Blog: New York Fashion Week opening weekend

BCBG's spring 09 collection is commercial for the UK

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New York Fashion Week kicked off this weekend and for me it's just like going back to school for me - I have been coming here twice a year for seven years.

The same security guards give the familiar nod to right of access, veteran TV presenters talking to designers and celebrities, photographers and videographers grappling over the best spot on the media riser... The only thing that constantly changes are the models themselves - I can't keep up with who the latest supermodel is!  As soon as a model turns 17 it seems that she has retired and a new 15 year old has replaced her.

Another consistency at New York Fashion Week is the fashion itself.  It's always wearable, very commercial and lots of fun. BCBG (pictured)was one of the first shows today, and the collection did not disappoint. The designer, Max Azria, used muted tones of gray, mushroom, mauve and white to form his look. His influence was the 'urban landscape' and introduced flashes of bright colours throughout the tonal palette. Draping featured greatly in the structure of his clothing - a very flattering Grecian look. More modern shapes were also introduced, such as asymmetric hemlines and cute jumpsuits.  I haven't been too convinced about BCBG in the UK beforehand, but I think this collection will do well.

Nicole Miller also had a lot of draping in her collection. Her influence came from a mixture of carnival and street life, and a more tailored formal look which I am not too sure mixed well. In the tailoring/menswear story, I thought that her slouchy pants worked well and I could see myself wearing some of the sequined tops with voodoo necklaces, but nothing much else appealed. Despite my initial thoughts, Nicole Miller's clothing is a staple in New York's fashion scene and has a strong fan base, so I am sure she will fare well.

Aisling Cullen is a retail fashion advisor to Lunson Mitchenall