Cheryl Shops

Nicholas K
Every time I see a Nicholas K show, I think, I want to be that girl. For fall 2013, that girl is wearing draped sweaters and tops layered underneath parkas or biker jackets with some nubby knits and fuzzy mohair sweaters thrown in for good measure. That girl looks cool, and sometimes even a bit sexy in interestingly draped dresses, some of which had subtly sexy sheer insets. There were some outstanding leather-trim swing coats and paneled leather leggings too, but what I really want to talk about are the pants, a slouchy silhouette somewhere between leggings and sweatpants. Can we please make sweatpants for day happen? I mean, that girl is doing it—why can't I?




BCBG Max Azria

In my jaded old age, I've given up on requesting invites to certain shows, but Mina, who is only on her second season of having a press pass, is much more fearless than I am, and thus she's on the riser at some primo shows this season, many of which I've never even covered before, and some, like BCBG, that I haven't attended in years. Well, BCBG, it's good to be back, especially when it's filled with enticing prints, fantastic furs, and sexy leathers like this.


Kimberly Ovitz
Here's how Kimberly Ovitz's show notes began: "Through observing the human psyche and natural defenses that manifest mentally and physically, Ovitz explored the intricacies of the illusional protection systems seen in animals and insects." And they say fashion people are airheads. The Cliff's Notes version is this: insects. That meant sculptural outerwear, otherworldly liquid metallics, sexy fluid layers with dangerous-looking lace accents peeking out, and abstract prints that hinted at exotic creatures. It was all strong and sexy and mysterious—pass the venom, please.



Timo Weiland
Fashion week is such a three-ring circus, with celebrities and free stuff and photographers and beautiful people, that sometimes you forget why you're there. At Timo Weiland, Mina first texted me to tell me about the gift bags (thong underwear and nail polish!) and then the live band. What about the clothes, I wondered. Oh yeah, those! For fall, Weiland continued exploring menswear-inspired classics in rich-looking windowpane plaids for day and sweet flared-skirt dresses, sometimes with cutouts, sometimes in fancy brocade fabrics, for night—and all definitely worth paying attention to.



Concept Korea

In Korea, you can order groceries from the subway, and, well, there's also this. In addition to being Mina's motherland, Korea is also home to a booming fashion industry, represented at New York Fashion Week by the five designers in Concept Korea's show. There was ChoiBoko, whose black, white, and red appliquéd pieces looked like something your artsy aunt would wear; Cres. e Dim. (periods his), whose harnessed pieces evoked the Matrix while his aggravating music provoked my headache; Son Jung Wan, a NYFW regular whose show we'll be covering on Saturday (and whose polished line was the most appealing to me); Lie Sang Bong, whose placed graphic prints evoked either Spider-Man or Tron (take your pick!); and finally Kye, who has clearly been watching Yo! MTV Raps reruns, as evidenced by the graffiti prints, B-boy caps, and copious amounts of hot-mustard and turquoise hues. Heeeeey, sexy lady!

Finding one perfect winter coat is no easy feat -- especially when you live in an unpredictable climate. And of course, buying multiple coats sounds like a fun idea, but it isn't exactly practical during the already-expensive gift-giving season. On the other hand, finding one coat that can do everything is practically impossible. Or is it? The BCBG Convertible Coat has me thinking that my ideal winter wardrobe staple does actually exist, and can successfully combine fashion and function into one seriously cool all-in-one jacket! With its detachable lower panel, you can brave the harsh weather in a long sleek coat that'll keep you warm in any temperature (not to mention a drawstring waist to keep the long look from looking too bulky!), or detach it for a shorter bomber jacket that's cozy and chic! The hood's got you covered for an unexpected downpour or fall of snow, and with a detachable fur collar, you can choose to keep warm and be on-trend, or tone the look down by snapping it off for a more military-chic look. And finally, cargo pockets keep all your must-haves close at hand! The only downside to this do-it-all coat is the $458 price tag, but if you think of all the other not-so-versatile coats you won't have to buy, it's quite the deal!



Content provided by TheFind in partnership with Cheryl Shops.

Where & When: Friday, September 10 at 10 a.m., the Theatre, Lincoln Center
Runway Recap: Fashion cognoscenti (of which I am not) may look to Marc Jacobs for the barometer of what's cool, but, believe it or not, I look to BCBG (which maybe explains why I'm not the fashion cognoscenti). It's an empire, yes, with stores all over the world, but Max and Lubov Azria definitely have their fingers on the pulse of what young, stylish women want to wear, and the brand is always, always trend-right. So far, the biggest trend to emerge from Fashion Week is minimalism, and, really, New York is several seasons behind Paris on this one, but that's how it always works. Minimalism, which had its heyday in the 90s, was a reaction to the excesses of the 1980s, and if you think about it, it's time for a revival. From reality starlets and celebutantes to subprime mortgages, the aughts were pretty extravagant, so in these days of dialing back one's spending and embracing the simpler joys in life, it makes total sense that minimalism is staging a comeback. That said, BCBG's collection of mostly dresses was incredibly restrained and yet totally youthful. The BCBG girl no longer needs the overdesigned bandage dresses of spring/summer 2010; she has embraced a looser silhouette (continuing the narrative from fall), and with even fewer bells and whistles. The show opened with a series of all-white dresses, many with simple asymmetrical flounces, slowly transitioning to gray, then to vibrant melon, and finally to black, with bits of lace there and there. It all looked so fresh and so clean (to quote Outkast), and you can almost guarantee that this is what we'll all be wearing next spring.
Standout Look: The little black dress will always be a fashion icon, but if there's a proverbial dark horse in the running, it's the little white dress, and BCBG showed many strong contenders. They looked like a breath of fresh spring air, perfectly cut with a not-too-tight, not-too-loose fit.
Bonus Points: Loaded with celebs and top fashion editors, I spotted Anna Wintour and all the Vogue editors, the Elle team, plus Ashlee Simpson, Kelly Rowland, Katrina Bowden, Coco Rocha, and celebutante Poppy Delvigne.
Where to Buy: Click here for stores.

Where & When: Thursday, February 11 at 10 a.m., the Tent, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: BCBG is always the first big show of Fashion Week and it tends to set the tone in a way for the season. The last few BCBG shows have definitely veered toward the overly sexy, and while I love a sexy dress, I--as well as most of the women I know--prefer to leave a little more to the imagination in real life. Max and Lubov Azria perhaps sensed this shift in aesthetic, because nearly every look they sent down the runway today was a complete 180 from last season. Gone are the ruched, cutout, body-con dresses of yore; they've been replaced by asymmetrically draped and layered frocks that recall togas, albeit modern, youthful ones. It was interesting to watch the Azrias experiment with their new silhouette in different fabrics--the proportions carried through from colorblocked daytime looks to sequined eveningwear. Hey, that's their shape, and they're sticking to it. (And I fully support that.)
Standout Look: This was the first look of the show, and it definitely set the tone for the entire presentation. While most of the dresses had a certain amount of volume to them, they were constructed in such a way that they were still flattering. In this case, the belt helps to define the shape of the dress without taking away from its flowing essence.
Bonus Points: Most likely due to yesterday's inclement weather, there were quite a few empty seats at this show, but all the heavy hitters, from Elle's Robbie Myers and Kate Lanphear to Vogue's Anna Wintour, were there, plus supermodel Maggie Rizer, Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child, and everyone's favorite blogger, Bryanboy.
Where to Buy: Click here to find a store.