Talk of the Tents

The Anna Sui girl of seasons past — dressed in sweet and perky-print babydolls and prairie skirts — has got a bit of a ‘tude this season. Punk rock comes into play in a big way for this collection, from head (pink and turquoise hair) to toe (ripped fishnet stockings). Of course, this is Sui . . . so what could be dark or harsh is still playful and light.

Her standard print-mixing is there...

Reed Krakoff may have felt a little more pressure than usual, what with this being his first runway show since winning the CFDA’s coveted accessory designer of the year award in June. It’s fair to say he has a way with handbags — just ask any of the women with the unsightly drool stains standing outside his shop.  But the man who helped revive Coach — and who started his own eponymous brand...

Primary colors, graphic stripes and slim silhouettes were the hallmarks of Michael Kors' runway at his Wednesday show, where A-list stars such Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones watched, rapt, while Kors delivered his spring message: Pare it down, keep it sharp and make it sexy. And just how pared down are we talking? A '60s mod sort — with an upbeat vibe. Think a black-and-white-striped broadcloth...

Designer Michelle Smith presented her Milly spring 2013 collection at Lincoln Center Wednesday, and the vibrant, sporty vibe was fitting for the young athletic crowd that included Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte and Conor Dwyer.

Neon colors brightened tuxedo striped pants, refined track jackets and pullovers, while mesh toppers, tweed sweatshirts and power-stretch dresses transitioned looks from...

As a stylist, Rachel Zoe knows how to make her clients look effortlessly cool, and she went for the same effect with her spring 2013 line.

Zoe paired menswear-inspired suits with flowing blouses, striped trousers with leather blazers and maxi-dresses with black straw hats for a serious city-girl-on-holiday look.

Structured silhouettes were mixed with long, loose knits and silk caftans...

Nanette Lepore is not new to the Fashion Week scene, but even this seasoned designer said prepping for her spring 2013 show wasn't easy.

"It's the mornings leading up to the show that I wake up in a total panic," she said. "Two days ago, I was at work at 6:30 in the morning because I was just like, 'Oh, my God, the show's almost done, but I don't have my line figured out.'"

Lepore...

Ahhh, Marc, Marc, Marc -- he can be clever, and his Marc by Marc Jacobs show required a little bit of careful reading. The collection is an exuberant study in mix-and-match, and mix again, and the retro vibe will have you searching for ‘80s music on iTunes. There’s a definite homage to that over-the-top decade going on here, from a man who knows his historical periods.  And pop culture.

He...

Cool, crisp and fun with a slightly retro flavor sums up Nanette Lepore’s runway charmer at the tents on Wednesday morning. In the mix – checks and stripes, a longer short, an outstanding swirling floral print in coral and pistachio, a raffia ripe green dress with a swingy skirt, and cute printed bathing suits.

Lots was flirty and feminine, and we loved the black, jersey floor grazer with...

Narciso Rodriguez woke everybody up. It’s a little-known fact of Fashion Week that, like running a marathon, there comes a point when you hit the wall.  Dress after dress after dress, bony model after bony model, ruffles and pleats and impossibly high heels.  After a while, it’s hard to remember which designer showed what — or if you even liked whatever it was they showed.

Tuesday...

French fashion designer Sophie Theallet has a remarkable ability to craft truly special pieces that appear both bohemian and classic in one swoop of her needle and thread. And this collection proves it. Playful, strong, diaphanous, all-out sexy — she juggles a lot of style elements and somehow comes up with a cohesive whole. (And a slew of must-have frocks for women of any age.)

She kicked...