Favorites from the Alice + Olivia fall 2010 presentation include a patchwork sequin blazer (left) and a multicolored feather skirt.

Shopbop favorite Alice + Olivia held their presentation and a lively party at New York’s newest hot spot, Provocateur. Trippy artwork on the leather booths and a green carpet provided the perfect setting for the brand’s fun sensibility, and a performance by Mickey Avalon, with his jaw-dropping lyrics, sealed the deal. It was a star-studded, PACKED event, but the fall collection stole the spotlight. Playful models donned looks in a range of categories, proving once again that Stacey Bendet Eisner’s label is not just a line of flirty cocktail dresses. Alice + Olivia offers the newest (and best) pant silhouettes, as well as knits and outerwear that get better and better with each new season. Jewelry from Pamela Love and miniature top hats provided appropriately quirky touches, adding to the vibrant life of the room.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Check out more shots from the presentation after the jump.

Two looks from the Paris 68 fall 2010 runway.

Yesterday at Milk Studios was quite possibly the best way to wrap up NYFW, with new-on-the-scene Paris 68 designed by Marcella Lindeberg. Lucky for me, being late landed me the only empty seat in the front row. I looked around and saw Carine Roitfeld of French Vogue, Justin Timberlake, and Jessica Biel; remembered Lindeberg’s role at William Rast; and quickly realized I was in for a real treat. A second-skin all-in-one—the most brilliant merge of a mini dress and leggings—was the first look, followed by equally amazing skirt-cum-legging combos and a fierce sexiness I was craving this week. I especially loved the peplum-hemmed blazers, faux gloves (silver painted hands with rhinestone cuffs), and all the tasseled hems on miniskirts. Tracking this line down immediately!

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Subdued ’70s looks seen on the Nanette Lepore (left) and Vena Cava fall 2010 runways.

Subdued ’70s proved to be a strong theme emerging this week. Key elements include vintage-inspired hats, maxi skirts, velvet in Technicolor (burnt orange, crimson, forest green), wooden-bottom platform clogs, bouclé jackets, camel and tobacco hues, and leopard coats. I'm loving all the hip-hugging, tailored flare pants in tweed and herringbone.

Spotted at: Vena Cava, Rebecca Taylor, Nanette Lepore, Jenni Kayne.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Looks from the Jenni Kayne fall 2010 collection.

At left, a standout pleated black leather skirt. At right, Lam gave tailored winter jackets an edge by adding leather sleeves.

The Derek Lam show, themed “The Myth of the West” and staged at Capitale’s impressive ballroom, brought some much needed energy to fashion week—a real show with an invigorating soundtrack and snow falling from the ceiling. Black and caramel colors dominated the runway, and though the silhouettes were decidedly western in influence, they still managed to feel very city. As a whole, the collection was the perfect example of chic winter dressing.

Color palette: Caramel, black, and cream with shots of terracotta.
Standout accessories: Fringe belts, ram’s head accents, felt cowboy hats.
Favorite pieces: An impressive shearling coat, jackets with leather sleeves, and a pleated black leather skirt.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

A cool schoolgirl look has walked down more than one fall 2010 runway, and the defining piece is the ultra-mini pleated skirt, done in a variety of fabrics including leather! Alexander Wang’s tailored looks were shown with thigh-high socks, and DKNY’s minis were paired with blazers and newsboy caps.

Spotted at: Alexander Wang, DKNY, Rag & Bone, Jenni Kayne (pictured).

Start wearing the look now with Thakoon’s denim skirt.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Shearling jackets are all over the fall runways. I’m loving this cozy, fashion-forward piece. One of my favorite looks of the week so far came from ADAM. The caramel leather aviator jacket looks so plush paired with putty cashmere jodhpurs.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Two artfully layered looks from the Rag & Bone fall 2010 runway.

I anticipate the Rag & Bone show every New York Fashion Week, and Friday night’s event in a spacious Soho loft exceeded expectations. Once again, the boys brought it! Each and every look seemed to get better and better; the layering and styling provided the most inspiring looks I have seen in a while.

Color palette: Burgundy, charcoal, forest green.
Standout accessories: Utility belts, cashmere legwarmers, cargo pouches.
Mastermind mixing: Fair Isle knits, with plaids, camo, tweed. Incredible!

