season.

Oooh, experimentation! What kind of experiments are we talking about here?
A different kind of structure. I don't want to have so much handiwork. I think that the aesthetic of it, I maybe don't like anymore. I want to have a little more subtlety, because I know when I put my hand to it is going to look very "couture-y." You know, it's a braided peacock, I can't help that kind of shit, you know what I mean? I want to kind of abandon it a little bit, to see what I can do otherwise, because I know I am good at that kind of thing, that kind of thing I can do with my eyes closed. So I want to kind of explore other ideas.

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Narciso Rodriguez, could you possibly be any more terrific, talented, warm, friendly, easy-going? What a gorgeous well-executed show, easily one of the monster highlights of the season! A front row of goddesses included Jessica Alba, Claire Danes and Juliana Margulies. Then, at last night's Prada "Fallen Shadows" party, a mélange of notable names like Mena Suvari, Perry Ferrell, Katherine McPhee, Cassie, Heather Graham, Kanye West, and the aforementioned Alba and Danes all showed up. Prada power!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

I first read Adam Davies about six years ago, when his debut novel The Frog King came out. The protagonist is a total asshole, but I somehow loved the book. Really delicious, rhythmic dialogue, smart-headed conversations between characters and a substantive, believable (if in a bummer-ish kind of way) plot. Since then, the novel has been optioned for film with a screenplay by Bret Easton Ellis, and very possibly Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead role as self-centered cad Harry Driscoll.

I missed Davies’ second novel, Goodbye Lemon, but I sure as hell read his latest, Mine All Mine, which celebrated writer David Benioff calls in his cover blurb, “A rollicking, rocking good read.” I’d say that about sums it up. It’s a sleuth-type novel, a thriller of sorts -- neither of which, I must admit, are really my genre. But I admire good writing, in whatever form or genre it comes, and Adam Davies is just a honey pot, pure and simple. We met last month at an intimate luncheon for Mine hosted by Pineapple Express actor James Franco, a friend of Davies, at Michael’s restaurant in New York. Graydon Carter was there.

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On Sunday night, my dear friend James Gardner celebrated his birthday with the legendary Club Sandwich kids from gay Paris who flew in in specially for their surprise fashion spectacular at the Norwood. Hosted by Marc Zaffuto and Emmanuel d'Orazio with extra special guest du jour the ever glamourous Catherine Baba, the cabaret star of the evening was Mademoiselle Mercedes. I don't think the Norwood has ever seen anything quite like it! It was a real treat .The disco dancefloor was packed all evening with everyone from Joe Zee to Stefano Tonchi....

WHO: Donna Hanover and Caroline Guiliani
WHERE WE FOUND THEM: Backstage at the Nicole Miller show
WHAT THEY'RE WEARING: Nicole Miller
AND WHY: Says Donna, "We are big, big fans. We both wear her clothes all the time." Says Caroline, "It's perfect for a mother and daughter!"

I had to corner Sophia Lamar at the Chris Benz show because she is the quintessential counter-culture fashionista. Lamar is quite a fixture of the downtown party set and I have seen her out and about, but have never had the opportunity to speak with her one-on-one, so what a treat this was. Her image is that of an uber-diva, but she is as sweet as sweet as can be. So what is Sophia's secret weapon for getting through it all? You are not going to believe this, but espresso and jalapenos! "I swear," she said, "I eat one or two jalapenos raw and they give me a lot energy. I have a lot hangovers so when I wake up I [eat jalapenos] and I sweat the alcohol and I'm ready again."

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

One of my biggest aggravations are male models. They are the worst, always clustered, talking together in the front of the room during castings making it impossible to get a clear idea of who us next. Damn ego-driven bastards.

Meeting casting directors and designers you’ve worked with before also brings back hilarious and cringe worthy memories, like falling over at fittings and putting dresses on backwards. Note to self: look for labels

By the time I get home I am exhausted as are the 11 other girls I’m currently living with. Cockroaches are the number one topic of conversation. A couple of girls are actually clinically phobic over them but to be honest, I couldn’t care less! As long as they don’t sleep in my bed. I’m Australian and there are far worse creatures you could be living with… just go camping in my home country!!

