The latest post, top news and the most recent, says Harilein Sabarwal is the Official Blogger for the upcoming edition of WIFW starting March 24th. The strong emphasis on Facebook terminology is intentional as Fashionfad.in twitters on this entirely new concept to India of fast fashion updates and gives you a preview for what’s in-store for the future of Fashion in India from Harilein.

Armed with a specialised course in ‘Fashion Forecasting – Research and Development’ conducted by Romeo Gigli’s team, Harilein Sabarwal has forecasted, researched and developed designs for some of the leading international brands like Robert Stock, Bill Blass, JC Penney, USA & Miss Selfridges and many more. In India she has been associated with brands like Raymonds, Killer Jeans, Siyarams, Skumars – Reid & Taylor, fashion designer Manish Malhotra(WIFW) and Rohit & Abhishek(LFW) and more, and have enabled them to contemporize to be in sync with youthful and colourful tastes.

Tell us about yourself and your rendezvous with Fashion?
We are living in a ‘Re-era’. The new season’s buzzwords might surface as a narrative of ‘Re-words’. The ‘Re-season’ has begun and the ‘Re-generation’ is advancing. We are constantly in search of new balances in life; accordingly we are abandoning lifestyle for freestyle in design. I believe this leads to ‘Re-newal’, rather ‘Re-development’ of a product, eventually ‘Re-shaping’ the future. My forte is Research and Beyond. Being passionate about sensing the shape of future trends I feel ‘fashion is 99% research and 1% creativity’.

I attended a workshop on Trend Forecasting and worked with Italian Trend forecasters my life transformed… maybe this is what I was meant to do…

How did the idea of tweeting for WIFW materialize?
As a member of FDCI, I wanted to conduct Trend Forecast Workshops for the new breed of designers and Trend blog as my Trend group on Facebook ‘Harilein Sabarwal – THINK TREND INDIA’ was becoming popular.

Will you continue to tweet for the upcoming fashion editions of WIFW?
Absolutely I am Facebooking, tweeting and blogging for FDCI-WIFW.

Where can we follow your tweeting?
Twitter account: https://twitter.com/FdciWIFW

Web blog link: www.FDCI-WIFW.com (will be activated on Wednesday, 17th March, 2010)

Facebook Fan Page: FDCI-WIFW (will be activated on Wednesday, 17th March 16, 2010) 

How do you think tweeting, social media like, facebook, my space, etc has affected fashion? And what difference do you notice between the two mediums, print and web?
Tweets, Facebooks, Blogs you get the update with immediate effect… in a matter of seconds’ news spread and to the right mediums – as fashionistas will only see fashion updates.
You can get 25,000 hits in a day on social networking sites…

Harilein Sabarwal – Think Trend India… I was blogging for myself on my trend group at Lakme fashion week … within seconds everyone in the fashion industry at Lakme Fashion Week were getting beeps on their black berry’s… that got me immense traffic and recognition I was the only one uploading all pictures instantly on the Facebook. In fact even Lakme Fashion Week guys did not yet post all their fashion show pictures on the blog or Facebook. I had 100 people becoming my fan in a day…

What do you think about Marc Jacob running his show simultaneously online on his site and the Benetton’s Its my Style Campaign? Does this indicate towards an era where web will completely take over print?
Absolutely! It’s an instant world. ‘Tomorrow’s news is passe’. All designers see the fashion show within minutes on indiatimes.com. Why wait for next day’s newspaper.

With You Tube running live even the IPL do you think one day even fashion shows could become obsolete?
The Tangible is always better for all senses.

