Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Notebook

By Jenny B. Davis

Last month, top designers from around the world met in New York City to present their fall/winter collections, and I was there.

FAVORITE CELEBRITY SIGHTING

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Jada and Willow Smith at Michael Kors -- I loved Willow's new spiky 'do, and Mom could not have been more petite and elegant.

Most delish libation

The Fashionista Disaronno, a low-cal (of course!) cocktail served at a stylin' press party at the Stone Rose Lounge in the Time Warner Center.

FAVORITE MOMENT

Chatting with Elle magazine creative director Joe Zee at Ralph Lauren -- such a vibrant and gracious man, and impeccably dressed, natch.

WILDEST TREND

The weather -- one week it was superstorm Nemo and head-to-toe fur, the next it was clear blue sky, sun and open coats.

BIGGEST OMG MOMENT

Watching top model Daria Strokous (left) glide down the runway at Ralph Lauren in a champagne shearling caplet over a beaded champagne tulle evening gown. Breathtaking. Close second: when Karlie Kloss (above) -- perhaps the most famous face in the modelsphere right now -- worked her power walk down the same runway in a strapless black beaded gown.

COOLEST SHOW MOMENT

The tent-wide standing ovation for Zang Toi (right). He deserved it -- every look was a showstopper.

IF I WERE A SUPERMODEL

I would buy and wear every single outfit in Brandon Sun's collection.

MOST EXCITING FASHION WEEK LAUNCH

Duro Olowu for JCPenney, out this month. The Nigerian-born designer's print-mixing is masterful (and I worship his wife, museum director Thelma Golden). I'm planning on buying everything in the line that fits to wear with wooden-wedge sandals now and closed-toe gladiator boots in the fall.

MY MEAL PLAN

Although there were plenty of free fiber bars at Fashion Week, I'm not trying to maintain a model figure. Meaning I dined and imbibed like a queen at Red Rooster Harlem (our second meeting with chef Marcus!), Prune, Red Cat, Gemma and various street vendors for warm nuts and gyros-and-kebab plates (aka "Street Meat"). Totes delish.

MY TOP THREE FALL/WINTER TRENDS

1. Shades of blue: From luscious blue silk charmeuse dresses, furs and gloves at Oscar de la Renta to the bold, mod blue-and-black pairings at Michael Kors to blue snakeskin print at Reed Krakoff and blue eye shadow at Jason Wu and Rebecca Minkoff -- the list goes on and on.

2. Rocker-inspired black leather: From boots to trenches, the more buckles and zippers, the better. And touches of fur work, too -- especially at Altuzarra and Alexander Wang.

3. Pattern play: Multicolored camo (even on fur!) at Michael Kors and houndstooth at Rag & Bone (and many others) joined the ranks of perfect patterns from repeat pattern-perfectors like Mara Hoffman, Carolina Herrera and Nicole Miller.

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