By the end of my first day of castings I have lost a toe nail on my left foot thanks to my new impossibly high but sexy heels and I have serious suspicions my middle toe on my right foot is thinking of following suit. I am exhausted and it is only the beginning, but I’m in luck -- I have my bed to myself! The roaches have left me in peace!!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

In case it all went by too fast, here's a blow-by-blow of what went down today on PAPERMAG.com.

10:45 AM We Cornered Alexis Phifer 1:49 PM We Gagged Over the Marc Jacobs Show 3:08 PM We Were Blown Away By Isaac Mizrahi 5:01 PM We Spotted Some Cut-Out Cuties 6:33 PM We Chatted With Taylor Momsen

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

The Gossip Girl crew is out in full force this week and already so far we've chatted with Leighton Meester, Jessica Szhor and Matthew Settle. So when we found Taylor Momsen hanging out at Chris Benz, of course, we cornered her. Momsen, who plays the Valentino-stealing, identity-crisis having, trouble-making, but ultimately sweet Jenny Humphrey on the show, was dressed in Chris, head-to-toe, and was fabulous enough to give us a few moments and a few thoughts on what she loves and hates about Fashion Week.

What is the starlet's least favorite thing about this week? "I don't know if I have one," she said, "Probably that it's just very crazy and it's very hectic for the most part. So if it was spread out over two weeks, that would be nice." Fashion weeks, plural? Yikes -- we're not sure how the rest of us would survive!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

I loved Elise Overland's presentation. Elise puts the "chic" in rocker chick and she even promised to make me a custom leather jacket so I can morph myself into a male Hope Atherton. So many hot names were at Elise's show like Courtney Cox Arquette, Rose Byrne, Laura Dern, man candy Jamie Burke and Diego Garcia, Genevieve Jones, Arden Wohl, Ferebee Bishop Taube, Nur Khan, Lydia Hearst, Annelise Peterson, Zani Gugelmann, Gavin Bond and Subversive designer Justin Guinta.

WHO: Bespoke mens suit designer Nana Boateng
WHERE WE FOUND HIM: Devin's Tavern in Tribeca right after the presentation of his Spring 2009 Collection
WHAT HIS CLOTHING LINE SAYS ABOUT HIM: "Being that I am a native of Ghana, West Africa by way of Europe I try to show vibrancy in the color of my clothing. I am an Ashanti from Kumasi and our tribe reveres the Kente cloth which is worn during ceremonies graduations and political events. I try to incorporate the cloth, color and European flair into my clothing."
WHEN WE ASKED HIM TO DESCRIBE HIS SPRING '09 COLLECTION... "Well, the question turns on you. What would impress you?"
OK... WELL, WHAT IMPRESSES MOST OF YOUR CUSTOMERS? "I think the cut, the attitude, the style and the elegance. It's bold."

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Everyone's favorite party, Six Six Sick, has just now launched what will undoubtedly become everyone's favorite blog, sixsixsick.blogspot.com. The ladies behind the Tuesday night debauchery, Christina, Tiffany and Feng Feng, promise to reveal the secret behind their oh-so-covetous Siamese getups every week on their new blog, from their offbeat inspiration choices to actual step-by-step fashion creations. Listen carefully and take notes, for these knowledgeable ladies know what they're talking about. With New York Fashion Week well underway, SSS have been writing up some of their favorite shows, and their most recent blog covered Feng Feng's new line, Savant, likened to Margiela with a friskier palette and marked by delightful little rompers and structured high-waisted skirts.

