Becks line includes basic tanks, briefs and boxers for men that will be sold in H&M stores around the world.   Spectators can see a tattooed Beckham showing off his physique on Sunday for Super Bowl commercial.

“On a day like this, we’re all American,” Bono said after the spring preview downtown for Edun, the African-inspired brand he founded with his wife, Ali Hewson.

In an intimate hall at the New York Public Library’s flagship, guests at Victoria Beckham’s show twice stopped in their tracks on the way to their seats for moments of silence _ one for each tower _ as scheduled by the designer.

All Fashion Week events are proceeding as planned through Thursday, in contrast to the jarring halt of the September previews after the terrorist attacks, said Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Lincoln Center’s fashion director.

On the front row at Lela Rose, she described the conflicting mood on the tragedy’s anniversary: “Today is a day that is very exciting, but there is also a certain calmness, you know? Everyone can sort of just look at each other today and know exactly what each other is thinking.”

Linda Fargo, senior vice president of fashion at Bergdorf Goodman, wore a patriotic blue blouse and red trousers on the Beckham front row. “I didn’t expect to be so emotional today, but I am.”

Designer Tracy Reese had been scheduled for her first New York Fashion Week show on Sept. 11, 2001, and is proud to mark the anniversary at the tents this year. “At the end of the day, New York is unlike any other city in the world. Everyone worked together to pick ourselves back up.”

Several designers said they’ve made donations to various organizations in memory of the dead, including Derek Lam to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and Donna Karan to Action America, an initiative to turn Sept. 11 into a day of positive action and volunteerism.

“We remember that day 10 years ago that changed our city forever,” Karan said in her show notes. “We remember the courage, the inspiration, the compassion. How we came together, reaffirming our strength to the world. There truly is no place anywhere like our beloved city, New York. Our inspiration.”

After eight days of spring previews in New York, shows move to London, then Milan and Paris.

VICTORIA BECKHAM

Her crisp, clean and sophisticated collection showed off her skills as a dressmaker.

Beckham added several outerwear pieces to the repertoire _ including hooded satin jackets _ but she mostly stepped back from the looser silhouette that she experimented with last season.

Even the dresses with pleated skirts were built with tight bodices.

Beckham has made her hallmark out of well-cut geometric clothes, and it’s OK for her to stick with it. It’s the style that suits her best, anyway, as she showed off her post-baby figure in a zip-back shift while she took it all in from the front row.

In recent seasons, Beckham narrated from a perch next to the runway in an intimate townhouse venue. On Sunday, however, she was quiet in the library’s long, narrow Astor Hall.

The first looks to come out were asymmetrical navy coats with exposed zipper hardware, followed up by modern mod shifts _ the best one with a narrow sheer panel at the dropped waist, separating the navy top from black bottom.

Beckham told two color stories _ one navy and black offset with gray and soft lilac; the other also rooted in navy but paired with optic white and orange. A slim-cut orange sheath with a halter neckline and thick, white luggage-style straps is sure to get some buzz.

DONNA KARAN

The heart and soul of Karan’s DKNY brand is New York, and on this anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, she paid tribute to her hometown using one of its most recognizable symbols as backdrop _ the yellow taxi.

Models in loose shirtdresses, sheer sundresses, floppy hats and knee-length board shorts faced a bank of photographers with the doors of the Chelsea studio flung open to display a perfectly positioned taxi.

But New York is only a thread in the nation’s larger fabric, Karan said in her notes. She offered several cheerful looks in bold red, white and blue floral print. There were red-and-blue striped outfits, too.

Karan alternated between classic sportswear styles, like a navy blazer, and new silhouettes _ a flowing “step” skirt, with a clearly defined shorter front hemline, seeming to be her favorite.

DEREK LAM

Lam is dumping a new daytime wardrobe of elegant, unfussy pieces in his lady’s lap.

His “California dreamin”’ muse could start with brunch in skinny navy trousers with an exaggerated white cuff and silk crepe shirt under a sweater.

If it were a lunch date, she could step it up with a kaleidoscope-print shirt, sweater and black, bone and yellow patchwork snake skirt.

Cruising the afternoon away in the convertible, she’d soak up the sunshine in his yellow and caramel leather jacket, long and lean white crocheted T-shirt and matching skirt.

And, when it turns a little chilly, there’s the bold coral-colored, pebble-leather trench coat.

Lam said in his notes that the little fantasy that shapes his spring look begins at a beautiful mid-century home in Palm Springs, California, specifically the Kaufman house designed by Richard Neutra. The clean, modern interiors coupled with the desert landscape is his “place of salubrious comfort.”

CARMEN MARC VALVO

He had young, fun and relaxed in mind for his beach-inspired collection.

Valvo’s notes included a poem he wrote for the season _ “summer breezes, sea sprays, and salt water taffy” with some “seaside cottages and ballroom dances” thrown in.

For the girl heading to the Hamptons, he included an ebony cap sleeve one-piece and a champagne pearl embroidered tank dress. His signature eyewear gave the models a beach-ready look.

For evening, there was a stunning jasmine silk organza shirt paired with a jasmine sequined ball skirt topped with an ebony tuxedo vest that would kill on the red carpet. Many pieces had thick belts, including a black striped cotton canvas romper paired with a bright white one.

But the long dresses took the show, including one in pleated satin with a sun ray and another in pink lemonade silk satin that drew gasps and applause from the crowd.

Vanessa Williams and champion figure skater Sasha Cohen were on the front row at the Nasdaq building in Times Square.

MONIQUE LHUILLIER

Strapless and sporty? No problem.

She incorporated the athletic trend already tangible during this round of previews. Never mind that she’s known mostly as a source of red-carpet gowns.

There were worthwhile design elements to borrow from activewear, she said, including sporty necklines and aerodynamic striping and slashing. Her runway had a cobalt-blue racing stripe down the middle.

She also tapped into the popular optimistic color palette that editors, stylists and retailers are getting used to seeing for next season.

“I used a lot of vibrant yellows, as you can see. A lot of blues,” Lhuillier said.

The sunshine yellow strapless draped trumpet gown _ fitted but belled at the bottom _ is for the woman who wants to turn heads. Another yellow eveningwear look was an off-the-shoulder draped gown, and there also was a yellow trench with black lace panels. Who needs red to stop traffic?

Lhuillier used intricate seaming _ sometimes accented with sequins or leather _ to further flatter the physique.

