Final Day MBFW: Much Like Good Ole and New 'Strut'

HEAD’S UP: Can you believe it's Fashion Week already? That respite between September and February seems very short, especially since press registration notices started arriving during the crush of the holiday shopping season. In any case, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York has returned for the Fall 2012 edition. At VEVLYN'S PEN, we are going to do things slightly different this season. I still endeavor to provide a roundup of the best, worst and most interesting Yours Truly witnesses, from trends to sightings to the rather unusual/bizarre.

The change will be most apparent in show coverage. Where before I was doing a sort of "best of," I will tweak that this season and focus on what truly inspires me. Why the change? Simply put, I have grown weary of watching far too many collections that lack imagination because too much attention has been paid to the bottomline. If nothing inspires me, I will tell you so and tell you why. Let the games begin ...

Final Day
(SOME of the players, none at the tents): Adrienne Landau, Adrienne Vittadini, Bill Blass, Calvin Klein Collection, L'Wren Scott, Ralph Lauren, Saint Wobil, Stephen Burrows, Strut: The Fashionable Mom Show

IN a seemingly endless and disturbing cultural moment during which U.S. fashion has largely gone corporate, one can grow nostalgic for the good ole days.

The march of minimalism continues at Calvin Klein Collection for fall 2012. Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images.

Those were the days before the tents, New Media, Livestream, YouTube et al.; before everybody was a fashion journalist; before gift bags had the power to provoke stealing, stampeding and hording.

Virtually all designers invited press, buyers and other vested interests to their showrooms to present their fabulous collections and fabulous models. It was a celebratory atmosphere. It was all very civilized; hospitable. One was welcomed with a smile, given a run-of-show and offered refreshments. At breakfast there might be orange juice, coffee and muffins or croissants. From afternoon through the balance of the day Champagne (very little nonChampagne sparkling wine was on offer back then) flowed. It was all very civilized; hospitable. Did I say that already? I did? It bears repeating.

It took only two showroom visits yesterday to remind me of those days and the feeling lasted until the last show. It all started at Adrienne Vittadini where creative director Alicia Galitzin has been keeping the spirit of the brand alive since she assumed the helm in September … More shortly, including comments on "Strut," which is featured in the video above.

Visit http://http://www.mbfashionweek.com/ to learn more about Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, including show information and video.