And don't wet your pants just yet… they couldn't embark on something so insanely huge without an outrageous party to match. And it is TONIGHT. Which, by the way, means you only have like, five hours, to artfully craft your outfit in imitation of the infamously well-dressed. To kick off the wanton festivities, Brit wild child Peaches Geldof(!) and our fabulous former intern Bunny will be special guest DJing what sounds like a madly entertaining party to remember Happy Ending. See you there!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Spotted yesterday morning at the tents in Bryant Park... these cool cut-out suede/leather booties from Opening Ceremony. When everyone else is wearing four-inch black bondage heels, it's always refreshing to see flats.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Australian beut Alice Burdeu, who rose to prominence by winning the third cycle of Australia’s Next Top Model and went on to appear on the cover of Australian Vogue, recently signed to Elite and was featured in this fall’s D&G print campaign. She’s set to walk some of this season’s most high profile runways this Fashion Week (she already did Marc Jacobs, Lacoste and Reyes) and will be blogging about her experience.

I have a theory about Fashion Week. It’s similar to one I’ve heard from many women about child birth. That if you truly remembered the pain and agony of labor you’d never do it again but instead all you remember is the joy and happiness of seeing your new born baby and so you do it again until finally after you pop out a couple more kids you learn your lesson!

With Fashion Week (or Fashion Month and a Half as it truly is) if you truly remembered the ludicrously early mornings, nights so late you barely make it to bed to pass out, frantic running around the city and the colossal excruciating blisters, you’d run as fast as you could to JFK and board the next flight home! You’d never do it again. HOWEVER, all you remember when you look/think back after the week is over are the high points; the pretty pictures on style.com, the amazing shows you got to be part of, the friends you mad and the parties you attended (If you weren't too tired!).

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The day of the show we felt prepared but not entirely sure what to expect. We had gone out the night before to Norwood as we had managed to finish everything in good time with no real hiccups.

We got to the studio around 10 a.m., we finished a couple hems and then everything was picked up and taken to the Glass Houses where we were having the show. We arrived at 12 p.m. checked out the space, which looked so incredible and then met with the hair and make-up team and dressers. We then changed into our outfits and did our first ever TV interview with Video Fashion!! Errr… so scarry! As our publicist Pat Werblin put it quite accurately, it was definitely "baptism by fire!"

It was so insane to see the girls all made up dressed and ready to go, it had finally all come together and we were about to release our babies into the world!! We followed the girls down the back tage and made sure everything was in place before they went through the revolving blade onto the runway. The music started -- "I Need a Freak" -- and off they went. Our hearts sank and we were both almost on the verge of tears but managed to hold it together!! The girls returned from the finale and then it was our turn to go out onto the runway, which was the most awkward surreal moment ever. It was combination of nerves, excitement and just generally overwhelming.Ba

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I was completely blown last week when I got a sneak peek of Isaac Mizrahi's upcoming line for Liz Claiborne. Although I was sworn to secrecy, WWD came out with images of his new LC designs the next day so I guess now I can talk a bit about what I saw. This stuff is American sportswear at its BEST. It was a huge undertaking for Mizrahi who began by redesigning the companys logo which will be used in various forms in the designs he will produce. With a clean sorbet color palatte with splashes of graphic black and white, the collection included everything from bags, shoes, sportswear and beach wear, and was enormous.

Mizrahi didn't disappoint me on the runway yesterday either where he showed his signature collection. This guy is really a great American designer who is never given enough respect in my opinion for his smart, strong, modern Design -- with a capital D. Maybe because he is not trendy enough? Maybe because he is not hype enough? I loved his concept of insects yesterday. His entire collection was filled with day-glo underneath and pastel or shear on top; the effect being that the flourescent undergarments would softly glow through the dresses. He told me "it was about soft colors fluttering around intense ones. like a firefly or an insect." Here are a few of my favorites which also include a fabulous "sac" gown and an asymetrical raincoat which is a new classic. you can see the whole show on style.com!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

WILL SWENSON
“A friend of mine gave me Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin last week and I can’t put it down. It's the true story of a mountain climber who stumbled into a village in Pakistan after failed attempt to climb K2. He was so amazed at the kindness of the people, he promised to return and build a school. He did. And then he built 54 more. A totally caffeinated read.”
Will Swenson is currently appearing in Hair at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