What effect do you think the rise of fast fashion has on consumers and high fashion?
Firstly there has to be lifestyle changes…  India is a middle market… only 3% are rich in India… the high fashion is only for the elite 3%…

You have also been associated with trend forecasts, do you think that India should follow the international forecast or is there a need for an Indian forecast?
International forecast should be turned around for Indian fashion economic seasons. That’s how countries like Canada and Australia do…

How do you envision future of fashion in India as well as globally?
Indian designers and brands either do western or typical Indian… we need to create designs with Indian sensibilities with an international outlook… India is the new destination… hence since I made my group’s page to Harilein Sabarwal – THINK TREND INDIA… for the India trend everyone is joining. Even leading forecasters in Amsterdam – Coolhunter, Style Vision – Paris and the famous Instituto Marangoni – Italy are now following my trend group.

A view of Alexander McQueen’s final, unfinished collection has garnered rave reviews after being unveiled in Paris this week.  Fashion editors saying that the collection reminded the industry of what they had lost.

The show, which was originally intended to take place in the Conciergerie, a former prison, was backed by the sepulchral 17th-century choral music McQueen had listened to while creating the collection.

According to WWD, McQueen’s inspirations for his 16-piece collection ranged from Byzantine art and Old Master paintings to the carvings of Grinling Gibbons.  For anyone familiar with the designer’s development through the years, the references to milestone collections were apparent. The bandage-bound heads, some spiked with a Mohawk of gilded leaves, called upon McQueen’s rebel-British background and his landmark Asylum collection.

The 16 outfits were 80 percent finished at the time of McQueen’s death and were completed by Sarah Burton, who worked alongside McQueen for more than a decade.  Burton told Style.com, "He wanted to get back to the handcraft he loved, and the things that are being lost in the making of fashion.  He was looking at the art of the Dark Ages, but finding light and beauty in it. He was coming in every day, draping and cutting pieces on the stand."

The intimate showing of the collection allowed the McQueen’s friends and colleagues to share in a poignant moment to look at what the designer achieved.

McQueen’s parent, PPR, announced business would continue without its founder and creative director.  On Thursday, retailers were invited to buy a showroom collection spanning about 160 pieces.  Robert Polet, president and chief executive officer of Gucci Group, was overcome as he rushed backstage to see the design team. “It was a very moving experience to take a deep and serious look at his last collection. It showed Lee’s unique talent to create pieces of beauty that touch many of your senses, leaving one enriched,” Polet said later, after composing himself. Then he added, “Although the sense of loss afterwards, I found overwhelming.”

The 82nd Academy Awards aired on Sunday, March 7, 2010, to celebrate the film industry and present various awards including best in films, actors, actresses and directors.  It’s no secret that Hollywood’s big night is just as much about who will take home an Oscar as finding out the answer to the question,  “who are you wearing?”

There were red carpet looks that many considered safe and others that were quite daring.  There is little to argue that Sandra Bullock, who took home the Oscar for Best Actress and wore a beautiful lace-topped liquid silver beaded Marchesa dress, was a winner in more ways than one.  Best Supporting Actress winner, Mo’Nique, who was dressed in a sleek royal blue Tadashi Shoji, also looked radiant on the red carpet.   Another highlight was Meryl Streep, who looked timeless in her softly draped jersey dress by Chris March, the onetime Project Runway contestant who also dressed her for the Golden Globes.

The daring looks of the night included Avatar’s Zoe Saldana who wore a strapless, chiffon and shadow dyed frothy-hemmed Givenchy gown by Riccardo Tisci.  Charlize Theron’s Christian Dior column, a couture gown custom-made for her, had two rosettes of lilac satin atop the bust that raised a few eyebrows. Best Actress nominee Carey Mulligan wins the award for most creative dress in her Prada design.  Mulligan’s bustier was embellished with Swarovski crystal flowers, tiny forks, knives, scissors and other eclectic charms.

Gabourey Sidibe, hailed to instant stardom after her Oscar nominated role in Precious, was certainly a favorite of the night.  Not only did the actress look stunning in a navy Grecian-draped Marchesa, but she was equipped with the ultimate fashion accessory-her upbeat personality.   “If fashion was porn, this is the money shot, “ Sidibe said quite memorably of her dress in an interview with E!’s Ryan Seacreast. No doubt that night was full of money shots.  So what were your favorites?  Who had the best dress?  The worst?  Did you prefer Jennifer Lopez’s futuristic hip train?  And what about Sarah Jessica Parker’s Chanel couture?  Here’s your chance to be the fashion police.