Mandy Moore was on the front row. She said she was lucky to have her “Monique moment” earlier this year when the designer created two gowns for her to wear at the Oscars. “I am such a huge, forever fan of hers.”

“H&M is deeply committed to continuing our expansion within the U.S. market,” says Daniel Kulle, U.S. President for H&M. “We celebrated our 10 year anniversary of openings in the U.S. in 2010, and we remain dedicated to bringing our customers the best new locations and continually expanding our presence in the United States. The grand opening of H&M at Westfield West Covina will be a great addition to the California retail landscape.”

This location will offer collections for the whole family including with separate “store within store” sections for lingerie, maternity, sport and accessories. This two-level location will also carry H&M’s children’s collection which features quality garments for kids of all ages.

The lacy white Sarah Burton dress Middleton wore to Westminster Abbey on Friday provoked swoons of admiration as soon as she alighted from the Rolls-Royce transporting her to her rendez-vous with destiny.

Jennie Bond, a leading British monarchy expert and royal wedding consultant for The Associated Press, called the confection by the creative director of the Alexander McQueen fashion house, a “fairy tale.”

“It’s a dream,” she said. “It is a beautiful laced soft look which is extremely elegant. She looked stunning.”

Months of feverish speculation were rewarded with a piece of royal magic: an elegant ivory gown with low neckline, dramatic veil, and a sweeping, 8-foot- (nearly 3-meter-) long train.

It was discreet in comparison to Princess Diana’s monumental 1981 wedding dress, with its bouffant sleeves and seemingly never-ending train. Kate’s gown was slim-fitting and intricately worked, with McQueen’s trademark nipped waist and boned hips, raised collar and long sleeves of handmade lace.

As her “something borrowed,” Middleton wore the Cartier “Halo” tiara, supplied by Queen Elizabeth II. The tiara was first purchased by the Duke of York, later King George VI, for his duchess, who later became the Queen Mother Elizabeth. It was given to the current queen by her mother on the queen’s 18th birthday.

The “something new” in Middleton’s ensemble were diamond earrings given to her by her parents. The earrings by Robinson Pelham were a set of stylized oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond drop and diamond acorn suspended in the center.

But it was the dress that stole the show.

“Oh it’s gorgeous!” gushed Yvonne Ryland, of Yorkshire, England, who now lives in Spain. “It is absolutely beautiful. It is so slimming and fits her perfectly.”

In a statement, the Palace gave an exhaustive description of the dress, from the exact number of tulle-swathed buttons running down the back (58) to the technique used to craft the lace _ Carrickmacross, which originated in 1820s Ireland.

Workers at the Royal School of Needlework who created the lace, with its intricate flower, thistle and shamrock motifs, “washed their hands every thirty minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine, and the needles were renewed every three hours, to keep them sharp and clean,” the statement said.

“The dress epitomizes timeless British craftsmanship by drawing together talented and skilled workmen from across the United Kingdom,” the statement said.

Burton called working with Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, “the experience of a lifetime.”

“It was such an incredible honor to be asked, and I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created,” a statement quotes Burton as saying. “Catherine looked absolutely stunning today”

The design _ which hit the sweet spot between elegance and nobility, modesty and va-va-voom glamour _ had fashion insiders ecstatic.

“She looked glamorous and polished but still like herself which is important for any bride, even a princess bride,” said Millie Martini Bratten, editor in chief of Brides magazine.

Despite persistent British media rumors, Burton and top company executives had repeatedly denied receiving the coveted commission. That denial now appears to have been part of an elaborate strategy to maintain secrecy.

In recent weeks reports had circulated that parts of the McQueen office had been cordoned off so no one could see what was being designed behind the screens, adding credence to the belief that Burton had been chosen.

Now that the gown had been unveiled to near universal acclaim, Burton’s design was almost certain to be copied around the world _ just as Princess Diana’s meringue gown made bouffant dresses an enduring bridal trend thirty years ago.

Industry insiders were already bracing for the wave of brides, from Boston to Beijing, clamoring for knockoffs of Middleton’s long-sleeved lacy style as soon as manufacturers can rush them into shops.

“There’s absolutely no doubt that Kate’s dress will be a trend setter,” said Robb Young, author of “Power Dressing: First Ladies, Women Politicians and Fashion. “It’s sleek, understated, flattering, thoroughly modern and romantic which, ultimately, I think is probably what most brides today are looking for.”

Middleton has emerged as a major fashion trendsetter, capable of launching new styles just by donning them once. Cheap high street copies of the blue dress Middleton wore for the November engagement announcement have flown off the shelves, and sapphire rings modeled on hers have challenged diamond solitaires for the title of most popular engagement rings.

The commission will likely catapult the Alexander McQueen brand into the stratosphere of household fashion names like Chanel and Dior _ and seal the renaissance of a label whose future looked murky just over a year ago.

The February, 2010 suicide of Alexander McQueen shook the house to its foundations, leaving many industry insiders wondering how a house built on its founder’s explosive brilliance could possibly soldier on without him. Rumors circulated that its parent company, the Gucci Group, was contemplating shuttering the brand.

But doubts were put to bed after Burton, McQueen’s longtime right-hand-woman, showed her debut collection as creative director last October, a tour de force of structured, nip-waisted frocks in feathers, braided leather and what appeared to be delicate butterfly wings.

Since the royal engagement was announced in November, the fashion world has been crossing its fingers that Burton would win the commission. McQueen was both the most high-profile and high-fashion of the British labels tapped as contenders, and industry insiders said it would be a fitting tribute to the late designer’s legacy.

Burton has many supporters high up in the fashion world, including Anna Wintour, the influential editor of Vogue’s American edition, who praised Burton’s “brilliance” during a recent visit to London.

Burton also got a private endorsement from Alexandra Shulman, the editor of the British Vogue, who recommended Burton to palace officials when they queried her about who would be the best choice to design Middleton’s dress.

At Burton’s last runway show, in Paris in March, a collective shiver went through the audience when the first model stepped onto the runway dressed in head-to-toe white. The ambiance was palpably electric as the display closed with two tulle-covered gowns that looked quite a bit like wedding dresses.

Burton has garnered nearly universal praise for managing the dicey task of stepping into the massive shoes of one of the world’s most celebrated designers. McQueen had been suffering from depression and took his life days after the death of his mother.

Unlike McQueen, whose edgy personality was well known, 36-year-old Burton has largely shunned the limelight. She’s not a player on the London nightlife scene and even at the McQueen runway shows, she only ducks out only briefly for a shy little bow.