DARYL HALL
“Let me start by telling you what I am not reading. That would be Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk. He writes what I call throw-across-the room-half-way-through books. I reserve that anti-accolade for him and other hack writers like the modern Stephen King. If you want to read the real thing, read Burroughs not Palahniuk. As for what I currently am reading, it’s Caligula by Alan Massie. It’s part of his ‘Lives of the Ceasars’ series. It ain’t Suetonius, but it is good readable history. I am also into Richard Price -- good dialogue.”
Daryl Hall (yes, of Hall & Oates fame)’s free web show, Live from Daryl’s House, featuring special guests Canadian rock group Finger Eleven, will air Sept. 15th exclusively on www.livefromdarylshouse.com.

SIMON REX AKA DIRT NASTY
“I’m reading Robert Mitchum’s autobiography. He’s the biggest badass ever in Hollywood. He chose his movies by how many days he had off, and was a hobo riding trains through America during the Great Depression as a teenager. A real cowboy.”
Member of the Dyslexic Speedreaders, Simon Rex aka Dirt Nasty has just released a FREE mix tape with all new material available for downloading at http://www.mickeyavalon.com/mixtape.php. Rex will also appear in the upcoming film Hotel California starring Tyson Beckford, Tatyana Ali and Erik Palladino.

Last night, the always anticipated Marc Jacobs show did not disappoint.The poor photographers piled high -- on top of ladders, crates and each other -- almost succombed to cardiac arrest when this week's Fashion Week It Couple J. Lo and Victoria Beckham sashayed into the ever-so-chic Armory. The impossibly perfect clothes on a spectacular "hall of mirrors" catwalk were not for the faint of heart either! The big drama of the evening? Jay-Z and Kanye West arrived too late to be seated. A couple of seasons ago they would have been early...

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

If you ever wondered if Veronica Webb is as beautiful or as nice or as lovely as she comes across on television or in print, let me confirm that the answer is yes, yes and yes. Mr. Mickey introduced me to her at the Catherine Maladrino show where her grace and looks hit me like a Mack truck. Lucky for me, I caught up with her again later in the day outside of the Chris Benz show where she told us how she manages to make it through this hectic-week-o-style. So what does this bronze beauty need to get through fashion week? "It involves a team of people who are not here right now," she laughed. And her favorite thing about this week is, you guessed it, the clothes. Her least favorite thing is "Not being able to remember people's names quickly." When I asked her who is the one style icon she looks froward to seeing at the shows, she responded, "Bill Cunningham." You and me both, girl!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

I am still recovering from my fashion show on Saturday. It was my FIRST time showing under the tents, and I think it's finally starting to set in. I’ve shown in offsite spaces like The Box and The Altman Building before, but the tents really felt right this season. It didn’t even fully register until I walked in backstage around 8 a.m. (I had been up until 5:30 in the morning the night before putting last minutes touches on the collection… I honestly think I would have slept through the entire thing if my casting director, Anita, hadn’t woken me up.)

It was such an important day for me, and I was really lucky to have my friends and family there. My brother Mark DJ'd, my mum Ann Dexter-Jones, half-brother Alexander, step-dad Mick, stepbrothers Roman and Chris and twin Samantha all were there! I also was lucky to have the support of my friends who cheered me on from the front row. My little sister Annabelle even walked in the show. It was wonderful to have them all there. I was backstage approving hair and makeup, getting the girls dressed and lined up, and in-between, giving interview after interview. It all went by in a whirlwind, but it was so nice to have the support of the fashion industry as well as my loved ones at my first tent show.

Stay tuned to PAPERMAG, as I'll have more from the show and after-party soon...