Mahealani Diego is back in Honolulu, Hawaii from her extensive schedule. With NY Fall/Winter 2010 Fashion Week, just over, she shares with FashionFad her  incredible full of adventure travel experiences…

Where are some of the most memorable destinations that you have traveled this past year?
Romania, Mexico, India, Dominican Republic, France, Spain, USA

Where was your favorite destination and why?
Each has something special, but Bucharest, Romania left an everlasting impression on me and I hope to soon one day return. While I was there for Bucharest Fashion Week, the time I spent with the locals, in the street markets and observing their unique sense of style and fashion, I was ever so taken. Everything felt like it was happening 200 years ago, but a modern version of it. I also recently visited Madrid, Spain for a photoshoot and all I could feel was a city filled with passion and romance. Where beauty is truly reflected in its architecture and community alike. In comparison to New Delhi, India as being one of the more spiritual, artistic, yet fashion forward countries that I’ve ever seen. However I have to admit, of them all, my absolute favorite destination is beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii. I love being able to come home to my family. 
 
Is there ever a language barrier because you do so much traveling?
Yes, absolutely. What I find best is to listen. Usually you can hear what is being said if you listen hard enough (as many of us talk with our hands and body language). Also, I’ve come to realize that many models and actors alike are bi-lingual and make for great translators. After time you begin to pick up a bit of each language too!
 
If you could only take 3 personal items with you on each trip, what would you bring?
 (Besides my trunk of makeup?!) Passport, i-phone, and my assistant Tomy. 
 
If you could only have 3 cosmetic items, what would they be and why?
Tinted moisturizer (with SPF), lip gloss, and black mascara. I have done full photoshoots with just these products, or for a quick 2 minute fix! Hydrate and even skin tone with tinted moisturizer. Lip gloss for full lips, apple of cheeks for blush and eyelids for color. Careful to blend with fingers using heat of body. Few coats of mascara (even smudging on lids for an evening look) and your good to go!
 
What projects are you working on now?
I am currently working on a few film projects here in Hawaii. We are filming our final, season 6 of ABC’s Lost on-location here in Honolulu, Hawaii. I am also a visiting makeup artist on the set of Soul Surfer (true life story of surfer Bethany Hamilton) filmed here on the beaches of Honolulu, Hawaii. Next up, get ready for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, to begin shooting this summer in Kauai, Hawaii and slated to be released in summer 2011.

What can we expect of you this upcoming year? Any surprises?
Lots of film, fashion and travel…that I can promise! Surprises, of course! Anything less wouldn’t be me…so, stay tuned India..and until the next time our paths cross, Namaste and Aloha xoxoxo

Her ensembles speak of an understated elegance marked by a restrained, classic style. And the uniqueness of her style lies in creating a wearable canvas by use of hand paint on fabrics as Neeta Bhargava subtly draws her inspiration ranges from Mughal art to Persian architecture, from jewellery to graphic art and from Renaissance to Baroque art. For her the excellence of every art is its intensity, capable of making all disagreeable evaporate, bringing out the close relationship between beauty and truth.Fashionfad.in gets a tete-a tete with the designer of art about her fashion, art, inspirations, designs and muses.
 
Tell us the story of how and when you started with your label?
With the raging passion for art & determination to achieve, I entered the world of creativity & fashion with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. I started my artistic career in 1993 by specializing in Tanjore paintings. After being established I merged my artistic talent with my passion for fashion & established my own design studio in 1994. 
 
Which designer gave you the most inspiration in your fashion career?
Alexander Mcqueen

How do you look back on your journey as a designer?
It’s being a fruitful & satisfying journey being started with a small unit & few workers to an expansion of about 10 times bigger unit in the fashion industry. I have reached the height of success as a fashion designer being grown in terms of design, art, creativity & innovation.
 