She edged out a number of other high profile British designers with experience in wedding gowns, including Vivienne Westwood _ who has criticized Middleton for being too timid _ Bruce Oldfield, Alice Temperley and Philippa Lepley.

The wedding _ seen by an estimated 2 billion people around the world _ was cast as a showcase for British designers. Labels from outside Britain apparently did not receive serious consideration in the gown sweepstakes.

Burton’s work reportedly caught Middleton’s eye when she designed an off-the-shoulder wedding dress for Sara Buys, a fashion journalist who married Tom Parker Bowles, the son of Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005.

Burton, who was raised in Manchester in northern England, joined McQueen in 1996 as an intern, working closely with the designer until his death. Her debut collection at the helm of the house, presented last September, was hailed for giving the house’s extreme silhouettes a lighter, feminine touch.

Burton has dressed A-list celebrities in the past, from Oscar-winning actresses Cate Blanchett and Gwyneth Paltrow to pop diva Lady Gaga.

“This just cements what an important label it is and also Sarah’s talent and her ability to create breathtaking clothing,” said Jessica Michault, online style editor at the International Herald Tribune.

All eyes, of course, were on the bride’s dress _ and it immediately became the stuff that dreams are made of.

The gown, whose details were kept secret until Middleton stepped out of the Goring Hotel to travel to Westminster Abbey, was a magnificent ivory confection with lace floral detail designed by Britain’s Sarah Burton, creative director at Alexander McQueen.

A plunging neckline added an edgy touch to an otherwise traditional dress with lace-covered sleeves that ended at the wrists. Her hair was half up, half down, lightly curled and decorated with a tiara. She wore drop earrings.

“The dress itself was a glorious mix of modernity with a hint of historic reference and a wonderful silhouette to complement the architectural beauty of the abbey,” said Avril Graham, Harper’s Bazaar executive fashion and beauty editor.

Maid of honor Pippa Middleton wore a simple cream column dress also designed by Burton, with a deep neckline, and naturally styled hair. Her bridal tones and sashaying walk down the aisle behind her sister caught the eye of several commentators.

“Her dress was exceptionally fitted, and it was basically white,” said Mark Niemierko, a wedding planner who has organized some of London’s most extravagant nuptials. “For a bridesmaid that’s always been a no-no but I think the idea could really catch on.”

The flower girls also were decked out in cream dresses with full skirts and flowers in their hair.

Queen Elizabeth II looked stately yet cheerful in a primrose Angela Kelly dress and matching hat.

Carole Middleton, the bride’s mother, wore a sky blue wool crepe coatdress with matching satin piping over a sky blue silk shantung day dress. Both were designed by the Catherine Walker label. Middleton’s hat was created by British designer Jane Corbett.

Middleton often dresses youthfully like her daughters, but on wedding day she looked very much the matriarch.

The duchess of Cornwall wore a champagne silk dress and a duck egg blue and champagne coat by Anna Valentine, along with a Philip Treacy hat and Jimmy Choo shoes. Anna Valentine designed Camilla’s dress for her 2005 wedding to Prince Charles.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s wife Miriam Gonzalez Duantez _ a Spanish attorney _ sent tongues wagging with a body-hugging dress draped with lace and a red hat but most guests were more conservative, wearing simple suits and knee length dresses in pastels and blues. Jewelry was understated, too _ small earrings and strings of pearls.

On their heads however, guests wore a riot of color, sculpture and design.

Irish designer Treacy made most of the hats for royals attending the wedding _ 36 in all that included creations for Prince Charles’ wife, the duchess of Cornwall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Princess Michael of Kent, Queen Anna-Marie of Greece and Princess Mathilde of Belgium.

He also designed a hat for Hollywood royalty: Victoria Beckham wore a midnight blue Treacy hat. And dozens of less famous guests wore his creations _ many resembling architectural works meant to elongate and frame the face.

“The wedding is an incredible boost for British fashion and for Britain,” said Harold Tillman chairman of the British Fashion Council, which promotes British fashion abroad.

“There is nothing better than a morning suit for men _ every man looks good in it. And all the guests looked wonderful. Most were beautiful and elegantly understated, with all the wildness and exaggeration in the hats.”

Princess Beatrice, 22, the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, was wearing an ensemble of Valentino couture and gloves by Cornelia James with Treacy hats that rose like a modernist building from her hair.

Her sister, Princess Eugenie, 21, was wearing an outfit by Vivienne Westwood with an equally dramatic hat and a ring by Solange Azagury-Partridge with a Union Jack design. The two sisters love playing with fashion, trying out cutting edge styles many of their aristocratic peers would be too nervous to wear.

“The princesses are young and they wanted to make a statement. They wanted to have a little fun, which they should,” said Tillman.

Prime Minister David Cameron’s wife, Samantha, broke with tradition: she wore a sparkly hair clip instead of a hat. Her dress was a tight Burberry teal affair set off by a striking necklace by Erickson Beamon for Erdem.

“Her dress and jewelry were great, but I was disappointed she didn’t wear a hat,” said Niemierko. “She could have easily carried one off.”

Zara Phillips, the queen’s granddaughter who will also get married later this year, was wearing Paul Costelloe. The couple’s friend, Tara Palmer Tomkinson was wearing Deborah Milner.

The wedding presents a golden opportunity for designers. Many replica hats and dresses are expected to be in shops this week.

Victoria Beckham wore a dress of her own design: the dark tones of the smock-like maternity gown had a slightly funereal look. Her husband David was one of the few guests to not wear a British designer, choosing wore a top hat with tails designed by Ralph Lauren, with a medal signifying that he is an officer of the order of the British empire pinned to his jacket.

Singer Elton John wore a purple tie and ivory waistcoat, while his partner David Furnish wore a light gray waistcoat and light-gray tie.

A handful of Italian designers are making appearances. Prince Harry’s on again off again girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, chose two custom-made Alberta Ferretti looks _ an aqua green satin dress for the abbey and an asymmetric, midnight blue satin gown for the evening.

The crowds outside were more eclectic. Most made sure they dressed warmly for an overcast British spring day, but accessorized with flags and photographs of the newlyweds.

Hats were as popular outside the abbey as inside. Some women wore hats shaped like a wedding cake, others wore plastic bowler hats with a union jack pattern, and some simply wore children’s party hats.

They appeared at ease throughout their wedding day, with William fighting back giggles at times, while Kate’s smile lit up television screens, especially when her new husband leaned over to say, “You look beautiful.”