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Fashion for dudes this season is black and white and geometric all over. Check out these looks by Rag & Bone, Shipley & Halmos, Trovata, Lacoste and Tim Hamilton.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Tim Hamilton's presentation at Milk Studios on Sunday night was perfection. It ranks VERY high on the Sexiest Presentation of the Week barometer. You couldn't find cuter models. You couldn't have a sexier crowd. You DEFINITELY couldn't experience a better sunset than on that roof. All the boys were out. Jay Massacret, Brian Malloy, Jesse Ashlock, Andreas Kokkino and Bruce Pask were all on hand to show their support for Tim's stunningly smart collection. These are the clothes I want to be wearing next spring. This is a line that makes sense. I'm serious. It's serious. GET INTO IT.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

On Sunday night I went to the Calvin Klein party. I could go on and on about the amazing crowd (filled with celebs) or the amazing space (custom-built for the event) or the amazing light installation, but instead I’ll just say this: Sean O'pry (pictured above, far left) is a total southern charmer.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

WHO: Alexis Phifer, clothing designer and Kanye West's ex-fiancée
WHERE: At the Y-3 show
THE LOOK: "It's a mish-mash! I have on Y-3 pants, a GAP blazer, Dolce & Gabanna shoes and Dior glasses."
WHAT IS YOUR EVERYDAY LOOK? "Today I am dressed for the show. But usually I try to make it sporty, fun and chic."
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF THE MOMENT? "It has to be this ring -- make sure you get a shot of it!"

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Remember when Pier Paolo Pasolini rounded up non-actors in a town in Italy for The Gospel According To St. Matthew? Well imagine doing the same thing to make a cheesy Euro-trash cannibal movie and that's what you get with the hilarious 1981 Cannibal Terror, now out on DVD. This jaw-dropping riot is about two bumbling crooks and a busty female accomplice who kidnap a rich man's daughter and stupidly hide out in the jungle filled with cannibals. The cannibals look like a group of friends that got together and put on wigs, paint their bodies and dance around with spears trying to look ferocious. There is plenty of intestine-yanking and chomping on livers, but it's the sheer ineptness of the movie that boggles the mind and funny-bone. This travesty was directed (?) by Alain Deruelle under the moniker Allan W. Steeve, and has been lovingly remastered by Severin for your pleasure....

In case it all went by too fast, here's a blow-by-blow of what went down today on PAPERMAG.com.

1:09 PM Kim Hearted Threeasfour
4:37 PM Anna Wintour Smiled
6:14 PM Zandile Spent Five Yummy Minutes with Max Minghella
6:44 PM We Met Coley Brown, Who Is Both a Hot Model and a Hot Photographer

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Not just a model, this young rising star Coley Brown has a few other tricks up his sleeve. He's also a seriously talented photographer. Check out his website, which is a really incredible peek at his oeuvre here. And he can speak "Swamp Talk." Even if it's only in his dreams. Here's a little q&a i recently did with him.

How long have you been modeling?
I've been modeling for a year. Almost.

What started the modeling career for you?
Well, it originally started last year when I was working for Ryan McGinley as a photo intern slash assistant. And then he asked me to model for him. So I went on his road trip and came back to NYC as a model.

A new model.
Yes, a new model.

A nude model!
Yeah, a new nude fresh freshy,

You definitely posed nude a lot! Why did you do that? Is your mother so mad at you right now?
She was a long time ago, but not any more. She's not mad anymore.

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Among the brave fashion editors who came out in the pouring rain to see the Band of Outsiders Spring 2009 collection on Saturday, was British actor Max Minghella. Minghella along with Kirsten Dunst were the stars of B.O.O's show. Instead of a traditional catwalk presentation, the designer opted for more of an art installation which featured Minghella and Dunst walking, dancing and playing air guitar while wearing all the pieces from their latest collection. Both Dunst and Minghella were on hand to mix and mingle with the press at Milk Studios where the show took place. While Dunst was plenty beautiful and plenty bubbly I was more into the calm and quiet Minghella who was walking around with his girlfriend Leigh Lezark, and gazing at himself on the projector. I had a good five minute chat with him before reporters swarmed around him and Dunst.

So did you enjoy being part of this project?
It was fantastic. It was really a lot of fun working with Scott.

How do you know him?
We've actually known each other for a few years now. We met through mutual friends.