If you are on a budget and can afford only a great haircut, a great handbag, or a statement coat, what should you invest in to give you the most personal style?
I would like to invest on enhancing my hairstyle as it speaks my personality.

 

What is your thought on the future of fashion? More specifically, what kind of changes will you bring to your brand?
My thought for future fashion is "Pret – a – Porter".I would like to bring about changes in terms of Eco- friendly & resort wear garments.
 
What inspires you most to design?
Hands painting are my sole inspiration for designing. My designs have motifs which can be worn traditionally as well as westernized.
 
What house/brand would you design if you were not Neeta Bhargava and why?
I would design for ARMANI as its collections are incomparable & are beyond imagination. The Armani name has become synonymous with fashion & couture worldwide & is considered one of the most prestigious name in the fashion industry.
 
The clothing you create is amazing. How do you keep even going through the hard times, or design blocks?
Life is a cycle. It keeps moving. Despite of the hard times we have to find our way in midst of all the blocks. I help myself find the way & move forward by positive thinking, self healing & reading books.
 
What was your inspirational item or person when you came up with your first collection?
Indian architecture has been my biggest inspiration through which I came up with my first collection & established myself as a designer. The carvings of the monuments inspired me to create motifs which I merged with my painting skills.
 
High fashion can be very expensive and also ephemeral; keeping this in mind and the fact that there is a global economic crisis, not to mention a growing percentile of famine, poverty, pollution, disease, and conflict, what advice would you give in order to maintain a personal balance between investing time and money in fashion and altruistic involvement toward improvement in society and the environmental?
Keeping intact both the global economic condition & fashion, I would give a Eco-friendly, resort wear & a spa wear ready to wear garments. These garments are such that it is easily affordable and at the same time stylish & are at minimum price range.
 
What are the fashion essentials that a person has to have in order to exude glamour?
Confining oneself to a boundary is not fashion. Fashion is not that is restricted. It involves in every small thing that we do in our life. To exude glamour, fashion should be concentrated from head to toe. Only than a look can be complete. 

Which decade do you think is most important to fashion, and how are you inspired by that decade?
80s fashion had been very memorable & distinctive. This decade had been a major inspiration for the fashion industry. My inspiration from 80s fashion was to give a way to women to express their individuality & creativity. It takes the former approach & relish the excess & outrageous fashion that the 80s managed to make mainstream. They didn’t ‘ accessorize’ – they ‘ accessorized’.

Manish Arora has been a torch bearer from the Indian fashion industry in the international fashion circuit.  To give vision to his creative design brilliance for his collections, Manish’s creations sparkle distinctively, setting the bar high for Indian fashion abroad. And thus Manish Arora and Crystallized Swarovski elements put together an exhibition of seven years of glittering association.

The exposition showcases iconic haute couture pieces from the Manish Arora’s national and international runways since 2003 marking the tenth milestone of international showing from the designer this year. The retrospective installation is on display from February 25to March 04, 2010 at The Atrium, The DLF Emporio.

Known for his vivid use of colour in designs that combine contemporary silhouettes with traditional handcrafted techniques, Manish Arora has been supported by Swarovski since the launch of his international career.

The chronology of his love affair with crystallized Swarovski elements follows the milestone of design and creation.

In 2003-2005 Manish Arora and Crystallized Swarovski elements courtship begins with collaborations for his India Fashion Week collections.

In 2005 he makes his international debut at London Fashion Week and showcases his Fall/Winter 06 collection. He creates the iconic “London Transport’ dress.

 With 2006 Manish presented his Spring/Summer 07 ‘Life is Beautiful’ collection Manish showcases his Autumn/Winter 07 ‘Space’ collection at London Fashion Week to rave reviews and critical acclaim in his creation of futuristic pieces.

The year 2007 witnessed maverick designer’s debuts with his Spring/Summer – 2008 collection at the Paris Fashion Week to create three showstopper garments to be shown on the catwalk. The ‘Swarovski Jigsaw Ganesha’ dress, the ‘Comic Mesh’ jumpsuit and the ‘Bomb Blast’ dress.