Their intimacy stood in sharp contrast to the lack of chemistry between a wooden Prince Charles and Diana Spencer 30 years ago when they began a marriage that ultimately collapsed in embarrassing tabloid headlines and turned many Britons against the monarchy.

A million people lined the procession route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, many crying with joy. Cheers went up as the couple exchanged the traditional kiss on the balcony, followed by chants of “One more kiss!” The couple waved and smiled and, to a frenzy of delight, obliged.

An estimated 2 billion people tuned into the live broadcast in what may have been the most-viewed event in history.

The security operation was the largest since Charles and Diana’s 1981 wedding, and the day went off without a hitch. Police dispersed scattered protests from anti-monarchists and anarchists and arrested 43 people for offenses including drunkenness, breach of peace, and theft, but the mood was overwhelmingly celebratory.

“Everybody’s happy, everybody’s united,” said 61-year-old Sabry Darwish, who was in the crowd watching the parade route. “Everybody is behind the bride and groom.”

Many praised the couple’s rare combination of humility, humor and grace. Kate was a commoner from a wealthy but middle-class family who actually worked for a living after university; William has long had his mother’s touch in connecting to the public, and surprised fans who slept on the pavement overnight by personally thanking them Thursday for braving the cold.

The 28-year-old prince even displayed a quality almost never seen among royalty: humor. Surveying the 1,900 guests filling the abbey in their wedding finery, he turned to his father-in-law, Michael Middleton, and quipped: “We’re supposed to have just a small family affair.”

Then after a reception at Buckingham Palace, he took his new wife for a spin, driving a dark-blue Aston Martin Volante festooned with ribbons, bows and balloons _ and a license plate that read “JU5T WED.”

It was the kind of display that made some wonder whether the couple just might bring the British monarchy back from the abyss.

“It’s a real turning point for the royal family,” Nicki Hookings, 47, said at one of thousands of street parties across Britain to celebrate the national holiday.

For much of the world, the wedding was a dramatic reaffirmation of 29-year-old Kate’s beguiling star power. Despite the pressure, she carried the day with an easy smile, youthful exuberance and a sense of decorum that matched the event. And when it was all over, she curtsied easily before Queen Elizabeth II, comfortably sharing the stage with the woman who has reigned since 1952.

Crowds from Australia to Zimbabwe clasped Union Jack flags and donned hats _ and wedding gowns _ to show their enthusiasm.

“It’s one happy event in the world right now,” said San Francisco attorney Laura Claster, who traveled to London to be with the crowds. “It gives us a day of celebration to forget the troubles in the world.”

The day was a visual feast for fashion enthusiasts. Guests wore extravagant hats, some costing more than 1,000 pounds ($1,600), but all eyes were on the bride’s dress, the best-kept secret of the day.

The ivory-and-white satin gown, with its dramatic neckline, sheer lace sleeves and eight-foot train, was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen and reminded some of the wedding dress worn by a princess from another era, the late Grace Kelly of Monaco.

Kate wore her hair down and pulled back from her face, covered with a lace-edged veil and a diamond tiara on loan from the queen. Her dramatic oak-leaf-shaped diamond earrings were a gift from her parents.

William, second-in-line to the throne after his father, wore the scarlet tunic of an Irish Guards officer, reinforcing his image as a dedicated military man. Maid of honor Pippa Middleton wore a simple column dress, while best man Prince Harry chose formal military attire.

The sighting of the wedding gown prompted swoons of admiration as Kate stepped out of a Rolls-Royce with her father at the abbey. Against all odds, at that moment the sun broke through the steely gray skies.

The long aisle leading to the altar was lined with maple and hornbeam trees as light streamed in through the high arched windows. The soft green foliage framed the couple against a red carpet as they recited their vows flawlessly before Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

After a ceremonial drive around London in an open-topped horse-drawn carriage, the couple appeared with the queen and their wedding party on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where the highly anticipated first _ and second _ kisses brought screams of delight from the crowd.

It was then that photographers from around the world captured one of the day’s most memorable images: As the couple locked lips, 3-year-old bridesmaid Grace van Cutsem held her hands over her ears and scowled as she tried to block the sound of Royal Air Force planes screaming overhead.

Earlier in the day, the queen had bestowed upon the couple their first royal wedding present: the titles of the duke and duchess of Cambridge.

There has been speculation that William, his popularity only enhanced by his new wife, should step ahead of his father to become the next king. Many consider the 62-year-old Prince Charles stuffy and disconnected from ordinary people.

But that’s unlikely to happen. Many in Charles’ inner circle say he’s waited too long to step aside _ even for his son.

In Bucklebury, the sprawling village where Kate grew up 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of London, jubilant crowds filled the streets to celebrate the hometown girl who could be queen. Some of its residents were at the wedding, including the town butcher and baker.

“These are two young people very much in love,” butcher Martin Fidler said outside the abbey.

John Haley, owner of the Old Boot Inn who knows the bride from her visits to the pub in the nearby village of Stanford Dingley, said he teared up as he caught her eye during the ceremony.

“It was unbelievable,” he said. “It was just fabulous and more than I expected.”

The palace was holding two parties: one in the afternoon for 650 guests, and a dinner dance for 300 close friends.

Arriving for the latter, Kate pronounced it a “great day.”

“I am glad the weather held off,” she said, appearing radiant in a strapless white satin evening gown with a circle skirt and diamante embroidered detail around the waist, another Sarah Burton creation.

The flag went down as the queen and her husband left the palace for the younger royals to party the night away _ and for Harry to make his best man’s speech away from his grandparents’ ears.

It was rumored that Harry planned a “British fry-up” breakfast for those still standing at dawn.

The couple has been living in a modest house in Wales near the base where William serves as an Air Force search and rescue helicopter pilot, and will continue to do so after their honeymoon, which remains shrouded in secrecy. The prince “really is one of us,” said Sgt. Keith Best, a paramedic on William’s team.

“It was about women who say ‘I don’t want to look like my teenage daughter,”’ Gaultier told journalists after Saturday’s show. “It’s the ‘bourgeoisie sans age,”’ a catchy rhyme in French that translates, flatly in English, as the ageless bourgeois lady.

The 46-year-old actress Valerie Lemercier opened the show, a modest affair by the standards of the man who gave the world Madonna’s pointy-cone bra as daywear and has made a career out of showing skin.

Still, just because the collection had embraced middle age _ and covered up _ doesn’t mean it was resigned to being sexless. Models peeled off layer after layer as they walked, removing their gloves, tossing their scarves into the crowd and shrugging off trompe l’oeil trenchcoats that mimicked men’s pinstriped suits and even a tuxedo to reveal ’70s-inspired jumpsuits in eyepopping prints shot with glinting Lurex.

