Carolina Aubele has a modest proposal for American shoppers: Reconsider the poncho. "You have to understand, in Argentina, the poncho is a basic," says the Buenos Aires-based designer. "It's like a cardigan or a blazer, only more functional. You can dress a good poncho up or down, you can wrap it like a scarf, you can even use a poncho as a blanket." Aubele is used to having her style advice taken seriously—back home, she doubles as a fashion columnist for daily "La Nacion," and triples as the founder of one of South America's preeminent design schools. And for Fall, she's designed a very good starter poncho, indeed. Knit from dense, cushiony wool, with an ombré dye job and fringed ends, the Aubele version speaks to the season's boho and Western themes, without hitting either one too hard.

Both ethics and aesthetics are top priority for British-trained Danish knitwear designer Iben Høj (who has done freelance work for Marni and Marc Jacobs) this season as she introduces two collaborative projects. Working in cooperation with a fair-trade project in Katmandu, Høj is launching a made-in-Nepal cashmere lounge line. She's also just released her fifth illustrated flyer (which I avidly collect), this time featuring the work of Finnish artist Laura Laine. "When I decided to start doing printed material, I wanted to do something different, something that would underline the spirit of the line," Høj explains. "I photograph my knitwear on a hanger with backlight to underline the lightness and ethereal essence of the collection. I felt that artwork was more interesting than shooting on a model. Laura has a very special, very atmospheric style, light and beautiful, but also unsettling," says Høj. "Luckily she said yes!" For more on Iben Høj, see www.ibenhoej.com.

In lieu of a runway show, Swedish sisters Kristina Tjader, Karin Soderlind, and Sofia Malm—the creative forces behind Dagmar—will debut their first film in Stockholm today. The video, an exclusive clip of which runs here—stars model Adina Fohlin, and captures the moody romanticism of the Spring 2009 line, which was inspired by modern dance and the idea, the sisters say, of "movement as provocation." More information on the brand at www.houseofdagmar.com.

When Chloe Patience met Mhairi McNicol, the frumpy world of nylons didn't know what it was in for. Bebaroque, the label the two kindred, vixen spirits launched while textile design students at the Glasgow School of Art, is on a mission to give hosiery back its mojo. Basic black tights they aren't—the duo's designs mix Chloe's Art Nouveau-style prints with Mhairi's (Gaelic, pronounced Vari) hand embroidery. The two have just won the Scottish Accessory Designer of the Year award, and are about to take their rock star-hued, sequin-studded, vintage-textile-inspired wares to shows in Paris and Tokyo, and then on to London fashion week before heading to NYC in November for the Dressed to Kilt event. Rod Stewart was right—hot legs, indeed. Bebaroque is available in the U.S. at Brooklyn Fox Lingerie, (718) 599-1555. For more information, see www.bebaroque.co.uk.

Do enough designer interviews, and the answer to "What was the inspiration for the collection?" can get a little predictable. So hearing Hayden-Harnett's Toni Hacker rhapsodize about "Xanadu," not only one of her all-time favorite films but also the springboard for the label's new shoe line, set to launch for Spring '09 (though the boots will be available beginning in November), is contagiously cheering. "I loved that movie growing up! I must have seen it about 20 times—no, more!" If you don't like the film quite as much as Hacker does, fear not—the shoes she's created are not literal interpretations of Olivia Newton-John's roller-skating muse style, but a hymn to the bright poppiness of the eighties. There are color-blocked wedges, silvery flats, and boots that you can cuff or pull up over the knee, all in H-H's signature crafty-but-cool look. "We were being asked all the time when we were going to do shoes," Hacker says. "And because we do so many bags, as a shopper my focus had completely switched to shoes. It was like my head was on a swivel." The rubbernecking has paid off.