In 2007Manish strengthened his international footprint with a successful debut with his Spring/Summer – 2008 collection at the Paris Fashion Week and collaborates with Crystallized Swarovski Elements to create three showstopper garments to be shown on the catwalk. The ‘Swarovski Jigsaw Ganesha’ dress, the ‘Comic Mesh’ jumpsuit and the ‘Bomb Blast’ dress. The same year he also tied up with The Swatch Group for designing swatch watches highlighted with crystallized Swarovski elements.

In 2008 he showcased his ‘Warrior’ themed Autumn/Winter 08 collection in Paris and created customized masks and accessories for the show and a special Swarovski mesh armor for the show that was sported by Supermodel Kate Moss.

2009 saw Manish showcasing his ‘Jungle’ themed Autumn/Winter 09 collection at Garage Turenne in Paris where he designed unique Swarovski collectibles from the animal kingdom like the jeweled Gorilla, Rhino, Lion, Orangutan and Parrot.  He also creates three special Swarovski looks – the ‘Lion Heads Bolero’, the ‘Jungle web’ dress and the ‘Tropical butterfly’.

And finally 2010 begins with Manish Arora and crystallized Swarovski elements celebrating their creative collaboration over the years and his forthcoming tenth international showing at Paris Fashion Week in March 2010.

Fashion has a new destination as it encompasses the home sweet home in its glitzy galaxy. The very style avante garde edition to fashion spaces is added by Carpet Couture, a brand unleashed to fame BY Rashi Bajaj. The art of carpet creation is ascended to a new high by offering not only custom made carpets but innovative designs in line with International Lifestyle experience which would turn carpets into pieces of art.

Rashi Bajaj is the principal designer and proprietor at Carpet Couture by Rashi. After completing her schooling from Welham, Dehradun, she went on to complete her Bcom (H) from Lady Sri Ram College, Delhi post which she completed her post graduation in business management from SCMHRD, Pune. Though she had a promising corporate career ahead in Infosys, (where she worked for almost 1 year) she did not take long in deciding to follow the untraded path, her real calling – designing carpets, and joined family business in 2008. In 2009, she launched her own label, ‘Carpet Couture by Rashi’ probably being the first Carpet Designer in India.

‘Carpet Couture by Rashi’ is turning carpets into embellishments to compliment décor without which no house/office will be complete. The USP lies in the designs which are extremely contemporary and chic. Though made in rural India by skilled craftsmen, each Carpet is designed keeping in mind the modern set up and is meant to harmonize the current trend of ‘straight line furniture’.

Rashi never encourages any one to buy the premade pieces from her store and instead asks them to choose a set of few carpets and then takes them to their house and then customizes and designs the carpet according to interiors and décor of the room where the carpet is to set.

The ‘Carpet Couture by Rashi’ has travelled far and wide and has received immense appreciation from clients from countries like Greece, Poland, UK and Belgium. In India she retails from her store in Lado Sarai, New Delhi and the price range begins from Rs 200 per sq ft which goes upto Rs 1000 per sq ft.

The annual “Fashion Spectrum”, 2010, began with an exhilarating marathon yesterday in Hauz Khas, New Delhi. Throughout the day, one enjoys “uth” challenges, a play by Antraal, a spectacular fashion show, and much more. Hosted by one of the premier fashion institutes of Delhi, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), the Spectrum is an extraordinary celebration.  The college is made of seven departments: Fashion Communication, Fashion Design, Leather Design, Knitwear Design, Accessory Design, Fashion Technology, and Textile Design. Each year, the students of the various departments pool together their skills and resources to put on a remarkable show, on and off the ramp.