The action was lost on many in the audience, though, because the house didn’t install the raised runway that usually afords the whole crowd a good head-to-toe view. This season, the models walked on floor-level, reducing the show to a parade of the oversized gray beehive wigs for all but those in the front row.

Gaultier also gave a measured reaction to the high-drama saga that has riveted the fashion world for the past week _ the fall of brilliant Dior designer John Galliano, who was sacked Tuesday after 15 years with the luxury supernova amid allegations he made anti-Semitic insults. The scandal, with its airs of Greek tragedy, has cast a pall over Paris’ ready-to-wear shows and elicited a wide gamut of reactions from industry insiders, from catty remarks from some to impassioned pleas in Galliano’s defense from others.

“Everything that he has ever done shows him to be not a racist, but just the opposite,” Gaultier told reporters after his show.

Asked about a video that went viral on the internet that shows an inebriated Galliano, drinking alone at a Paris bar, telling the people at the next table “I love Hitler,” Gaultier said, “I think that with video we can make people say things they really didn’t. He said certain words, but in what context, what questions did they ask him, how long did it last?

“The only harm he’s done to anyone is to himself,” said Gaultier. “I find it really quite sad,” he said, adding fashion “is a pitiless milieu.”

Dior went ahead with its runway show on Friday, showing the Galliano-designed collection sans the designer _ who is rumored to be in rehab in Arizona _ and his signature John Galliano line is to be shown in a presentation to certain media outlets on Sunday.

Saturday, then, provided a brief respite from the all-consuming story.

Besides Gaultier’s gray behive-topped collection, inventive Dutch duo Viktor & Rolf sent out a battle-ready looks that looked like what Joan of Arc would have worn to a cocktail party. France’s reigning queen of knitwear, Sonia Rykiel, sent out an outwear-focused collection, while Japan’s Tsumori Chisato sent out wacky, colorful knits that appeared aimed at dethroning Rykiel. That most Parisian of labels, Azzaro, continued to churn out little black dresses that hit the sweet spot between modesty and sexiness.

Newcomer Caroline Seikaly _ whose abbreviated cocktail dress in Solstice lace became an instant hit after Madonna wore it to a Marc Jacobs fashion show last year _ presented 14 looks that proved she can do more than just ultra-feminine dresses. The 37-year-old Franco-Libano-American, who divides her time between Paris and Beirut, sent out slick, glam rock pant- and short-suits in silver jacquard and gold lame. Seikaly paging David Bowie.

Paris’ nine-day-long ready-to-wear marathon moves into the final stretch with an action-packed day six including shows by Hermes, Celine and Kenzo, as well as the much-anticipated presentation at John Galliano and the Givency display by Riccardo Tisci, a preternaturally talented Italian who’s the rumor mill’s top contender to replace Galliano at Dior.

___

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

Instead of fighting its age, Gaultier’s collection embraced it.

“It was about women who say ‘I don’t want to look like my teenage daughter,”’ Gaultier told journalists in a post-show interview. “It’s the ‘bourgeoisie sans age,”’ a catchy rhyme in French that translates, flatly in English, as the ageless bourgeois lady.

The 46-year-old French actress Valerie Lemercier opened the show, a modest affair by the standards of the man who gave the world Madonna’s pointy-cone bra as daywear and has made a career out of showing skin.

Still, just because the collection had embraced middle age _ and covered up _ doesn’t mean it resigned itself to dowdiness. Models peeled off layer after layer as they walked, removing their gloves, tossing their scarves into the crowd and shrugging off trompe l’oeil trenchcoats that mimicked men’s pinstriped suits and even a tuxedo to reveal ’70s-inspired jumpsuits in eyepopping prints shot with glinting Lurex.

The action was lost on many in the audience, though, because the house didn’t install the raised runway that usually affords the whole crowd a good head-to-toe view. This season, the models walked on floor-level, reducing the show to a parade of the oversized gray beehive wigs for all but those in the front row.

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VIKTOR & ROLF

Marauding medieval barbarians had nothing on these girls.

The drawbridge installed at the top of the catwalk clanked as it lowered to reveal models in silver lame cocktail dresses that had the menacing shine of battle-ready suits of armor, blouses with sleeves bristling with stiff pleated ruffles, like serrated knives, and outerwear emblazoned with oversized disks evoked razor-edged throwing stars.

A dress in black knit bisected by a red cross, with two red roses, looked like the flag of some warring kingdom. Pleated pencil skirts in hefty black leather looked sturdy enough to resist a battle ax.

It was like what Joan of Arc would wear to a cocktail party.

And with that war paint, she’d be sure to make a big entrance: The model’s faces were entirely slathered in red body paint.

The Dutch duo had been obsessed with volume of late, sending out models that looked like ambulant pup tents for the last couple of seasons, but Saturday’s collection brought that unfortunate episode to an end, with sharp-lines that hugged the body. A literal-minded pantsuit _ made out of an elongated pair of trousers that cinched over the bust _ was long and sexily lean.

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AZZARO

Azzaro’s Argentine-born, British-raised designer Vanessa Seward is the consummate Parisienne.

Season after season, Seward delivers wardrobes for the chic young things of Paris’ beaux quartiers, the tony, moneyed districts where the ladies’ appetite for demure-but-sexy cocktail dresses is insatiable. The striking, dark-haired designer is that kind of woman herself, and she’s her own best ambassador, wearing her sultry-yet-proper concoctions with aplomb.

For Saturday’s show, Seward sported a red wrap dress in fluid silk jersey, sitting demurely as two models _ both of whose resemblance to her was striking _ pranced in her abbreviated chemisier dresses and pantsuits.

At Azzaro, the hemlines are always sky-high, and Saturday’s collection was no exception. Little was the operative word for the little black dresses that had flippy hemlines or flirty pleated skirts. Everything twinkled with rhinestones, which glinted out from beneath the collar of a black wool cocoon coat and dressed up the necklines of the sexy pantsuits.

It all had a vaguely retro feel, and looked like what a bored Parisian housewife circa 1972 would wear to a secret rendezvous with her lover.

Even the label’s presentations are old school: Instead of a proper runway show, with thousands of people crammed, sardine-style, into a tent, Azzaro holds intimate little “mini-shows” in the house’s mirror-covered showroom on Paris’ chic shopping street, the rue du Faubourg Saint Honore. Two models change in the dressing rooms as the gathered fashion editors, journalists and stylists sip cups of tea and nibble on macaroons.