For a designer on the rise these days, it's de rigueur to be able to boast of a win in one of the world's high-stakes fashion contests engineered by the industry to nurture young talent. The Swiss Textiles Award stands among the most prestigious prizes with a massive payout of 100,000 euros, offering at least one reason for designers to be happy about the lopsided euro-dollar exchange rate. Co-sponsored by major Swiss women's magazine annabelle, the competition takes place each November in Zurich, where organizers stage a super-sized gala cocktail party followed by a fashion show featuring the six finalists. This year's group includes Rodarte, Richard Nicoll, Cathy Pill, TOGA, Louise Goldin, and Jean-Pierre Braganza. Special guest, "Sex and the City" stylist Patricia Field, will also show a collection designed exclusively with Swiss fabric. If past years of the competition are any indication, expect to be surprised: The diverse panel of judges and eclectic lineup of talent usually yields a too-close-to-call run-up to the announcement of the winner. Nonetheless, we'll be rooting for our home team duo, Rodarte, only the second U.S. designers to ever be nominated.

If the family that prays together stays together, it stands to reason that the menswear brand that works collectively on everything from developing prints and patterns to making lookbooks will eventually, in like spirit, launch womenswear together, too. Such is the state of affairs at Modern Amusement, a fashion house so committed to its kibbutznik principles that creative director Mossimo Giannulli would prefer never to be mentioned by name, much less speak on behalf of his team. "Our girl has been stealing her boyfriend's Modern Amusement for a few years now," he explained, bowing to necessity, when asked why the label had decided to branch out into womenswear. "Adding women's pieces really rounds out the brand." Beyond that, the clothes must speak for themselves: Inspired, notionally, by a squadron of muses including Lou Doillon, Annie Hall, and Françoise Hardy, the debut collection riffs less on its references' particular styles than on the insouciant chic they all share. Ruffled minidresses, pleated party skirts, and vintage-inspired blouses are all femme; standout items stolen from the boyfriend closet and duly tweaked by the Modern Amusement team include slouchy wool trousers, cropped blazers, and V-neck cardigans. The couples that dress together do, apparently, look best together.

Dana Davis, a West Coast philanthropist and teacher, knows what it means to have sore feet. For years, she was unable to find shoe options that got the green light from her foot and ankle specialist, Dr. Bob Baravarian. Undaunted, she decided to launch her own footwear line, engineered by Baravarian and handcrafted in Italy. Her 14-piece, comfort-oriented Spring '09 collection doesn't include any towering stiletto heels, but we're not talking Earth Shoes, either. Instead, think mid-level heels in slick styles and colors, including orange, jade, and silver. For more information, see www.danadavis.com.

Rather unbelievably, the song "Cruel Summer" celebrates its 25th birthday this year. And rather more unbelievably, for anyone who spent the summer of 1983 trying to look exactly like her, ex-Bananarama star Siobhan Fahey looks even better now than she did then. Proof? Fahey stars in designer Katy Rodriguez's fall ad campaign, and to judge by the pics, time has not only treated her well, it's bathed her in milky splendor. "It was one of those, oh my God, that's HER moments," Rodriguez recalls of her first impression of Fahey. "That's the woman who should be wearing my clothes." The two have a mutual friend, and Rodriguez had found herself seated across from the singer at a dinner party; the rest is, well, ad-campaign history. Though Rodriguez may have known instantly that Fahey belonged in her clothes, Fahey confesses to being "flattered and bemused" by the designer's overtures. "Er, I'm 5'5" and I'm not a model," she says. "My initial response was, why me?" Forget Botox. Apparently, humility is the elixir of youth.

James Jeans' founder and creative director Seun Lim has created a knitwear collection. The hook? She used her pattern drafting skills to create the stylish jackets, coats, and sweaters, all of which can go from day to night. The wool and cashmere-blend styles are hitting stores this week, but the Paul Poiret-inspired cocoon coat is already on my wish list. James Jeans Poiret wrap, $418. Available at Olive and Bette's, (800) 396-1236, www.oliveandbettes.com.