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On Saturday, Lynn Yaeger, Mr. Mickey and I trekked (or whatever the sadly unenvironmentalist Escalade equivilant is) to Elise Overland's breathtaking presentation. Her Saharan-inspired coloration -- chalkful of delightful dustry rose hues and preposessing pistachio silks -- embodied a definite 1930's Vionnet-esque appeal, yet seamlessly and at the same time epitomized a definite modern dressing motif. I suppose the futuristic robot glasses helped...

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Fabulous footwear is everywhere this Fashion Week!! Beyond the beautiful boots and heels filing in and out of the shows, there are shoe exhibits here at the tents, too. On Friday, we raised a glass of rose to salute I Love Italian Shoes, a collaborative booth display by the Italian Trade Commission and Italian Footwear Manufacturers. Back for a second season, the exhibit features the best of men’s and women’s Made in Italy shoe designs -- including several super-stylish labels that do not yet have distribution in the States.

Also on display and set in a broad circle surrounding the fountain inside the tents is the Wizard of Oz ruby slipper collection. Over 20 designers, from Jimmy Choo to Betsey Johnson, have recreated Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers to commemorate the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz next year. The shoes, all made with Swarovski crystals, will be auctioned for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation in 2009. They all looked amazing, but the Sergio Rossi pair are downright wicked.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

At downtown darling Alexander Wang's fashion show on Saturday, Anna Wintour did something she doesn't do that often at a fashion show: She smiled! Here's the proof.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

1. For sale: A pair of Shea Stadium "blue" seats are $2,499.99 on eBay (available at the end of the current baseball season), the Bumper Car ride from the now shuttered Astroland is only $125,000 on rides4u.com and a zebra encased in formaldehyde by Damien Hirst has an estimate of $4 million at Sotheby's.

2. Speaking of which, the Sotheby's auction of 200 new works by the aforementioned Mr. Hirst is set to rock the art world next week (September 15 & 16 in London) whether it succeeds or fails. If it reaches the estimate of $92 million, expect more artists to bypass galleries and sell new works through auction houses and if it flops, you'll see lots of pissed off collectors wondering why they paid so much for their Hirst.

3. Save the date: Coachella 2009, April 17 to 19.

4. The second edition of the all-night takeover of the Brooklyn Academy of Music will take place on Saturday, September 27 from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. featuring a music program curated by Sufjan Stevens, DJs King Britt and Victor Duplaix and various films and video art. Tickets are $20 in advance.

5. JetBlue is auctioning off hundreds of flights this week on eBay with opening bids of only 5 and 10 cents.

6. The Financial Times reports that "one in four fragrances sold in Barneys, is from Frederic Malle,"
and that 600 new perfumes are launched every year.

7. A.R.E. Weapons at Santa's tonight (Sept. 8) and Roisin Murphy at Mansion on October 24. Murphy was the singer with Moloko and has released a couple of great solo LPs. We saw her in Barcelona over the summer and her live show was brilliant. Buy a ticket now at saintatlarge.com.

Brazilian beauties bombarded the chic cha-cha-cha dinner Carlos Jereissati, the CEO of Brazilian luxury retail group Iguatemi, threw at Pastis this past Saturday night. I spotted South Americans like Francisco Costa, Pedro and Patricia Jereissati, Adriana Lima and fiancé Marko Jaric, Carlos Miele, Caroline Ribero, Isabel Fontana, Carlos Souza and Alexandre Herchcovitch. The night ended with songstress Bebel Gilberto belting out Bossa Nova for types like Hamish Bowles, Zani Gugelmann, Jennifer Creel, Tom Sachs, Valesca Hermes, Tatiana Santo Domingo, Graziano Di Boni, Amy Sacco, Ann Slater and Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia. Bonita!