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SONIA RYKIEL

The house founded by fashion’s queen of knitwear focused on outwear, with a fall collection of utilitarian-chic loden parkas and princess coats made from tartan blankets.

There was still a hefty dose of knits, like the trompe l’oeil coveralls and cableknit sweaters emblazoned with oversized bows. A beige and toffee colorblocked sweater with a bold emerald green stripe in guise of a belt was pure, old-school Rykiel.

The coats _ in ochre, blood orange, lilac and Bordeaux _ were fitted out with patch pockets or sprouted oversized sleeves in fox fur dyed eyepopping hues. The trend of grafting fur sleeves onto wool coats has swept Paris’ runways, from Balmain to Dries Van Noten.

It’s a big-statement style, but one that’s not without its hazards: At Rykiel, a model brushed up against the vertical fluorescent light bulbs that for some reason dotted the catwalk, and the bulb shattered all over the runway _ which for another inexplicable reason was bisected by a chain-link fence.

Unlike most other shows, where serious, even dour expressions are de rigeur, Rykiel is all about smiles, and models are instructed to act spontaneous and happy on the runway _ a tall order for some of the girls. At Saturday’s show, the models congregated around the fence, chitchatting as others walked the catwalk. One model, in a sexed-up gown with a flowing emerald skirt attached to a black bra top, plopped herself down in the front row next to Andre Leon Talley and made smalltalk with the iconic U.S. Vogue editor as her colleagues walked.

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TSUMORI CHISATO

The Japanese designer is clearly out to oust Rykiel.

Chisato sent out jumpsuits in zany pastel colorblock, sweaterdresses with striped knit leggings and high-waisted culottes knit with kooky designs. Ribbed caps that looked like old school bathing caps, complete with the sensible chinstraps, topped off all the outfits. Paired with the oversized Iris Apfel-style owl glasses, it was really quite a look.

Admittedly, it was not for everyone: Those in the market for officewear might do better looking elsewhere, except if you work from home. But the clothes were embued with a sense of fun and lightheartedness that took a page straight out of Rykiel’s playbook.

Bria Murphy

Bria Murphy, daughter of model Nicole Murphy and multi-talented Hollywood icon Eddie Murphy has a new role.

She is officially the  new brand ambassador for the Dark and Lovely beauty brand for women of color.

21 year-old Bria will be featured in upcoming television and print campaigns promoting the new product launch and in-store merchandising, as well as host branded consumer events and participate in social media programs.

“I grew up using Dark and Lovely products and I am so proud to be part of a brand that celebrates the diversity of African American women and inspires them to be self-confident, glamorous and fun,” says Bria.

The new Healthy-Gloss 5 Relaxer and Maintenance System includes the Healthy-Gloss 5 Relaxer and will be available in mass market outlets and beauty supply stores nationwide next month.

That’s where the new collaborative collection from William Rast _ aka Justin Timberlake’s fashion label _ fits in.

Denim and leather jackets traditionally sell well in the December-January time frame, says Trish Adams, senior vice president of apparel and accessories, and that put William Rast at the top of the retailer’s list for a limited-edition program.

For William Rast, Target brings exposure to a wider audience, including some people who have no idea what to expect _ and that’s appealing, explains co-founder Trace Ayala, Timberlake’s childhood friend and design partner.

“For us, at the end of the day, when a company like Target comes to you, and you’re a brand like ours in an economy like it is, it’s a no-brainer,” Ayala says.

The look of this line is 100 percent the bohemian American traveler, the same DNA as the more upscale collection, he says. Yes, you might notice a difference in construction, but you’ll also notice the price tag, which has women’s faux-leather shorts for $39.99 and men’s jeans with oil stains for $49.99.

Ayala’s been wearing the jeans and the flannel shirts, which he says are better for his outdoor sports hobbies than the stuff William Rast shows on the runway.

Men’s likely interest in the brand was a key part of the deal, says Target’s Adams. “We really wanted to find something that could sell across genders _ that’s something hard to find.”

The fact that Timberlake’s name isn’t on the label, however, wasn’t a factor.

“We think some customers will know the name, but for every garment you sell with people lining out the door to get something from Justin Timberlake or William Rast, there’s customers doing their weekly shopping and see something they like and discover the designer from the hangtag.”

Reports of a melee sent Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies to the Los Cerritos Center mall in Cerritos around 2:30 a.m.

Sgt. Ciro Racowschi tells City News Service that a half-dozen men got into a fight in the food court, running and knocking chairs to the ground.

He says deputies contained the area and did a walkthrough but couldn’t find the brawlers.

No injuries are reported.

The mall advertised a midnight opening and Racowschi says it was packed.

Elsewhere, some shopping outlets opened their doors as early as Thursday night to accommodate the crush of shoppers looking for post-Thanksgiving bargains.

The singer, songwriter also performed “Love The Way You Lie, Part 2″ at the annual award show, which was broadcast live on ABC and held at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

Other winners at this prestigious event included Taylor Swift for Country Female Artist, Shakira for Latin Music Artist with Justin Bieber taking home multiple awards for Breakthrough Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Artist, Favorite Album of the Year for “My World 2.0,” and Artist of the Year.

Bieber became the youngest performer ever to win artist of the year at the AMAs.

Wang made a list for the Associated Press of 20 nuggets of wisdom she’s gained in her career, not only as her own boss but reaching back to her time competitive ice-skating (she was a contender for the 1968 Olympic team), as a Vogue editor, and as a designer at Ralph Lauren.

She’s still on alert for new tricks and strategies _ guess that’s tip No. 21.

1. It’s not just about what you design, it is who you dress.

Wang tackled the red carpet long before she launched her runway collection. She was, however, already making bridal gowns and competition skating costumes, so it wasn’t a huge leap.

“I jumped into celebrity dressing when it was pretty new. There had been a moment of Scaasi with Barbra Streisand and Bob Mackie with Cher, but not in more recent times, so I jumped in with Valentino and Armani, and there was an article in Women’s Wear about how I was dressing Sharon Stone,” Wang says.

Stone’s 1998 Oscar-night combo of a purple skirt by Wang and white button-down shirt was publicity Wang never could have bought. Wang still has a strong awards-show presence, but, she says, it’s tougher now. “Now it’s the fashion Olympics to get people to wear your stuff. … The Oscars are killer.”