Katie Holmes is often accused of copycatting Posh Spice's style, but when it comes to denim, apparently she prefers to steal a trick from Becks. To wit: David Beckham has been making a habit of wearing PRPS' Impala jean, and lately, so too has the lady Holmes—straight from the men's department. Soon, however, female fans of PRPS' retro denim will be getting a version of the Impala made just for them. The brand is debuting its womenswear collection this fall, and PRPS founder and designer Don Harrell fully expects the boyfriend-y Impala to emerge as the label's knockout cut. "Women have been seeking out the men's version," he notes, "so we decided we'd do an identical pair. The only thing I changed was the rise; we made it a little tiny bit shorter, so they slouch right." Harrell is fanatical about those kinds of details—the Virginia native is a vintage-car fiend and drag-racing fan, and he gathers much of his inspiration for the damage on his denim at the strip. "I go every weekend and watch the guys who work on the cars. Oil stains, tears, blots of antifreeze, very authentically American degradation. I take pictures, and mail them off to my factory in Japan."

I go to Peru several times a year not only to work on my knitwear, shoe, and belt collections, but to eat amazing food, see the vibrant and charming city of Lima, and visit with many fantastic people. This is a short trip for me. It is usually several weeks, but as we are nearing fashion week, I had to come down to try and do some face-to-face persuading and encouraging.

August 5

I arrive in the early a.m. and go straight to my friend Caroline's apartment in Barranco, which is a gorgeous old neighborhood on the seaside. When the main part of Lima was 30 miles or so inland, Barranco was the resort destination for well-off Peruvians, so there are many gorgeous old buildings overlooking the high cliffs onto the Pacific. On display in Caroline's apartment are amazing embroideries from the Peruvian mountains that are used in ceremonial dances. You can see the incredible handwork capabilities and traditions of Peru represented in these few items.

The Blasscapades continue: One of the all-American house's recent alums, who's reinvented himself before, is soon to announce a new, solo adventure.

Longchamp celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, and naturally, the occasion has inspired some retrospection on the part of the brand. Though it wasn't exactly practical for Longchamp to revive the pipes and smoking accessories that launched the house, managing director Jean Cassegrain has seen fit to reissue the original Longchamp handbag, the LM. Designed by his father, Philippe, and originally made to be sold only in Japan, the logo-splashed LM was introduced in the early seventies and paved the way for Longchamp's iconic natural-grain-leather-and-nylon Pliage bags. "We wanted to come up with a project based on our history," Cassegrain explains, "but we also felt that the seventies design of the LM could be very contemporary and relevant, too." The reissued LMs arrive in Longchamp stores this month, and Cassegrain says he expects them to become a brand staple; new interpretations of the style are due next year.

The new Gap campaign is out, and among the crop of celebrities, media figures, and designers featured is Julia Restoin-Roitfeld. While we certainly approve of the Patrick Robinson-designed collection, our eye was immediately drawn to the claw-shaped bracelet that she's wearing. A bit of digging turned up the information that it's by accessories designer and friend-of-Julia Pamela Love. Now you know.

"Eh, you know how it is with sunglasses," says Graz Mulcahy. "You can never find a pair that looks good, and then when you do, theyre too expensive, but you buy them anyway, and then they break." If Mulcahy has his way, his new line of sunglasses, Graz, will put the long-term fix to these familiar woes. The Sydney-based designer was instrumental in the launch of Ksubi sunglasses, and debuted his new brand in Australia this spring; the goal, he explains, is to keep the range small and focused on frames that feel instantly classic. "I'd like people to be wearing Graz in 20 years, the way they wear Wayfarers or aviators. And I'd also like the pairs I make to last long enough that they're still around 20 years from now." In the meantime, the first stateside appearance of Mulcahy's two debut styles of shades is due to arrive at Barneys New York any day now, and optical pairs are in the works.