The interesting events throughout the day are open to guests, students, and faculty alike; there are many spots in NIFT at which these take place. The calendar, designed by the Fashion Communication department, defines the universal theme for the festival as well as where and when the performances and contests will be taking place. The calendar is in tandem with the inventive decorations around, made by students in the foundation program. This year’s keynote was “pratibimb” [reflection]; it means to honor and recognize the “you within”. A few of the contests yesterday, such as the plays, revolved around this very idea. More of these are bound to come in today’s busier itinerary, available at the NIFT website (www.nift.ac.in).

The students of the five design departments make their own creations for the fashion show, arguably the most distinct event of this annual bash. There are about two hundred models that parade down the ramp wearing the designers’ first ‘real’ creations, each one distinguishable and laudable. There are many themes spread throughout the show. Whether the thread is tribal or love, space or ‘Armageddon’, the crowd always looks forward to seeing how the young designers are inspired.

The seven departments put up rather large ‘posters’ around the “kund” (center) of the college, announcing their specific themes a week before the show: “Bling”, “Armageddon”, “Provocateur”, and more. They are each well defined, leaving behind just enough mystery to make the viewers wonder about what exactly the students are preparing.

And wonder they do. The model may be in an elegant skin-fit dress and a sweeping robe with tasteful feathers along the neckline; she may be wearing a dress you can imagine wearing to the red carpet; or she may be even be wearing a non-wearable, but spectacular, skirt constructed of wires, film tape, and cardboard. There will always be magnificent headdresses and accessories or accents; an ensemble or two will always look like a ball gown from the 1800s sent here in a time machine. One never knows what to expect; the most wearable clothes to the costume dresses and then the wearable art – the garments on stage run the gamut, and each of them is an exceptional piece of design.

The routine changed this year with the performance put on by the Fashion Communication Department, sponsored by Fashion Fad (www.fashionfad.in), at the opening of the fashion show. This production was in tribute to Top British fashion designer, the late “Lee” Alexander McQueen. The show began with an audio-visual presentation, fitting for the designer, leaving most of the audience in awe. The students took inspiration from three of McQueen’s most famous shows, including the 2007 RTW show based on the Salem Witch trials as well as 1999’s Weird Science. The “eulogy to the dark romance” was made in a distinctive, professional manner; it was an exemplary initiative, recognizing and paying homage to the man who has influenced so many others.

A success, the Fashion Spectrum at the National Institute has come a long way. The fun continues today, February 24, 2010, if you find yourself in that neighborhood. There is going to be singing, dancing, headgear making, a rock show competition, and even a prom night. So stay tuned!

Anu Gupta
Fashion Communication, NIFT

Betsey Makes Us Smile :Betsey Johnson’s return to the runway, after two years, was well worth the wait.  The show opened with model thin, Kelly Osbourne, who strutted down a hay scattered runway with two bright green toy guns in hand; can you say Wild Wild West.  Johnson’s inspiration this season was 45 years worth of her own archives. "I’m working on my stuff, being very true-blue Betsey," she said.  The final look at the show was a dedication to the late designer Alexander McQueen. A model, adorned with enlarged red wax lips walked down the runway with a small bouquet of red roses and a sign that said, "LONG LIVE MCQUEEN!"

Buy Straight Off the Runway: Proenza Schouler designer’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are exclusively selling their runway bags on their website, proenzaschouler.com, 24 hours after their F/W 2010 collection on Wednesday, Feb 17 at Milk Studios.  Online shoppers can preorder the fall handbags straight from the runway through the recently introduced e-commerce on the site.

Unisex Clothing: Androgyny was the theme for Rad Hourani’s F/W 2010 collection. The show included both the male and female models dressed in tights, high heels, bike shorts, and layers of black. The coats had multiple compartments and zippers, so one piece could transform into several different shapes.  "Unisex is my main focus," Hourani told NY Times. "All my pieces are unisex so you can wear it feminine, masculine, a guy can wear it, a girl can wear it, at any age, anytime, anywhere…I don’t like to put limits to gender," the Canadian-born designer explained. "I think everybody is feminine, and everybody is born unisex."

