Hasta La Ideas

For her Fall 2009 collection, Tracy Reese found inspiration in post-impressionist portraiture, including the works of Vuillard, Van Gogh and Modigliani and their expressive use of color to convey emotion. Tracy is never one to shy away from bright shades and exuberant prints and directed her affinity for all things bold toward creating a collection that balanced soft romance with understated glamour and glimmers of a rebellious and whimsical spirit. Bold colors and prints abounded as did some basic shades of black and neutral which were enlivened with beaded embellishments. Feminine pieces like floral shifts and satin frocks were toughened up with thigh-highs, knitted hats, and nerdy glasses, throwing some irreverence into the romantic mix. The mixing and matching of patterns and textures was a major motif– floral blouses with pinstripe trousers, oversized tuxedo jackets and boyfriend blazers layered over flirty floral frocks and embroidered shifts, chunky knits over delicate chemises, and so on. The message of the day– when it comes to fashion, there are no boundaries and anything goes.

Colors: Pink, Purple, Teal, Orange, Black
Trends: thigh-high socks, knit caps, nerdy glasses, florals, ruffles, mixing and matching
Celebs: Paris and Nicky Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Reggie Bush, Kellie Pickler, Solange Knowles, Alison Brie
Photo credit: Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Brazilian designer Carlos Miele delivers once again with stunning looks for ladies who lunch and for anyone who needs a distinctive dress for special occasions. Models walked down the runway while maneuvering around singer-songwriter Max de Castro as he serenaded the audience with a seafoam green guitar. Miele showed some smart origami-like techniques that embellished the necklines and fitted bodices of silk satin cocktail dresses. Some of my favorite looks included dresses that mixed prints and solids. For those chilly nights at all those galas you’ll be attending, throw on a bolero which came in furs, knits, and chiffon. Beauty looks included smokey winged-out eye shadow, natural lip color, and pulled back hair. Take a look at the slideshow for more glamorous looks fit for red carpet events.

Colors: Black, white, royal blue, plum, crimson red, champagne
Celebs: Katherine McPhee, Margaret Russell, Milly de Cabrol
Photo credit: Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Less than two years ago, former model Abigail Lorick was a newcomer in the fashion design scene and was touted as a designer to watch out for. By a stroke of fortune, once Gossip Girl producers used her clothing line, Lorick, to double as Eleanor Waldorf’s label, her ascent to fame has been unstoppable. Whether you like Gossip Girl or not, it’s hard to deny the appeal of tailored classic and ladylike clothing. A definite turn from the lavish tea party-like presentation of Spring 2009, her newest collection was presented in a stripped down loft space. Lack of decor aside, the Lorick line still evoked an era when people minded their Ps and Qs, but always get what they want. Whatswear.com’s editors attended her Fall 2009 presentation where they were quickly transported to 1950s Paris with a dash of Tim Burton gothic flair. Click on over to Whatswear and read up on what they thought of the troubadour and what every Lorick lady will be wearing come Fall 2009.

I will be dreaming about and longing for just about everything seen on the runway at the Jill Stuart Fall/Winter 2009 presentation until they hit the racks because the entire collection was THAT amazing. The inspiration behind this latest line was iconic women of music and as such, the looks were sexy, fierce, and totally cutting edge. In stark contrast to last season’s soft, ballerina-esque styles, this collection had an over-arching gothic feel to it, but in a way that was super sexy, not scary. Black was the dominant shade with gorgeous silk dresses, sexy skinny leather pants, beaded frocks, sheer tops and much more presented in this timeless color. On the other side of the coin, this collection stayed true to the soft, ethereal aesthetic Jill Stuart is known for with flirty styles made from delicate fabrics in soft shades of ivory and white. However, these softer styles were not exempt from the rock-star influence and were toughened up with bondage-like shoes and don’t-mess boots. Whether you want to go naughty and dark or feminine and light, this collection definitely has you covered.

Color Palette: black, ivory, white
Trends: fancy fedoras, velvet, knee highs, voluminous ruffles, micro minis, rosary beads
Celebs: Paris and Nicky Hilton, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jessica Stroup, Kristen Bell, Adrianne Palicki

When Justin Timberlake and pal Trace Ayala decided to start their own fashion label, they built it on edgy urban denim and Southern style. When Johan and Marcella Lindeberg from J. Lindeberg fame jumped on board, they expanded their line. With pieces for both men and women, the William Rast crew gave a show full of denim in the Bryant Park tents. Paired with heavily shoulder padded shirts for women, double breasted blazers, and black & white grungy plaids, the collection stayed true to its southern-minded aesthetic (they even had fringed boots!). Suitable for a barn dance in the city, the denim pieces were clearly the star of the show. It was studded, ripped, frayed and acid washed- yes, you heard that right, acid washed. The collection was admirable, but when you are bombarded with Southern-fried denim and all of the blonde models start looking like Jessica Simpson, you can’t help but get a tad bit bored. All in all, a valiant effort for a first time showing in the tents.

Celebs: Anna Wintour, Bee Schaffer, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Aubrey O’Day, Coco Rocha, Jessica Biel
Trends: acid washed denim, vests, blazers, zippers, leather
Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images