If the name Christian Blanken rings a few bells, then there's probably no need to convince you to get excited about the designer's relaunch of his label after an almost nine-year hiatus. "My obsessions are still my obsessions," says Blanken of his clean, slyly androgynous clothes. "I still don't like ruffles or bows. And I still like a tight palette. Clarity of line. Those are my calling cards." That said, Blanken's recent experiences designing for Harvey Nichols' private label and for MaxMara have educated him in the luxury of details. "There has been a huge shift in the marketplace since I last did my own collection, and maybe the main thing is that all these lower-priced stores have come to prominence. You can't do a super-basic shirt any more, because they'll have the same thing at Zara for $40. Or less. What I've enjoyed about working on the new collection is finding ways to create a sense of specialness about clean, timeless pieces. My sensibility hasn't changed, but the world around me, that's changed for sure."

Fashion editors were treated to a Target field trip on Monday afternoon, complete with bull's-eye-emblazoned box lunches. The occasion? A sneak peek at the new Richard Chai collection. The verdict? A strong effort with several wearable pieces done up in a jewel-toned palette, with hints of Chai's signature seaming detail. We came home with a striped chiffon skirt, a navy rose-print blouse, a color-block dress with a tie waist, and a bargain-priced ($44.99) plaid cotton trench. Coming on the heels of Chai's well-received Fall '08 collection, his Target range confirms our opinion that the designer is one to keep an eye on.

This just in our inboxes: The Fall 08 Boy by Band of Outsiders look book, starring Michelle Williams. So sweetly ingenue-ish that she has us rethinking the corduroy suit.

Kova & T designers Dasha Zhukova and Christina Tang are getting pretty tired of their reputation as the latex-leggings girls. And with good reason: Kova & T was launched, after all, because Zhukova and Tang decided to whip up the perfect pair of jeans, and these days, the old friends have turned their attention to making the perfect tees. Kova & T's resort collection is a paean to the sportswear staple: There are shrunken burn-out tees, fitted tunic tees, bias-cut tank top tees, draped T-shirt dresses, and even a T-shirt jumper that looks just about right for any summer getaway. "Dasha and I are always trying to figure out what we want to wear that we can't find," says Tang, "and lately, we really want to wear T-shirts—they work with everything. Shorts, jeans, a cute little miniskirt…" As she goes on to note, any of the new Kova & T tees also look pretty good with a pair of leggings. Latex optional.

Jean Touitou has an interesting remedy for jet lag. The A.P.C. impresario was not super-psyched that he had to travel 12 hours to Tokyo for his latest store opening, so to make some extra fun for himself, he decided to put on a show. "I said to myself, I'll travel to play live songs I've never sung before, with people I've never played with," he recalls. "I told the audience, 'the name of this band is the Sex Beatles.' Hell, no one laughed." Maybe if Touitou decides to reunite the Sex Beatles for a performance at the other recently opened A.P.C. store, on rue Marseille in Paris, his audience will get the joke. And next time, he's committed to function over form, at least musically. "I'm going to stick to a poor-boy's guitar; the 1960 335 Gibson I used in Tokyo went out of tune in the humidity. I wanted to look good with that red guitar. Ah, fashion."

"I think there are a lot of girls who want beautiful, well-made, detail-driven clothes, you know, girls who totally get it," says L.A.-based designer Dorothy Lee. "But out of those, there's a certain percentage that's going to look at a price tag and go, no. I wanted to make a brand for those girls." Figuring that there was a market to be serviced, the onetime statistics major launched her eponymous label for fall '07, putting her numbers fluency to use in the service of keeping costs low enough to make girlish frocks and separates that look a lot more expensive than they are. "Sometimes it's about making smart fabric choices, and sometimes it's just about figuring out how to tell a story with one significant detail," explains Lee, who goes on to note that her design and business discipline combined have already allowed her to break even on her brand. How's that for good stats?

