Fashion week invites sometimes look a little crazy. Sometimes designers try to out-weird one another by coming up with the most abstract-looking piece of paper they can think of to ask buyers and editors and stylists to come look at some clothes. I actually had to use Google to help me figure out one of them this year, because the writing was so jacked-up I couldn't read the designer's name.

Sometimes, though, they look great. Like these. From left to right, we have Avsh Alom Gur (who also designs for Ossie Clark), Mulberry and Modernist.

Avsh Alom Gur gets points because, well, anything that comes in an envelope within an envelope is as fun as those Russian dolls everyone likes when they're kids.

For Mulberry: Hello, it's a glossy beetle on top of matte baby beetles. And plus, the beetle swivels. I actually cried once when I had to kill a spider (didn't like the way it was looking at me), and even I know when something is both buggy and well designed.

And last, and most impressively, we have Modernist. Sorry, didn't hear you? You can't read the fine print? That's right, it's a packet of seeds for a special Modernist bird of paradise. A freaking bird of paradise. Hell. Yes.

Is it me or are the 80s having a comeback for fall? Michael Kors - set to open his first UK store in London this April - showed a strong and somewhat interesting collection today in New York.

The audience was lulled into a false sense of security with full on black looks like a beautiful asymmetric knee length dress worn by Raquel Zimmerman. I say false sense of security because after a few head to toe black looks came a fur neon jacket with a knee length dress and belt to match. Backstage Kors said: “Listen, I don’t know if nature-inspired florals are a really urban thing. So when you think about fall colour in New York — and this is really my homage to New York; it’s a very New York show — you think of neon. I love just the pop of neon with all these neutrals.”

more after the jump

Vogue loves her. We love her. Now you can love her, too. Sophie Gittins tells Fash Pack about training at Chloe, meeting Manolo Blahnik, and gaining a surprisingly sweet perspective from insects.

(Can you tell we're getting excited for some fabulous British designing at London Fashion Week?)


When did you start designing?
It’s hard to say when I first started officially but I’ve always been altering things and adding details. Friday teatimes were normally dominated by me attempting some hideously complicated alteration to a dress of some description – I remember painstakingly spending hours stitching lace roses onto some shoes only to change my mind the next day and snip them off again.

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Hello, fashionable people! As you might or might not know, tomorrow starts London Fashion Week. So - it's fabulous.

BUT in light of that, there are a million things to plan - which party will have a better scene, which booties go best with the fishnets - you get my drift. So how's about I give you my first thoughts on a few looks from Doo-Ri Chung, and you tell me yours? Great! xoxo

(PS: The line had gorgeous variations on the basic white shirt and pretty purple dresses, but I like black. So deal.)

more after the jump

Richard Chai has been developing this tough-looking rock queen for a while now. Building on ideas from his last two collections,Chai presented the fashion crowd with gorgeous tartans, tough leather and fabulous furs. The muted palette of black, green, red, white and blue was combined to create edgy check prints and strong, colour-blocked separates. This strong-shouldered coat in leather had a slight 80s, Matrix feel, while the plaid dress was beautifully draped and very versatile.

more after the jump

Proenza Schouler showed a sassy and sexy collection, with many extremely wearable, yet creative pieces. While there were plenty of separates, the main show case pieces were coats, jackets and dresses.

Models legs were clad in thick Winter tights (see even fashion feels Global Warming), which varied from black opaque to patterned grey.