Everything about the Diane Von Furstenberg show -- from the backstage, to the front row, to the sunny, playful and delightful clothes that came sauntering down the runway -- was down-right excellent. Here are some highlights.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Its a good thing my Facebook pen pals Jeffrey and Robert started the show late because I just made it in time for the start, taking my seat next to the very chic and fun Susan Joy. What I most liked about the Costello Tagliapietra show were all the rich textures of silks and ultraseudes which short of grabbed the models as they strutted past. They have to be seen in person to be believed. The leather accessories which were right out of William Friedkin's 1980 film Cruising felt right at home at the West Side Highway venue. Congrats guys!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Threeasfour's gorgeous little collection shown this weekend was beyond chic. The three collaborators Adi, Gabi and Angela still pour their hearts into each and every look and there were some jewels here. My favorites were the dizzying psychedelic serigraph prints covering both the unitards, chiffon kaftans and capes. This is bohemian luxury that is like nothing else except Threeasfour... To me their work is like the glamorous grandchild of the futurism of Cardin mixed with old school Roman Holiday Capri beachiness of Pucci.

Photos from style.com

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Yesterday's Diane von Furstenberg show was a scene-and-a-half. Uma Thurman, Eva Longoria, Rosario Dawson and Jennifer Lopez (who created such a paprazzi brawl it that became hazardous to those sitting around her) were all in attendance, and I spotted the silver fox himself, Anderson Cooper. I hear he was there because his mom, Gloria Vanderbilt, and DVF were close friends. He was such a little cutie! Amid the madness, we were able to catch up with Gossip Girl starlet Leighton Meester at the show. And what does Leighton need to get through Fashion Week? "Having a good supportive friend around," she said as she hugged her GG co-star Jessica Szohr. Wondering what she will do after this crazy-week-o-fashion? "Um, maybe sleep, but I doubt that because I have to work all the time, so I guess, go back to a normal work schedule?"

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Laragh McCann is a total babe. I met the 18-year-old bombshell at a party recently and she just worked the place really casually, so I had to go over and talk to her. I was impressed at how much of a sweetheart she was. I love a hot girl without attitude. Don't get me wrong, I love a little attitude, but it seems most girls have a bit of that, so it's refreshing to meet one who is warm right off the bat. I wanted to know more, so I emailed her a few questions about herself and her modeling career. She's a busy busy girl this season (she's already walked in Ruffian, Costello Tagliapietra and Ruffian), so we're lucky to have gotten a little insight with this q&a sessh.

How many years have you been modeling?
About two years, but I just moved to New York to start full time!

Aside from modeling, what are your hobbies?
Frisbee and summertime

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So my Fashion Week guest blogging got off to a bit of a false start... but I'm now back having caught up on a month's sleep yesterday and having had a day of back-to- back sales appointments on Friday. And I'm now raring to go till the end of the week! Plus my parents were here from Burnham-on-Scrunchie in Essex (as Mr. Mickey loves to refer to it... it's really on-Crouch!), so I wanted to squeeze in some family time before hitting town...

My presentation was on Thursday night and I was really thrilled with the response, the models, the turnout and, dare I say, the perfect weather. All went really well. It was on a rooftop with one elevator (slightly scary) but with PAPER's Drew Elliot and my lovely English girlfriend Fay Cantor-Stephens on door duty, everything ran seemlessly. We ran through the "show" three times before all involved were too knackered to go on, plus Thursday was a big party night and everyone was itching to get elsewhere. Hamish Bowles, Julie Gilhart, Kate Schelter, Poppy DeVillneuve, Chiara Clemente and Waris, Meredith Melling-Burke and Michael Roberts among many others did come by and some of my photos of the evening are above...

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

It begins. The city is already fluttering with fashion idolizers; the tents are up and the circus is back in town. This circus however is quite unique and follows “the collections” like migratory birds in seek of survival and food in the distant islands of the Pacific. Instead of sword swallowers, acrobats and clowns, this circus brings in its caravans the exotic models from abroad, the ferocious lensmen from the east and west and all the deities of the publication hierarchy. It is the fashion book’s ringleaders who ultimately decide what most will be wearing, or craving, in the seasons to come. A sprinkle of celeb, truckloads of costume changes and several late nights bathed in one to many cocktails complete the equation. The back-to-back parade of sounds, fabrics and sometimes spectacular creativity is in town; its arrival announced by the invitations carefully sealed at downtown PR houses. It's time for me, somewhat reluctantly, to retire the bathing suits and slow paced life of the Long Island shore. Summer is at its end!