When Amy Winehouse got the waxworks treatment at Madame Tussauds earlier this week, Preen designers Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi found themselves tasting a little immortality, too. The wax Winehouse displayed for posterity in London is wearing their citrus-colored "Power" dress that the un-wax Winehouse wore to the Brit Awards last year, and if looks especially familiar, that's because a black version of the same dress is the one Gwyneth Paltrow is sporting in those innumerably reproduced photos from the "Iron Man" photo call in Rome this summer. Clearly, the dress was built to last. Preen fans on the lookout for the next classic frock from the brand can catch the Spring 2009 Preen show in New York this September; Bregazzi, however, won't be making the trip across the pond from London. Right around runway time, she's due to deliver a very different kind of masterpiece: She and Thornton are having a baby. More power to 'em.

Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet's reason for tackling the children's market is personal. "I'm having a girl in November!" she exclaims. "I thought a lot of dresses and sweaters would be adorable in miniature, and there has been such a baby boom I felt it was a good time to expand into that market." After a soft launch for spring, the 16-piece Fall collection (available at Neiman Marcus, Scoop, and Alice + Olivia boutiques) is more well-rounded, featuring itty-bitty biker bomber jackets, sweater cardigans, and tunic dresses in the designer's signature silhouettes. Beside her women's collection, she looks at tabloid tots for more inspiration. "Suri Cruise always looks fabulous," Bendet says, "and I like an edgy look on kids. Gwen Stefani's son, Kingston, is like a rock star in training." For more information, see www.aliceandolivia.com.

Anyone in the market for statement accessories might want to clear their diary for the evening: K. Brunini is launching a one-of-a-kind jewelry collection inspired by Native American and Mayan cultures. Pieces like this raven ring (above) mix materials such as carved bone, wood, and jet, and are pretty much impossible to miss. The collection will be presented tonight from 6 to 9 pm. For more information, call (212) 696-1321.

Now Diane von Furstenberg really does have it all. With the unveiling yesterday morning of her plaque on the Fashion Walk of Fame, the industry's most glamorous mogul was officially added to the canon of fashion immortals. The ceremony honoring von Furstenberg and fellow inductee Liz Claiborne saw fans and friends such as Fern Mallis, Hamish Bowles, and Isabel Toledo decamp to the Bryant Park Grill for a bit of breakfast, a little speechmaking, and a lot of well-wishing. As she mingled with the crowd, von Furstenberg allowed herself to muse—briefly—on the longevity of her most famous creation, the wrap dress. "You know, I was in Italy last month to show my Resort collection and I saw the patternmaker who helped me develop the wrap. We had no idea it would be so big—or that it would keep coming back." But she declined to speculate on why the dress had turned out to be such a success. "What can I say? Fashion's a mystery. But, you know, would we want it any other way?"

Rebecca Minkoff has a lot on her mind these days. There's her recent engagement. And the Rebecca Minkoff apparel brand she's set to relaunch next year. And the line of small leather goods she's debuting for spring, much to the delight of the online Rebecca Minkoff fan base that's dubbed itself "the Minkettes." And the fact that she has an online fan base so devoted that they've adopted a nickname (and maybe even a gang sign, too, who knows?). But what's most preoccupying Minkoff at the moment is…kickball. "We play in Central Park every summer," the designer explained, "and I swear, I'm totally obsessed. There's nothing like that sound on the ball when you give it a really solid kick." Perhaps future collections of Minkoff's leather goods will see a black-and-white diamond-check soccer ball theme emerging? "Hmmmm," Minkoff stalled. "I'll have to run that one by the Minkettes."

Mike & Chris' new shoe collection is arriving in stores any day now, but it was only after wrapping up manufacture of the debut styles that designer Mike Gonzalez realized just how shoe-obsessed he really was. "We transferred our production to the factory in Italy that makes Lanvin," explains Gonzalez, "and it was like a whole world of possibilities opened up for us, seeing what they could do." Consequently, Mike & Chris has expanded its shoe collection for spring 2009, doing for seventies-influenced footwear what the brand has already done for the leather jacket: Update the classics with some streetwise wit. "There's nothing exactly analogous to the hoodie," says Gonzalez, "but it's like, I grew up in Silver Lake, before it was 'Silver Lake.' I'm used to some mix."

