Mercedes Benz Fashion Week February 2 – 9, 2007 www.mercedesbenzfashionweek.com Written by Wendy R. Williams Photographed by the New York Cool Photographers (Cover Photo September 2006 Peter Som Show by Evan Sung)

Mara Hoffman Photo by Mary Blanco

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week will be billowing the tents in Bryant Park (yes it is back in Bryant Park after that little uproar last fall) beginning February 2nd and running through February 9th . This year there will be ninety-four show in The Tents and dozens more outside-the-tents-as-in-not-listed-as-an official-show shows in venues such as the Altman Building at 135 18th Street, Bed (Irina Shabayeva), The Soho Grand (Sue Stemp) and Capitale (Nicole Romano). Even some of the vaunted “tented” designers have actually chosen to show elsewhere: Skylight Studios (Ralph Lauren); Yeohlee (The W Hotel); and even The New York Public Library (Jill Stuart).

The streets around Bryant Park will be filled with six-foot-tall-one-hundred-and-ten-pound-models-in-high-heeled-boots-and-severe-ponytails-with-cigarettes-hanging-from-their-mouths. These gorgeous gazelles fly in from somewhere (Brazil?), run in and out of the tents in groups of three or four for a week (always accompanied by one hot looking Italian guy in a motor cycle jacket) and then fly back out, not to be seen for another six months. And the stylists; what would Fashion Week by like without all the stylists who have spent the last six months since the last show planning their “look.” Some of the best photo opportunities are actually inside the tents, photographing the many stylists with looks invoking every period from the 1950’s American through Japanese punk. And then there are the walking pieces of art like Andre J (of Patricia Field fame) and Patrick McDonald the magnificent.

Patrick McDonald - Photo Credit Ian Bone

And there is the fun of Project Runway stalking, last fall we caught up with Project Runway winner Chloe Dao at the Daniel Franco show where we also got a photo of Tim Gunn and Emmett McCarthy (both also of Project Runway fame).

Chloe Dao Photo by Al McCotter	Emmett McCarthy & Tim Gunn Photo by Al McCotter

The thrill of fashion week is the search for the next hot “thing,” the designers who push the button to the future, the ones who create buzz, excitement and a bit of “what the f**k is that?” Last fall we saw Malan Breton’s first show, Anand Jon’s incredibly sexy outfits (hot enough for Paris Hilton), Daniel Franco’s street-creed dresses, and b Michael’s fun show with The Brand New Heavies singing on the runway.

Malan Breton Photo by Al McCotter

And Grey Ant, who could ever forget Grey Ant’s danced show?

Grey Ant Photo by Mario Clemente

And we were also dazzled by the more established pros like Betsey Johnson, Katie Stern, Zang Toi, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Marc Bouwer - success certainly has not dulled their coolness.

Betsey Johnson by Evan Sung

Katie Stern by Wayne Huang

Zang Toi by Wendy R. Williams

Sabyasachi Mukherjee by Mary Blanco

Marc Bouwer by Jose S Vibar

And to whet your appetite for the new fall of 2008 fashions we will be seeing at Fashion Week this February, here is a medly of some of our favorite looks from the Fall 2007 shows (where we saw the Spring of 2007 looks). It is fun to look at them because New York WILL finally warm up and then we will definitely want some new clothes.

Alexandre Herchkovitch Photo by Evan Sung

Anand Jon Photo by Jose S Vibar

Marc Bouwer by Jose S Vibar

Be sure to check our fashion section daily during February; we will be publishing something every night. Last fall we covered thirty four shows and are planning to do at least that many in February of 2007. We will be hitting the streets and the tents and we are ready to be dazzled.