"What is black, white, and red all over," could easily have been the riddle du jour at Susan Woo's intimate presentation Saturday afternoon. A small coterie of friends and editors gathered at the LOFT penthouse of the Bryant Park Hotel to sip some Belvedere Rasberry infused cocktails, and, of course, view the red-hot designer's Fall 2010 collection.

Regarding the collection's color scheme, Ms. Woo confides, "I love black and white. It's my favorite. It's my go-to. I love the contrast. It is so simple, yet dramatic." The body slimming dresses, studded skirts, zippered jackets, and the Michael Antonio bondage shoes added an extra degree of edginess to the 18 looks that rotated throughout the presentation.

As for that other primary color, red, Woo opines: "I want colors that pop; colors that compliment women." Yet, what sets Susan Woo apart from many other young designers is her ability to yield dramatic show-stopping effects ... Read More

Last Thursday marked a first of many sorts. For some, it was the unofficial beginning of fashion week, replete with scenesters attempting to juggle several events in one evening (a first for 2010). For model Chanel Iman, the evening was her debut as a bold-faced DJ. For the Rykiel family, it was celebrating the unveiling of their first knitwear line exclusively for H&M.

Celebrities and socials, including Leighton Meester, Kelly Rutherford, Michelle Williams, Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Amanda Hearst, and Mark Indelicato, supped on Bobo delicacies and perused the collaboration that marks the first H&M designer series to create looks for both women and girls. In a corner booth of the cozy boite, Nathalie Rykiel explained the inspiration for her line: "I wanted to offer the maximum essence of the Rykiel Parisienne chic in one collection, to all women." Indeed, on February 20th, the signature knits will reach 20 U.S. stores ... Read More

The CFDA has always prided itself on discovering and supporting young and upcoming design talents, but their latest design award program takes this dedication one step further. The Liz Claiborne Fashion Scholarship program, made possible by the generous donation of the late designer's husband and business partner, Art Ortenberg, awards $25,000 to a full-time senior student in fashion design. A merit-based award (judged by a prestigious panel of industry experts), the scholarship is put towards the lucky winner's second semester senior year tuition.

This newest of the CFDA design awards takes Liz Claiborne's "fit the way you live" maxim straight into the 21st century. CFDA Associate Executive Director Lisa Smilor said that the program "recognizes the very important contribution that designer Liz Claiborne made to the fashion industry, and it brings her design aesthetic into the classrooms at the country's leading design colleges and universities."

After looking at 20 submitted portfolios, the ... Read More