And, watch for Lily Aldridge (pictured above left) in an upcoming Rag & Bone video launching next month. Her man, Caleb from Kings of Leon, sat front row to show his support.

--Kate

Fall fashion is known for dark colors, but this year the runways are filled with winter white, often head to toe. First seen at Erin Wasson’s show on Friday night, this approach to winter dressing feels invigorating and makes me want to put on my winter whites this second.
 
Spotted at: Erin Wasson x RVCA, Mackage, BCBG (every look showed white tights), Preen, ADAM, Kimberly Ovitz, and Thakoon.

--Kate

Pictured: A head-to-toe winter white look from the Erin Wasson x RVCA fall 2010 runway.

In the second installment of our spring trends report, Fashion Director Kate Ciepluch and Senior Stylist Morgan Wendelborn took a fresh approach to prints, mixing patterns in a coolly unexpected way. Here, they talk about why pairing prints is a big story this season and offer some tips on how to wear the look.

Why do you think mixing prints is so hot for spring?

Kate: It’s a new approach to putting pieces together—so inventive and getting me really enthusiastic about spring dressing. We first spotted this technique done effortlessly by fashion editor Tanama Besosa Castillo from Allure. She paired two Rebecca Taylor prints with different background colors. Morgan and I fell in lust with her look.

Morgan: The increased popularity of street style in recent years has really encouraged more mixing and matching in an unstudied way. Mixing prints is a natural and inspirational way for designers and stylish girls alike to find fresh ways to work a pattern!

If someone is a little more reserved and tends to wear more solids than prints, how would you recommend she approach this trend?

Kate: An easy approach would be to pair a printed scarf (leopard or floral) with a striped top and a simple jean!

Morgan: Another subtle way of working mixed prints: choose a blouse and skirt in the same print, different colors. Or, pick two totally different prints, but keep them both in the nude/neutral family (like this Myne tank and this Marc by Marc Jacobs bag).

How are you working mixed prints into your wardrobe?

Kate: I’m currently wearing a YARNZ red paisley scarf with my leopard faux-fur coat!

Morgan: I love wearing my black and white Christian Lacroix sweater from fall/winter ’07 under my red and black lumberjack coat! Very geometric. Check out this shot: he was mixin’ the prints way back when.

The Nightcap Clothing Victorian Lace Dress, a key piece in our spring lingerie trend story, was inspired by one chic woman spotted during Paris Fashion Week Fall 2009.

Nightcap Designer Carisa Brambles’s Take:
Any stylish female who has sat at the lower bar inside the Hôtel Costes in Paris can tell you about its dark, seductive vibe. There’s an ancient charm to this boutique hotel that’s unlike any place I have ever been. I was there during Paris Fashion Week Fall 2009, sipping my favorite cocktail, a French kiss, with Kate Ciepluch as we waited for an adventurous night to begin, when I saw a woman in an ivory lace gown, fitted just for her. She lit up the room in a dress that could easily have been from the 1800s. It’s only in Paris that you catch fashion at its best. I was instantly inspired to transform the beauty of her antique gown into a Nightcap cocktail dress.

The Victorian Lace Dress (pictured above) embraces both the elegance and the seduction of the boudoir. It can be worn in any city from L.A. to New York to Paris. I added my own refined details as a designer and chose a lace with an old-fashioned look. The lace itself is from Paris and made especially for this dress. It has just the right amount of stretch and hugs every curve of a woman’s body. The dress is by far my favorite piece I have ever designed.
 

Carisa and Kate at the Hôtel Costes bar, drinking French kiss cocktails.

Shopbop Fashion Director Kate Ciepluch’s Take:
When Carisa gets excited about something, she visibly enters into a trance of concentration and deep thought. Her imagination, passion, and ability to make her vision a reality is so inspiring. At Paris Fashion Week Spring 2010, Carisa stepped out of her apartment rental wearing the Victorian Lace sample with black suede over-the-knee boots and looked so incredibly sexy and sophisticated. I knew this piece was going to be the starting point of a story for our spring trend report.

Carisa is my partner in crime when it comes to Paris—she has an intense love for the city that is intoxicating. We spend our days there finding the very best vintage stores, meeting the chicest Parisian women, going to runway shows, and sitting at cafés people watching. It’s always a highlight of my year.