The second show I attended for New York Fashion Week was by a newcomer by the name of Keo. This was the debut collection from the 22 year old designer. It was by no means safe, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! The collection, dubbed “Sexy MF” after the Prince song of the same name, was inspired by the Purple One himself and the excess of the 80s, but with a modern 2011 spin. Keo is fearless and did not shy away from bright colors, lingerie, loud prints, and metallics. These clothes are not for the faint of heart, they’re designed for confident women who command your attention! This was an ambitious effort for a debut, so I can only imagine that future collections by Keo will continue to blow away her audience and critics!

Keo also used the show to raise awareness for the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation and the Epilepsy Foundation of Metro New York. Keo suffers from both Lupus and Epilepsy, but don’t think that she lets these conditions hold her back. Despite numerous hospital visits and extreme fatigue, she was still able to put on an impressive debut show.

Derek Lam is slowly becoming a New York Fashion Week favorite of mine. While he’s certainly no newbie to the scene, (he has been showing at NYFW since 2003) it seems as if Lam has found his niche and he’s not switching gears anytime soon. Lam effortlessly showcases each season his perspective on how sportswear should look for the modern woman. The end result for F/W 2011? Chic wide-leg trousers in various wool fabrics, structured peacoats and blazers in crisp, fitting silhouettes and delicate details of fur, shearling and lamé fused into pieces for an added touch of luxury.

The first show I attended for Fashion Week was Daniel Vosovic’s, Project Runway’s season two runner-up. I don’t think I’ve seen a collection encompass the essence of fall so well in quite a while! The leaves scattered across the runway certainly helped set that crisp fall vibe before the models even made an appearance.  The collection evokes a pilgrim and Salem witch trial aesthetic with a twist.  The capes and leather S&M-esque collars help blur the line between puritanical and provocative without looking campy, a very impressive feat.  The color palette was beautiful too.  While I mentioned that I think that this collection is thoroughly fall, a few of the blue printed and beige looks could easily work as end-of-the-season summer looks too.  Vosovic may still be a newcomer, but he has certainly proved that he can create collections that are wearable, yet still envelope-pushing.  I’m excited to see what he will bring to the table in September!

Below are some highlights and my favorite looks from the runway show.

Last 10 images via New York Magazine

Jenny Packham brought the glitz, glamour and serious shine with her Fall/Winter 2011 collection. I was captivated by the embellished mini dresses, sheer leggings, bedazzled rompers and floor grazing, red carpet worthy gowns. The collection was primarily comprised of black, gold and silver metallics. Young starlets will look phenomenal in Packham’s sheer sparklers. I loved the collection, though certain pieces were reminiscent of previous designers. Did anyone else get Balenciaga (embellished leggings) vibes? I suppose that is neither here nor there, as every collection is a reinterpretation of fashions past. My 4^th row seats limited the clarity of my images, but here are a few of my favorites. Shine on Jenny!

If you’re looking to live in a real life fashion fairytale, Marchesa singlehandedly complete the task. Season after season, designers Georgina Chapman & Keren Craig continue to wow us with their beautifully crafted dresses which are often described as delicate pieces of wearable art.  Their Fall/Winter 2011 collection was no different as they presented dresses in an array of styles and silhouettes in a color palette of red, nude, white and black. Each piece was carefully designed with the usual Marchesa look –rosette details, sheer fabrics, intricate beading and dramatic red-carpet ready layers. It’s rare that I fall in love with every single look in a one collection but in the case of Marchesa, they continue to send me to Cloud 9 with every collection that they put forth –please don’t wake me up from this fashion daydream.

Opened by Ajak Deng in a rainbow stained blazer paired with a corseted fringe mini, Jen Kao’s watercolor, fall/winter collection strayed away from the preferred metallic palate of some of her peers. Fringed, mermaid silhouette dresses, fox and mink fur coats, prickly gold leggings, staggeringly high platforms and the solar system rounded out Kao’s McQueen, Manish Arora (as referenced by Style.com) and Custo infused showing.

My thoughts? Fringe gone wild in some instances (striped button down paired with fringe kneed pant?!) and some of those animals suffered in vain (see fur poncho. Woe is me). Light-years from her ethereal SS11 collection, Kao ventured into unknown fashion territory. While we complain that designers should “take risks”, I’m not so sure if this one paid off. But hey, what do I know? A few pieces piqued my interest, but I was otherwise lost in an eccentric fashion galaxy. I’m curious as to what Kao will bring to the table SS’12 since she’s gone ballsy.