Zang Toi Mercedes Benz Fashion Week The Tents at Bryant Park February 9, 2007 mercedesbenzfashionweek.com Written by Wendy R. Williams Photographed by Evens Lamour

Paris walked the runway at the Zang Toi show. The show started when a leggy young model (sporting a huge mop of hair and a cigarette in her gloved hand) entered clad in a short snugly fitted leopard skin coat.

Toi must love romance; his fall collection is a riot of red roses, prints and plaids. One beautiful black gown had a spray of roses tucked into the waist of its low cut back. Another hot-to-trot black evening gown had a stunning red necklace collar that cascaded down both the front and the low cut back.

But there is something in this opulent line for everyone. There were fun vintage- looking short numbers that would be perfectly suited for smoking under a street light on the Rue Mouffetard (use a fake cigarette, it will look just as cool) and gorgeous gowns for modern day Edith Piaf's to wear reclining across the top of a cabaret piano. But Zang has not ignored his bread-and-butter clients; there are also more modest but beautiful dresses that would be perfectly suited for a symphony ball in Des Moines or a wedding in Beirut.

Zang Toi's apartment is featured in the March 2007 edition of Elle Decor. He also recently participated (along with designers Kimora Lee Simmons, Nicole Miller and St. John) in the design of trendy wheel chairs for the disabled.

Bravo to Toi for a cool, fun show!