MARC JACOBS

I was speaking with a few fashion friends who are European, and they were saying how visiting New York makes them feel like they’re in a movie. What New York gives them is a strong emotional experience. This is what fashion, at its best, should do. Marc Jacobs delivered that on Monday night, judging by the reactions of hard-nosed editors and reporters. Definitely a YSL tribute mixed with so many other elements: a tribute to America, to the American abroad. And all this set to Gershwin music! It slayed me.

CHRIS BENZ

I have a guest blog from Jim Wetzel of Jake! He’s going to share his thoughts on the Chris Benz show yesterday. I saw the show, too, from up in the mezzanine—no Gossip Girls there, just friends of the designers taking each others picture and chatting. "Oh, you know so-and-so, you met at that dinner Chris hosted last year. Or maybe it was his Halloween party." From what I understand, Benz sounds very social. Anyway, here are Wetzel’s thoughts:

Chris Benz wowed a packed auditorium (think high budget high school musical) with a new found sexiness and lots of short, short, short and ruffle detailing. The Gossip Girls were seated front and center for the parade of chic fresh summer frocks. Pops of color paired with neutrals. Fitted schoolboy blazers over jersey dresses. Our favorite look: the off-the-shoulder top and shorts. It’s what you’ll want to wear all summer long.

I would agree—and add that I loved the fluo jazz shoes. We’re seeing these at a lot of shows this season (Marc by Marc Jacobs, Hanii Y, Chris Benz)—a chic little jazz shoe as counterpoint to the super-high heel.

PETER SOM

Waiting for the Peter Som show in the morning (pretty clothes and beaded dresses that went down easy), I saw Meredith Melling Burke of Vogue run to tell one of her photogs to snap a pic of tennis superstar Maria Sharapova and 2008 Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Nastia Liukin. Two girls stood up with them, Elizabeth Banks and Kate Mara, but the actresses were asked to sit down. Vogue wasn’t after their picture. Awkward, but Elizabeth and Kate had a giggle.

HANII Y

A refreshing stop in the late afternoon, I went by West 18th street to catch Hanii Yoon’s first New York presentation of her Hanii Y collection. She said she was inspired by the summer lights of Denmark. Sharp stuff. Extremely wearable, I thought.

Photography: Elisabeth Fourmont