New York Fashion Week: Bright Young Things, Bebe, and the VIP Suites

By: Anne M. Raso

I am a very select New York Fashion Week attendee...for us not-Anna Wintour’s, it gets exhausting waiting for shows that always start 45 minutes late or are so crowded that eight hundred people are fighting their way in and out the doors.

As a result, I only saw two shows this season: Bright Young Things and Bebe [Ed Note: Don’t worry Anne, I fought the crowds for the both of us when I was in town]. At Bright Young Things, which was part of the Green Shows at the Metropolitan Pavilion, each separate was used two or three ways (such as a blouse that also doubles as a scarf or even a skirt)! This show also used some "real people" models of different shapes and ages (which was really refreshing)!

At the Bebe show (which was completely overbooked), when I got stuck in standing room, my ol' publicist pal Shirronda Sweet (who handles Amy Winehouse and a bevy of other talented folks) gave up her seat in the fourth row and told me to go sit next to 22-year-old Island Def Jam label newbie Bryan J. It was actually the first show that Bryan had ever attended although he walked in the Savitt show the night before. He was a real pleasure to sit next too and the next day I had to check him out on YouTube--he's got talent for sure and is presently recording an EP with Tricky Stewart doing some mentoring/overseeing.

The lounges, on the other hand, are much more my speed--you can sit down, have a drink and speak to pr people about all the individual products on display. I had a bling-bling blast at Lia Sophia as the lounge had all sorts of celebs coming through - including Denise Richards. I can arguably say that more gliterrati wear their faux bling than any other line. The new line seems to have a lot of art deco and art nouveau inspiration--never a bad thing!

Victoria's Secret had one of the most coveted lounges in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse only a few floors up from where the New York Film Fest screens all its features. Guests got makeovers, massages, manicures and munchies that included cupcakes from Billy's at 18th and Ninth (Billy's blows Magnolia Bakery out of the water--or should we say shortening?--if you ask my honest opinion). They had the spring line on display, and of course the straight guys there had to take some risque pics with the corset-sporting mannequins (use your imagination here)!

Spanx redecorated a suite in the Empire Hotel since most of the furnishings there tend to be on the masculine side and what a splendid job they did! Guests were shown head to toe Spanx items like pantyhose, tank tops, camisoles and classic Spanx control items. The big talk amongst the fashion editors were the new Men's Spanx line (Jimmy Fallon recently said on his show that he was wearing some but we were not sure if he was for real) and the swimsuits with cover-ups.

On the ground floor of the Empire (to the left of the entrance), we could not resist walking into the blinged out Leah & Bliss suite. Editors were invited to design their own large change purse on a chain. There was an actual craftsperson there to glue and sew any bead or stone you liked on your little black leather change purse (I am actually using mine, which is covered in white crystals and faux pearls, as a camera case). This fun line is about taking traditional style purses and putting layers of bling on them until everything but the zippers and snaps are covered. A lot of the bags seem to be a take on the Birkin or traditional zipper top large totes.

[Photos: Anne Raso/FinanceFoodie]