2. Timing is everything.

Even though her preference was for sportswear, the opportunity in fashion in the late ’80s-early ’90s was eveningwear and bridal because those were big, expensive show-stopping pieces in the spirit of Christian Lacroix. Now, Wang says, in this era of Theory and Topshop, she’d probably do the reverse and start with contemporary, everyday clothes.

3. Luck helps too: It’s better to be lucky than smart.

Sometimes the big break comes from something out of your control. Wang points to Jason Wu, designer of Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown and many more outfits since then. He’s a young talent worthy of all the hype and praise, but there are other still-undiscovered designers who are, too.

“Smart” comes into play when you recognize the lucky break you’ve been handed and make the most of it, Wang says.

4. Nothing is new in fashion; its about how you reintepret it.

There are only so many ways a garment can be sewn to be functional and flattering, Wang says. The challenge for the designers is to twist it and make it their own.

5. It’s not about the money. It’s about the money _ always.

“We creative people don’t like worrying about it, but to be in business today, you have to face the reality of the business climate,” Wang declares. “I’ve redefined my business model constantly.”

Wang’s current partnerships include more affordable lines at Kohl’s and David’s Bridal. Business deals that make sense _ and maintain integrity _ allow her to let the creative juices continue for her primary collection, which is costly, she says.

6. Relevance is relevant.

Right now, in 2010, women want clothes that move seamlessly within their lifestyle _ and budget. If you can’t mix a collection piece with something from a mass retailer, it’ll rarely see the light of day.

“Women don’t run around in ballgowns, I’m sorry to say.”

7. Everyone deserves true fashion at any price.

No matter how much something costs _ high or low _ it’s an investment on the part of the shopper, and she should be getting something that looks good. Style should be democratic, Wang says.

8. Fragrance is about the most personal thing a person can wear.

“Fragrance makes a statement about who you are,” says Wang. You want to be a girlie girl? There’s a scent for that. Rebel rocker? There’s a scent for that, too. City sophisticate? Check.

“Girls can attain fragrance and incorporate it into their daily lives and not spend a fortune.”

(And the messaging incorporated into fragrance ads really helps define your brand to a larger audience, she adds.)

9. A pair of shoes or boots can create attitude in a second.

You aren’t wearing the same persona in ballet flats as heels, and clunky Uggs create a different aura altogether, says Wang.

10. Fashion is expressive.

Building on the shoe-attitude theory, use accessories to change your outfit depending on your mood, but keep the core pieces classic. Change proportions, wear fine jewelry with T-shirts or a chunky necklace with a gown, she advises. But then keep those pieces and wear them a new way next year.

“Twenty years ago, fashion was all about rules: You wore a pump to a luncheon and a certain Hermes bag. Now it’s about what works for you _ be preppy, downtown or Goth, or be all of those on a given day.”

11. In design, all people have is their own barometer to guide them.

Yes, there are larger cultural trends that designers need to be aware of, but Wang says if she isn’t “feeling” a particular color or silhouette _ no matter how popular _ it won’t work in her collection. If she doesn’t believe in something, how can she convince others to?

12. “I have spent my entire career styling, dressing and designing only for women. Never underestimate the client.”

Wang says she doesn’t give a thought to what men will think of women wearing her clothes. If the woman feels pretty and sexy, she is pretty and sexy. Winning her over is all that matters.

13. Ready-to-wear: always out of my comfort zone.

The runway is Wang’s chance to show off who she is and her aesthetic. (Think artful and dramatic.)

She says: “Designing this is a torturous process. It’s never easy for me, but that’s been good. I always push myself out of my comfort zone. I don’t see a reason to do it if I don’t.”

14. Bridal: conservative, flamboyant _ you never know.

The bridal collection has to have much broader appeal and be targeted toward the client’s tastes, Wang says. Most brides aren’t as influenced by fashion trends as they are the vision of the wedding dress they’ve always dreamed of. She considers herself more of a costume designer in the spirit of Edith Head than a tastemaker when it comes to bridal.

15. It takes courage to put yourself out there.

Reviews can be hard to read, she says, because the reviewers are ignoring the bravery it takes on a designer’s part to churn out collection after collection _ on a strict schedule _ to an often fickle audience. A filmmaker, for example, often can reshoot something or extend a deadline when something isn’t working. A designer doesn’t have that luxury.

16. Dressing athletes is a crazy winning _ and losing _ sport.

Skating was such an important part of her own life that she gets very emotionally wound up with the skaters she has dressed, including Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek, she explains. She wants the clothing to contribute to a performance instead of hamper it, which could happen if things aren’t cut perfectly.

17. You’re not always successful.

“I had to learn to dust myself off and try again. That’s my real story. I went to Vogue and I was not getting the big jobs and then I went to Ralph Lauren. I didn’t feel like there was much more I could do at the time there _ and I think that’s given me the opportunity to struggle. You have to struggle to appreciate the successes in your life. It’s not real otherwise.”

18. You are only as good as your team.

No one can do it all, Wang says, herself included. Fashion is not unlike a team sport, where there are a handful of people who get the glory, but it took many to get them where they are.

19. Keep fighting. Don’t sit on your laurels.

If you hang back, even just one season or one awards show, someone else is waiting to take your place, she says.

20. Everyone’s journey/route is different.

Wang says she tries hard not to compare herself to other designers, businesswomen, wives or mothers. Everyone makes choices based on their own situation and no one else will ever fully understand those decisions, she says, they can only second guess them.

“I’ve tried to create a life for me that is complete. The truth is, everyone’s route is different. It doesn’t mean one is better than the other, they’re just different”

There’s nothing understated in the colors, orange, green and royal blue; the stripes, decisively bold; and the patterns, from bananas to cherubs to monkeys. But there are also frills for a more feminine touch.

Miuccia Prada’s skirts are tight-fitting and to the knee, but matched with looser jackets or tops, some echoing the men’s collection presented in the summer with V-necks that evoke doctor shirts. The outfits are paired with wedged sneakers high enough to give basketball court advantage.

The look becomes decidedly more girlie when a thick frill is added to the bottom of the tight skirts, providing a swirl of soft motion. The motion doesn’t stop there: horizontal striped dresses are paired with vertigo-inducing striped sombreros slung over the neck for maximum contrast.

Dresses are fitted, with bold patterns and lots of stripes, often alternating in both color and thickness, with a stripe of fuchsia to grab the eye. And then there are the patterns: paired monkeys on a white background give a whimsical touch.