Keeping Your Hands Warm: Gloves are perhaps one of the must-have accessories this season, so choosing the right pair can make all the difference.  They commanded lots of attention on the runways, each uniquely designed, with new variations of textures, fabrics, and colors.  Donna Karan’s long pair featured flower-shape cutouts that created a lacy-leather effect.  Chris Benz designed eye-catching lime-green furry mitts.   And Carolina Herrera’s just below the elbow gloves wove apple-red patent leather and suede together.

A Return to Elegance: Carolina Herrera, one of the most elegantly dressed designers in fashion, delivered a charming and glamorous collection fit for a lady.  The clothes were an outright presentation of pure luxury, with fur trim, voluminous sleeves, and wide-leg silk pants.   She impressed the critics right down to Cathy Horyn of the New York Times who wrote she “seemed to put more of herself into the clothes,” including a dress printed in tiny reproductions of a family photo.  WWD added, “The embrace of opulence felt oddly comforting.”  Everyone seemed to appreciate the designer’s return to elegance.

Feeling the Cut Backs: After throwing one of the most lavish runway shows last season adorned with five grand pianos lining the runway, Zac Posen cuts back substantially for his latest collection.  As recession woes hit designers, especially small companies like Posen, it’s sad to see how they have to hold back creatively.  The collection was far removed from Posen’s usual obsession with ball skirts and gowns, but in their absence, he focused on sportswear for the season.  The collection was a combination of pantsuits with a forties flair, luxe coats to brightly colored separates, stacked Plexiglas bangles and pom pom peppered shoes, which all worked together to deliver something cohesive and vibrant.  Keeping his core customer in mind, Posen maintained high and sexy hemlines, yet provided something for the conservative set in straight-legged satin pants and mandarin collar jackets.

The Devil Really Does Wear Prada: Former Vogue cover girl, Paulina Porizkova, seeks revenge in a Huffington Post blog after she gets snubbed by Anna Wintour in the ladies’ room at a recent AmFAR benefit.  Porizkova writes: "I walked in and almost straight into Anna Wintour.’Hi, Anna,’ I said brightly to Anna’s mirror reflection. Her large eyes in her large head flickered. And with the slightest nod, one that may have been a twitch, she left me standing at the sinks. I admit I felt a bit more than slighted, I was after all, on quite a few covers of her magazine, and the glance she gave me is one I’d give to an expired carton of milk. I am aware my expiration date (as a model) is long past, but a slight acknowledgment that I wasn’t the bathroom attendant would have been nice."

Jacobs Pleases the Crowd: To start the F/W 2010 show, Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy appeared on opposite corners and ripped away brown paper covering a simple wood stage at the end of the runway, revealing a tableau of 56 models elegantly dressed in a palette of soft neutral colors, pale pastels and demure shapes.  Heightened by Frederic Sanchez’s soundtrack, covers of “Over the Rainbow” blared out the speakers as the first girl took to the runway in a gray sweatshirt with a crisscrossed back, tweedy gray culottes and ankle socks.  To those familiar with the designer’s early work, it all seemed to be a case of déjà vu. The collection was 180 degrees removed from last fall’s wild Eighties theme but the design process remained constant. “Everything is a celebration of something, whether it’s beige or Day-Glo yellow,” Jacobs said. “It doesn’t have to be a thing. You can make a thing out of anything you’re passionate about.”

Victoria Beckham Charms Them: In an intimate presentation for about 20-30 people, at the grand Upper East Side room, Victoria Beckham had quite a posh affair.   With an audience that included Carine Roitfeld, Nina Garcia and Karl Lagerfeld, you have a room filled with fashions most respected.  Victoria Beckham’s Dick Tracy-inspired fall collection charmed the critics, not to mention her personal greetings and look-by-look narration. British Vogue called it “a very beautiful collection that evolved her body con aesthetic,” and Style.com declared that “there wasn’t one bad dress in the bunch.” Most critics noted the evolution of Beckham’s designs, admiring a “newfound focus on draping and fluidly.”