How does one prepare for Fashion Week? In the days leading up to the Spring collections, as I sluggishly refreshed my caipirinha and reapplied my sunscreen poolside, most of my fashion savvy friends locked themselves in their NY apartments to rid their bodies of extra pounds with a series of juice cleanses and Fashion-Week-related beauty regiments. It always makes me think whether I should, like an Olympian, prepare myself with such draconian routines. But think is all I really do and instead of severe caloric counting I choose to sit by the ocean and work on my tan -- the Brazilian way, if you will -- before plunging into the delightful chaos this week brings us. Beyond hydrating, getting a good haircut and employing effective eye cream, this year my preparation consisted of a good old motivational reading.

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This couple isn't such a crazy duo but MM loves them both and thinks they look cute together: Teri Agins, highly sophisticated writer for the Wall Street Journal and Veronica Webb, highly sophisticated model turned writer turned TV host.....

Photo by Caroline Torem-Craig

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

In case it all went by too fast, here's a blow-by-blow of what went down today on PAPERMAG.com.

11:00 AM Rachel and Hamish Made a Cute Couple
4:34 PM Rebecca Suhrawardi Austin's Fashion Week Picks Thus Far
9:02 PM The Ronsons Came, Saw and Partied in New York
9:28 PM Threeasfour Clinked and Clanked -- in a Good Way!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

At the very end of Threeasfour's very beautiful runway presentation at the Altman Building, the music stopped and there was an unusual rustling sound that started building… no, it wasn't the sound of a hurricane brewing. As a model turned the corner of the runway, it suddenly became clear that the sound was the whispering, clinking and clanking of hundreds of pure white abalone shells sewn into a ball gown. The appropriately dazzled front row included Sarah Lerfel from Colette, Vincent Gallo, Sean Lennon, Arden Wohl, Glenn O'Brien and surely one of the prettiest faces in PR, his wife Gina Nanni!

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

You just have to take my word for this one! Deep in the heart of the VIP section of Country Club, Mr. Mickey chatted with a very relaxed and buoyant Charlotte Ronson at her after-show party. She exuded the air of someone who knew the show was wonderful -- and it was! Her brother Mark was DJing, mom Ann Dexter Jones was holding court, one of the coolest and prettiest sisters anyone could possible come up with, Annabelle, was there, plus other various family members. It was a warm and intimate affair until Mr. Mickey alerted me to the arrival of Charlotte’s twin Samantha Ronson and her “emotional twin” Lindsay Lohan. Everyone came armed with state of the art camera phones, and the very first thing that happened was a whole lot of photos were taken –- but not by me! It seemed prudent at the time to withdraw. So close but yet so far. The photos of Lindsay, Sam and Mark from earlier on in the day immediately following Charlotte’s show will have to suffice.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

So here are just a few of my faves so far from the Down-Low Fashion Calendar: FORM gave us beautiful silhouettes in a dusky palette of solid colors providing a line that will make you stand out with taste, shape, and style; What Goes Around Comes Around, the most famous vintage shop around, started their own vintage inspired line which premiered this week (very cute!); and Catherine Holstein's collection was full of contradictions -- heavily structured skirts paired with light, flimsy camisoles and knit turbans that looked more for a fall collection than a spring one. Look out for her use of huge, square, colorful plastic pieces all over the dresses and skirts because they stole the show.

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>

Don't tell Damon Dash but it looks like there's a new man in Rachel Roy's life and it's dapper Hamish Bowles, seen here with Roy at her presentation.....

Photo by Caroline Torem-Craig

CLICK HERE FOR PAPERMAG'S COMPLETE DOWN-LOW FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 COVERAGE. >>