As is the wont of superheroes, the Posso the Spat girls slipped onto the radar in a peculiarly mild-mannered guise. A line of spats hardly seems the likeliest front on which to open a rebellion against by-the-book style—but L.A.-based best friends Vanessa Giovacchini and Marylouise Pels liked spats, and for the past year, spats is what they've been up to, along with deejaying nights at sundry top clubs all over the world. There have been ankle spats, and croc spats, and patent leather over-the-knee spats worthy of Catwoman, all of which the Posso ladies have been inclined to wear bare-legged, with short shorts and sandals, the better to show off the spats' essential spat-ness. Now, however, Giovacchini and Pels are testing the rest of their powers. "It's all based on quantum physics and our fascination with perfect angles," explains Pels of the dynamic duo's new accessories, which debut for fall. "Vanessa drew this shape that felt really futuristic, and so we decided to build a whole range around that one form." As Giovacchini notes, however, the Posso leather cuffs, belts, and bags also derived their design from interests decidedly present-tense. "There's a hidden pocket in the cuffs that fit cash and an ID," she says. In other words: Superheroines need to keep their hands free.

Thursday, July 24
After a 17-hour journey, I arrive in South Korea at about 4 p.m. local time. I'm met by two executives from the Galleria department store, who drive me to my hotel. After dinner at a very traditional Korean home-style restaurant called Aloc, we go to a dessert place called Miel that's owned by a friend of theirs. It was pretty interesting—the owner went to RISD and rotates the art on the walls monthly. As it turns out, another friend of the Galleria people throws a weekly party that's popular with the Korean fashion community, and it's tonight. It's called Life's a Beach, and most people had a kind of Hawaiian theme going on, with flower necklaces and bathing suits. But I'm barely awake, so I decide to go back to my hotel at about 1 a.m.

Like many a dedicated thrifter, designer Carla Knapp has occasionally succumbed to dreams of the ultimate score: a trunkful of mint-condition vintage just waiting to be mixed and matched into the modern girl's casually classy wardrobe. A fantasy, sure, but Knapp has done her best to literalize it for the fall 2008 collection for her label, Mischen. "I was thinking, what if a girl inherited all her Parisian grandmother's fabulous clothes," explains Knapp of the collection's mix of hoary coats, origami-inspired blouses and skirts, and femme-y frocks in prints riffing on antique wallpaper. Though the odd pair of trousers makes an appearance in the line, the two-year-old Mischen is a far cry from the stuff Knapp was making at her last gig, as creative director of Paper Denim & Cloth. Currently pulling together the pieces she'll be showing for her first-ever fashion presentation in September, Knapp is clear on one thing: "No jeans. Not now, not ever." Grandma would approve.

Gareth Moody has a complicated relationship with time. The Chronicles of Never designer admits to enjoying the perks of technology—for example, the jet that flew him in from Australia for last night's Nylon-hosted party in his honor—but insists that at heart, he's a Luddite. "That's where the name of the brand comes from," he explains. "Never Never Land, a place where no one grows up and there is no time." Moody's time-averse designs for Spring '09 were on display inside Lower East Side gallery Assembly, the latest stop on a worldwide tour of his art and apparel installation, "BLACK NØISE WHITE RAIN: An Exhibition of the Past / Present and a Viewing of the Future." By Moody's lights, the future will look a lot like the distant past. Chronicles of Never's baggy, asymmetric cardigans; rough-hewn jewelry; and shoes—a new addition to the line—all looked fit for goth-minded androgynous serfs; hipsters, in other words. No surprise, then, that many of the same were crowded into Assembly to catch every fleeting note from psych-rockers Headdress.