In fact, while the cut of the clothes is urban, urban, urban, the message is Caribbean, fun and loose, an attitude backed up by the fabric: cotton. In keeping with the mood, bright tropical fruits of marzipan were available for viewers after the show.

Even the sun dresses have a structured look about them. Thin straps and deep V-backs leave plenty of room for peek-a-boo, while tassels on the hemline beckon.

The little black dress makes an appearance for evening, with feminine ruffles around the gentle necklines. Lest anyone think, ah, black dress, seen that, Prada adds fun furry wraps in black and white stripes on a colorful background.

It was a day for celebrating female beauty as designers envisioned the spring and summer collections of 2011 in a playful way, short on orthodoxy, long on color and whimsy.

The majority of the fashionistas in the audience wore their customary black outfits, but the designers turned to a soft palette of summery shades, with some even embracing canary yellow and metallic silver.

“It’s off to a very good start,” said Harold Tillman, chairman of the British Fashion Council that organizes the twice-a-year fashion extravaganza.

Prince Charles made his presence felt as well, offering the courtyard of St. James Palace for a catwalk show featuring “sustainable” fashions in line with his devotion to environmental causes. Many of the chic clothes on display at the historic location were made from organic material.

The prince did not attend, but the show did have the royal stamp of approval, said Jane Boardman, chief of the Talk PR agency that helped organize the event.

The sustainable show featured a rare catwalk appearance by the statuesque model Erin O’Connor, who seemed to enjoy a brief return to the spotlight even if she started to giggle a few times. London Mayor Boris Johnson sat in the front row, near Jo Wood, the model and former wife of Rolling Stone bad boy Ronnie Wood.

Designer Paul Costelloe kicked off fashion week by breaking with his old-school traditions, offering a brash, eye-catching show filled with short, flouncy dresses in soft colors.

Abstract checks and some diamond-shaped art deco styles completed the look, which represented a sharp change in direction for Costelloe.

Costelloe usually opens fashion week with a somewhat sedate show emphasizing cut and quality, but on Friday he displayed racy dresses described as “Tinkerbell-turned-party girl.”

The short dresses included metallic weaves and twills that indeed twinkled in the spotlights, many featuring high waists and subtle pleats. A handful of floor-length dresses were topped by silvery metallic-style jackets with a space age look.

His playful mood was highlighted by his own outfit _ Costelloe wore a jacket and tie with dark slacks, accented by white Converse sneakers.

His menswear was fanciful _ few will opt for the sports jackets, pressed shorts and black patent leather shoes with dark socks a few models were wearing _ but the crowd enjoyed the six young men in well-cut suits who strutted out near the end of the show.

Still ahead are a host of London favorites including Vivienne Westwood, who usually uses her Red Label show to push her environmental concerns; Christopher Bailey of Burberry, Stella McCartney, Paul Smith and others as the fashion focus shifts from New York to London.

The weekend will be marked by late-night parties for the fashion faithful, but the mood will turn solemn Monday when a memorial service will be held for Alexander McQueen, the celebrated designer who took his own life earlier this year.

The gatherings reflect the importance of London fashion. A new report by consultancy Oxford Economics, commissioned by the British Fashion Council, said fashion is Britain’s 15th largest industry, employing more than 800,000 people and contributing 21 billion pounds ($33 billion) a year to the economy.

London Fashion Week, according to the council, generates orders worth around 100 million pounds ($156 million).

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CAROLINE CHARLES

Caroline Charles turned back the clock when she unveiled her spring and summer collection.

Her 1950s-style floral prints in silk and other fabrics were worn by models with their hair in tight buns and lips in bright red lipstick to capture the glamor of that era. Some of the evening wear used sequins and beads to dazzling effect.

The final long, swirling dress she presented was the most dramatic, suggesting cocktail parties and late night soirees. A pale leopard skin print dress with black gloves and a narrow black belt also caught the eye.

Many outfits included matching or contrasting gloves, some extending above the elbow, others cut very short. One floral dress had aqua colored gloves, and a retro black jacket was offset by long red gloves.

The collection also included Capri pants and boxy jackets.

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BORA AKSU

Bora Aksu broke out the ruffles, frills, bows and drapery in a “more is more” avalanche of chiffon, mesh, brocade and satin. The palette was muted with rich grays, navy and black, which was highlighted with sparkling metallics and a splash of raspberry red.

A loose sequin necktie and a bow tie were the only masculine part of a collection made up mostly of mini-dresses and skirts.

“The collection had a new age feel about it. The graphic leggings and the patterns reminded me of a spaceship,” said Kimberly Mansfield of Lushique.com.

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MARIA GRACHVOGEL

Maria Grachvogel’s spring and summer collection was a minimalist celebration, with long, unadorned dresses and models wearing naturally styled hair and very little makeup.

The pared-down silhouette had a fresh look as Grachvogel experimented with silver crepe catsuits and vivid prints. Some dresses in unusual colors like canary yellow and pale silver gave the collection a faraway feel set off by the jungle drums prominent on the soundtrack.

Many of the evening wear pieces were cut from a single piece of fabric that draped naturally over the body with a minimum of seams and decoration for deceptively simple, sensual look.

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SASS & BIDE

Australian design duo Sass & Bide presented a collection in which earthy tones of khaki and cream were infused with copper and clashing metallics. Patterns featured prominently, with some outfits resembling a dripping artist’s canvas. One of the most winning looks was a printed balloon style skirt teamed with a striped top and sky high heels.

There was no lack of dramatic details: Hammered metal body harnesses and beaded shoulder details conjured images of Joan of Arc, while stiff collars made of raffia reminded viewers of Elizabeth the First. The female warrior was clearly a theme here, as in Jena.Theo’s show earlier Friday.

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FELDER FELDER

Flirty, barely-there skater skirts, studded bras and shiny cigarette pants channel the ’80s at the Felder twin sisters’ show, which was inspired by textures and what the designers described as “free spirits.” The color palette was accordingly fun and disco-worthy: Electric blue, pink and red leather came bouncing down the catwalk to the soundtrack of “Born to be Wild.”

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HANNAH MARSHALL

Hannah Marshall’s show was the very opposite of the fun atmosphere at Felder Felder. Opening with a short film showing a nude model struggling to get out from under a piece of sheer fabric, her collection was all monochrome _ from black, chalky gray to dirty white, all outfits stayed true to a single color. Sheer chiffon, mesh and organza were hardened with tough leather and suede, and a key piece was an oversized tuxedo jacket with a back panel completely filled in with organza.