Who knew fashionistas liked football was the question many were asking themselves as Olympus Fashion Week kicked off to a slow start. While editors waited fro shows to begin you could hear them placing bets on which team would win the Super Bowl. New York designer's competed for guest attendance with the Super Bowl this past Sunday and the Grammy's on Wednesday. As fashionistas piled into shows editors and groupies alike couldn't help but notice empty seating in many of the most sought after venues, but the shows and parties went as the Moet was poured.
Kenneth Cole - Textured Classics\nCole ushered in the season with a short film about fashionistas who suffer from OFD better known as Obsessive Fabulous Disorder and average joes addicted to catwalking. The film showed people in what mocked AA meetings discussing their disorders and overcoming their diseases. \nCole's fall 2007 collection can be summed in two words - practical style. The first look set the tone for the show with the first model wearing a conservative gray pencil skirts paired with short dark charcoal jacket. Cole did not put a twist on the classic looks, but instead he added texture to classic styles with fur velvet and long chunk scarves. \nThe female models wore gray and blue men's trousers and men's lace up shoes while sporting double breasted coats. The look was reminiscent of the late 1930's with is emphasize on stylish practicality of winter. \n"I thought the show was awesome," said Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child. "The last three or four dresses at the end were great." \nMatte was the fabric used for the more feminine looks as models walked in long sleeved violet, black and electric blue dresses with gold waistbands and orange waistbands.\nMen dressing in Cole for winter 2007 will be able to take advantage of Cole's luxurious textures, The men's collection was made up of tuxedo jackets and pants made of black velvet as well as metal colored velvet blazers paired with a black cashmere double breasted coat, white poplin shirt, skinny trousers and silk polka dotted scarf with a leather loafer. Cashmere turtleneck sweaters were a central part of the collection as well as classic bombers and double breasted coats with fur on the collar. Motorcycle boots and tall boots were the shoe used to pull together the classic, but luxurious looks. \n \nMichael Wesetly - a celebration of black culture, music and fashion \nOne of the most anticipated shows of the season was the fall 2007 runway show of Michael Wesetly. This was Wesetly's second time showing at Fashion week and he gave the audience more than a treat. Wesetly who used the cast form the Broadway show the "The Color Purple" kept his audience entertained with the latest music and some very FINE men clad in stylish suits and blazers. These newbies to the fashion scene pimped down a purple runway in suits made of luxurious designed suits in made of corduroy in shades of green, blue, brown and honey with brown elbow patches and off centered buttons. \n"When men get older men button up as Jay --Z said," Wesetly said. "I feel very confident we can represent both sides be it hip hop and corporate." \nHe kept in step with his color purple themes by pairing the suits with striped or solid colored purple ties. Kweme ?, a who was on Trump's the apprentice attended the show and admired Wesetly's new trend.\n"I liked the suits and the off center buttons," he said. "Michael is always starting new trends. It is good to see another black man succeed at something different and I always show my support." \nOther luxurious look included a black velvet pinstriped suit, cord blazers worn with jeans and boots, and a brown on brown checkered blazer paired with slightly baggy jeans and news boy caps.\n"My clothes represent America and American culture," Michael said. \nAll of the models wore Wesetly's hand made boots in shades of brown and dark brown.\n"It was hot," Ovie Mughelli of the Baltimore Ravens said.\nThe show was a definite wave to the urban, but menswear that has taken over hip hop and American culture.
Lacoste - Colorful old school flavor\nThe entrance to the black sparkling runway lit up in what was an old school boom box as models stepped out in B-boy poses wearing L.L. Cool J inspired buckets hats and track jackets. This was not your usual Lacoste show the French duo has finally put an urban/ghetto spin on what is known as a classic preppy line. The female models strutted to old school beats by hip hop group De la Soul in mini skirts and matching jackets in colors of purple and brown while wearing colorful puff boots. \nSweater shirt dresses were also a big part of the collection as models wore red and gold striped button done shirt dress and V- neck turquoise shirt dresses with bucket hats and puff boots. Colorful trouser shorts in red, purple and green graced the runway. Lacoste, like many other designers made short shorts a part of their women's collection for fall 2007 one particular look included a black and white horizontally striped shirt with and black and white vertically striped shorts \nThe men's looks was not short of color as the male Lacoste models boldly wore bright pink pants with orange V-Neck sweaters. Purple pants with orange shoes and a blue V-neck sweater was just one of the colorful looks in the collection. Colorful blazers were also part of the collection featuring a purple and blue striped blazer paired with a newsboy cap and white slacks. Lacoste also emphasized warmth as models came down the runway in fur hunting hats and suede coats with fur on the collar. The colorful Lacoste show stood out from the rest of the shows whose palettes were neutral colors with hints of blue and metallic silver.
The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection - You Gotta Have Heart\nThe Red Dress Collection a show put on every season at New York Fashion week by The National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute was created to raise awareness about Heart Disease among women. \n"One of three women dies of heart disease. It's the #1 killer of women regardless of race or ethnicity." Read the pres release. New York's top designers created red dresses specifically for the show for musicians of all different genres as they modeled dresses in the name of heart health. Audience members clapped and sang to the music of each singer/songwriters which included Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child, LeAnne Rimes, Eartha Kitt Sheryl Crow, Jojo Patti Hansen, Amerie, Audra Mcdonald, Christina Milian and more. \nThe first celebrity to grace the runway was Lindsay Lohan wearing floor length long sleeved gown made by Calvin Klein, next came Nelly Furtado wearing Bestey Johnson as she walked down the runway to "I'm like a bird." LeAnn Womack wore a corseted dress with a bellowing bottom for Carmen Marc Valvo, and Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas strutted down the runway in a short sparkling open back dress made by Daniel Swarvoski. \nThe crowd cheered when Deborah Harry stepped onto the runway in a long gown that draped down the front and on the sides while Jojo rocked a strapless gathered dress with a long fishtail in back made by Nicole Miller. Oohs and aaahs could be heard when Kelly Rowland from Destiny's Child step onto the runway wearing a gown with a strapless bodice and tiered floor length skirt from the House of Dereon. \n"I am inspired by old movies like "How to Marry a Millionare", said designer Tina Knowles mother of Beyonce Knowles.\nAmerie gave the crowd something to shout about when she walked down the runway and shook her hips to her song "1 thing" in a red fringe dress made by Tommy Hilfiger and Audra McDonald looked nothing short of sexy in a wrap dress by Richard Tyler. \nEartha Kitt received a standing ovation when she sashayed down the runway wearing an open front dress revealing a shorter skirt underneath by Stevie Wonder's wife and designer Kai Milla. She also gave the audience a pleasant surprise when she showed a little leg at the end of the runway. The show ended when Elaine Stritch gave a special and energetic performance of "You Gotta have Heart" to remind the audience that it takes a healthy heart to live.