"I guess this is one of those situations where great word of mouth cuts both ways," mused designer Eric Niccoli of Orthodox last night as he watched the crowd jostling to get inside the packed after-party for his men's fashion week show. Cutting Niccoli's way: His fête at Lower East Side club 205 was the must-do of the evening. Cutting the other way: The party, co-hosted by Oak, proved so popular that the open bar ran out an hour into the shindig, and downstairs, DFA DJs Jacques Renault and Justin Miller were contending with some moshpit-like conditions. Niccoli couldn't have been more pleased—not least about the fact that so many of the revelers were women. No, it's not like that: Orthodox's hotly anticipated debut collection for girls hits stores next month, and if the scene at 205 last night is anything to go by, ladies eager to get their hands on Niccoli's shrunken leather blazers and low-slung tapered trousers should heed the advice on the party's invite: Show up early.

Call it the Toledo metric: Henceforth, it will be possible to measure the fashion community's devotion to a designer by the number of minutes its members are willing to spend in her un-air-conditioned apartment, in the middle of a heat wave. To judge by last night's celebration in her honor, Isabel Toledo is adored indeed. "Ruben was painting, painting, painting until the very last minute," she explained of the hand-decorated fans making the rounds at the fête, which marked the announcements by FIT that Toledo is the winner of this year's Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion and that she will be the subject of a major retrospective in 2009. Co-hosted by FIT's Valerie Steele and Bazaar editor Glenda Bailey, the event saw devotees including Yigal Azrouël, Christian Cota, and Narciso Rodriguez braving the AC-free conditions at Chez Toledo.

Marie Antoinette, Elizabeth I, the Empress Josephine: Issa's Fall/Winter collection sourced its inspiration from some of history's most legendary clotheshorses. But that's not to say designer Danielle Helayel doesn't have a soft spot for the modern shop tart. "I really wanted to have some clothes in the line that were both stylish and machine-washable," Helayel explains of her capsule denim collection, which launches next month. It's true: Most of us don't have ladies-in-waiting just hanging around, hoping to launder our precious garments, which makes Issa's couture-tailored denim dresses, trousers, jackets, and waistcoats a welcome addition to the wardrobe of any girl slack about getting to the dry cleaner. The new pieces are debuting in antique blue, cream, and forest green washes; the silhouette is seventies va-va-voom: i.e., not the kind of stuff you want to risk shrinking. Air-dry, in other words.

Thursday, July 17
I arrive in Berlin in the morning. Immediately upon checking into the hotel, we begin über-prepping the show. The conference room swiftly becomes our Berlin home and headquarters. As fittings begin, the run of show starts to take shape. In the evening, we go to my friend Jasmin's bar, Anberg's Bar du Jour in Mitte, and have sparkling Pimms Royale. Here we meet more friends, Ines from Bless and Gabriel, a member of the art collective Gelatine.

Given that it's coming from one of the fashion industry's visionaries, it's not that surprising that the launch of Tom Ford's newest fragrance is as much about the advertising image as it is about perfume itself. White Patchouli, which is a modern twist on the classic bohemian (read: dirty hippie) ingredient, will be available in September, along with a series of black-and-white photo ads—produced by Ford, shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, and starring… Erykah Badu. The Grammy Award-winning singer, known for her neo-soul musical stylings and eccentric fashion sense, credits the collaboration to a "mutual respect and admiration" between herself and the former Gucci group designer. "I trusted him to pair my image with a fragrance that was exquisite, and he did that and more," she says. "I look forward to working with him again." In the studio, perhaps? Ford seems like he'd have a great contralto.

The Bebelplatz main tent, the site of most of Berlin fashion week's shows, was erected over the city's book-burning memorial. Designers who opted for off-site shows favored less historically loaded, raw industrial spaces. Yet gritty settings did not guarantee strong reactions. Instead, the sleeper hit of the season was Leyla Piedayesh's collection for Lala Berlin, which she staged informally at her boyfriend's Seven Star gallery. As models in slinky rock-chic knits posed in front of rare photographs of iconic film and rock stars, the designer explained why she decided to forgo a runway show. "There was something more important happening in my life besides fashion—I became a mother three months ago." S