Pink Rock Candy – Top fashion trends, news and shopping of 2010

I’m not usually an advocate of celebrity fashion lines. Generally, I have trouble believing the celeb had any creative participation in the design process, while the actual clothes leave much to be desired. There are a few celebrities who have successfully entered the fashion world as designers, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen being two of them, and I believe Nicole Richie may be another name to add to the short list.

Richie’s House of Harlow 1960 accessories line was quite nice, and to this day, I still want the Starburst Star ring in cream ($45). After seeing the InStyle first look of Richie’s Winter Kate fall 2010 collection, I can honestly say, I’m quite pleased.

The line is inspired by the movie, From Hell— you know, the Jack the Ripper starring Johnny Depp that I’ve seen more times than I’m willing to admit— and the inspiration is quite evident in very dandy vests and capes.

However, it is the more bohemian pieces— those truer to the Nicole Richie essence— I like the most, including the very flowy, sexy, sheer and red shirtdress.

Nothing in the collection is groundbreaking, but sometimes, a good label just needs to be wearable, and more to the point saleable, both of which describe the Winter Kate fall 2010 collection.

There’s a certain feeling— a whole body buzz— you get when watching a runway show you’ve helped create. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that feeling during the Fall/Winter 2010 Twinkle by Wenlan runway show. I stopped interning there as Fall 2010 was being prepared, and I can’t say I had anything to do with the magic that was seen during the show. Yes, I did say magic, and that’s because I loved the collection. I’ll even go as far to say I liked Fall 2010 better than Spring 2010, and I had some hand in the preparation for the Spring show. The dark fairytale theme of Fall 2010 starkly contrasts this Springs 80s glitz, Blondie meets Ono aesthetic, and the normally trapeze and girlie silhouettes were replaced by a more form fitting and sexy shape, all while maintaining the essence of the fun, flirty, will-keep-you-guessing Twinkle girl. The Hansel and Gretel print seen in the vanilla sleeveless number to the left, is something I would wear all year, but was smartly contrasted by a white Chunky Knit scarf wrapped to the chin. However, it was this Nostalgia long sleeve dress that was my favorite. The parchment color is so utilitarian, but the shape is sexy and feminine. Oh, and did I mention the necklace, and the rest of the jewelry, for that matter? It was just my style, chunk, chunk, chunky! All I have to say is, congrats Wenlan and all the other lovely ladies whom I adore and who worked so hard on this collection. It was a total success.

p.s. To see what I wore, follow the jump!

So what did I learn whilst waiting for and attending the Christian Siriano F/W 2010 show yesterday?

1. Paul Wilmot Communications, the PR firm that handled front-of-house, is super organized. They were doling out seating assignments before they even thought of opening the line. Good work guys!

2. Even if you are an eFamous ex-scenequeen, you aren’t getting into the Siriano show without an invite.

3. I miss my Twinkle by Wenlan girls. I bumped into another lady I interned with, and I miss her so much.

4. The Standing Section absolutely sucks, and taking pictures from Standing is even worse.

5. If you are in Standing and happen to be next to a tall guy with a video camera, you can sneakily watch the show through his view finder instead of not watching the show because of the person’s head in front of you.

6. Christian Siriano’s Project Runway win wasn’t a fluke. The Fall/Winter 2010 collection may have been a bit dark— the shimmery blacks and ink blues bled into hues of wine and a bit of fuchsia— but, it was beautiful, both in conception and execution.

7. If the Siriano collection is any representation of Fall 2010, everyone will be wearing the chic combo of black and navy.

8. I desperately want a short, navy one-shoulder bubble dress and black, half-wedge booties (left), of which a similar design will be available at Payless.

9. Even gorgeous models who open and close shows like Sessilee Lopez trip sometimes (she didn’t fall though).

10. Christian Siriano is as cute and FIERCE from 50 feet away as he is on TV. L-O-V-E!

Photo Credit: Photo by Arun Nevader/Getty Images North America from Zimbio

One of my favorite parts of the pre-fashion week prep is receiving preview sketches of the upcoming collections. This insight is only trumped by actually receiving a show invite and actually being able to make it to the show. Rebecca Taylor has officially been the first designer of the season to make me doublely excited by providing me with both a sneak peek sketch of the collection and an invite to their Valentine’s Day show.

It’s amazing how palpable the fashion week excitement is on the Internet. Aside from a few friends in my life, and co-workers of course, to most of my friends and family, fashion (read clothes) just happens like eating or breathing. So, when speaking to them of fashion week and any other thing having to do with the industry, I receive blank stares and humoring nods. However, when I open my inbox or read my favorite blogs, the buzz is everywhere this time of year, along with a bit of the romantic spirit sprinkled throughout, of course.

Luckily for those Valentine’s Day naysayers, the hearts and KISS MEs haven’t seemed to blur into the fashion week hysteria, as evindent in the neutral colors and slight hippie aesthetic seen in the sketch— Also, simply seeing the phrases Parisian and New York City girl in the same sentence makes me love this collection already.

p.s. Taylor Swift wore a Rebecca Taylor tunic, which I loved, during her performance at the Grammy’s, and I can’t wait to see, first hand, the new beauties Rebecca will send down the runway for Fall 2010.