Catherine Baba

We'll all be doing like Catherine Baba this season at New York Fashion Week if The Fashion Center BID have anything to do with it. In preparation for September they've called on designers like Diane von Furstenberg, Elie Tahari and Rebecca Taylor to spruce up Bowery Lane bicycles to encourage press and buyers to use them instead of cars to get around during the show season.

The bikes will be available in designated areas in the Garment Center, WWD reports, and will be free to use but will require a credit card to ensure they are all returned.

Will you switch four wheels for two this season?

It was all about American sportswear for Elie Tahari yesterday, showing a collection that was more playful than we've seen from him in the past but still as accessible as usual. The designer played with shorts - which was big last season - but made them chic. For those who dare to bare all in the warmer temperatures, he offered really short styles but was also wary to offer longer alternatives. Hemlines also came in varying degrees from thigh grazing styles to longer versions that sat just above the knee.

It's becoming clear this season that neutrals are not going anywhere so true to form Tahari played with this colour palette but gave us enough flashes of bright yellow and metallic gold to keep it fresh. A faun toned blazer was instantly made more interesting styled with a gold metallic pleated skirt and an asymmetric dress came in a subtle sandy gold beautifully flowing over the shoulder into a long sleeve and elegantly nipped at the waist.

See more after the jump

Last night saw Anna Wintour host the much anticipated Fashion's Night Out fashion show. The show - which is New York's largest ever public show - was designed to get the public excited for Fashion's Night Out which takes place in America on Friday.

See images of the show and attendees after the jump

Costello Tagliapietra, Jonathan Saunders and Henry Holland design for 'Toy Story 3' [Fashionista]

What's Jacquetta Wheeler's project with Annie Leibovitz? [Vogue UK]

Elie Tahari's place sold for $25 million-plus [Page Six]

Michelle Obama likes to keep designers in suspense [The Cut]

Introducing the "unreal men" of the coming fashion season [NY Times]

Image courtesy of The Cut

Rather than the attention focus upon the Spring collection from Elie Tahari - the sole purpose for the party - the designer and his new range were somewhat overcast, by not only one person, but the almost the entire cast of The City last Thursday. According to The Cut, guests spent the entire evening dodging large camera equipment, with producers frantically running around with release papers and asking attendees to put on their best faux natural characteristics - “would you mind walking over to that rack over there [he indicated a rack on the other side of the room] and then back to me?”

Poor Tahari, who seemed slightly overwhelmed by what was going on, admitted to only watching a few episodes of the New York series, and whilst producers finished up on 'set', Elle's creative director Joe Zee answered interviews on the move around at W magazine. “W was my home for ten years, and I absolutely adore Patrick McCarthy [Zee's former boss at the magazine] — he was my mentor and my hero, and I look up to him and he taught me so much. My career is due to him in many ways. So it’s really the end of the McCarthy era, and that part is really sad for me. But the exciting part is to see the future. Stefano [Tonchi] will do a great job, totally.”

News flash: Michelle O has a wide fashion following. One of her fans happens to be Israeli-born designer Elie Tahari, who has created a one-shoulder 'Michelle' dress in honour of the First Lady. He said on CNN's 'American Morning': "I noticed when I saw her that she wears bare shoulders and she had great arms...She has a great style, and what's great about her is she is dressing like everybody else can dress."

WWD reports that the Michelle dress will be available in a floral print for $598 starting in July, and a solid plum version will come out for $498 in October.