Exclusive Punk-inspired collection from Moda Operandi.

Already have your invitation to the 2013 Costume Institute's Benefit, but can't figure out how to turn your epic ballgowns from years prior to fit this year's theme of "Punk"? No worries, digital luxury retailer Moda Operandi has your back: Starting on May 2nd, the site will be selling 100 one-of-a-kind, punk-inspired clothes and accoutrements from famed fashion houses.

Problem solved! Now you just have to figure out which designer you are pretending brought you to the event.

According to WWD, the items up for grabs include:

T-shirts hand-studded with spikes from Eddie Borgo; a Givenchy chiffon and leather cape, and two corseted Vivienne Westwood tartan dresses. Rodarte, House of Waris, Moschino, Prabal Gurung, Thom Browne, Preen, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana and Ek Thongprasert also made special pieces for the occasion.

Because nothing says "punk" like Dolce & Gabbana. Actually, this was a brilliant marketing move by the Operandi founders, Lauren Santo Domingo and Aslaug Magnusdottir. The ties run deep: the Internet-only retailer received a second round of funding last June--to the tune of $36 million--from Conde Nast, LVMH and IMG (among others). Not to mention that the exhibition is made possible by Moda Operandi and Conde Nast, according to the Met's website. And as Ms. Domingo is a former contributing editor Vogue (and one of the benefit's chairwomen) and Ms. Magnusdottir a cofounder of Gilt Groupe, creating a web-based fashion event around the hottest Anna Wintour-helmed ticket of the season was probably a no-brainer.

Now we are just left wondering: Who will these ladies be wearing?

A smiling staffer presents John Demsey with his cake.

Last Thursday evening, the stars aligned—both metaphorically and astrologically—for a special party in a luxury Upper East Side townhouse. Estée Lauder’s John Demsey, CNN’s Alina Cho and the Marilyn Agency’s Marilyn Gauthier—all close friends, and all Pisces—came together, as they’ve done for the past four years, to celebrate their March birthdays and their shared astrological sign.

There were warnings of a “life-threatening” snowstorm blaring from every television and radio in the Northeast, but that didn’t stop the Transom. Armed with a parka and a copy of the daily horoscopes, we headed uptown to party with the three Pisces and, as Ms. Cho put it later, their “350 nearest and dearest.”

When we entered Mr. Demsey’s spectacular home around 6:15 p.m., things already seemed to be going, ahem, swimmingly. In the downstairs parlor, guests mingled around a table laden with fish-shaped candies and cookies. In one corner, a large flat-screen TV played a continuous loop of swimming goldfish. Drinks were flowing from an open bar, and hors d’oeuvres prepared by Cornelia Guest were delivered around the room by a staff that wove through the crowd like porpoises.

According to the horoscope we had in hand, Pisces had been destined to have “odd dreams” the night before. We caught up with Mr. Demsey, Ms. Cho and Ms. Gauthier to ask if their dreams had been strange.

“Only about what I was going to wear today,” said Ms. Cho, who looked divine in a form-fitting orange dress and sky-high Louboutins.

“I wish sincerely, but no!” answered Ms. Gauthier. “I just arrived from Paris, so I had a really nice sleep. I was exhausted, so I didn’t dream, unfortunately.”

As for Mr. Demsey: “I have odd dreams every night.”

And it must be true what they say, that Pisces are friendly, because it wasn’t long before the partygoers on the first two floors were packed in like sardines. Amid the crowd, we spotted director James Signorelli, LeSportsac’s Tim Schifter, fashion designers Rachel Roy and Prabal Gurung, makeup maven Bobbi Brown, PR superstar Robert Zimmerman and even the sensational Kelly Bensimon of The Real Housewives of New York.

“I’m a Capricorn, but tonight I’m a Pisces,” said publishing powerhouse Jason Binn. “Everyone tonight wants to be a Pisces. You know why? Because look at all the cool people here.”

A few minutes past 8 p.m., guests were summoned from the far reaches of Mr. Demsey’s townhouse to gather in the parlor for the presentation of the birthday cakes—one for each Pisces.

But while everyone could have their cake—there was plenty to go around—not everyone would eat it too. We watched as a man offered slices to a trio of exquisite, tall, blond women. The middle one—the blondest of all—licked her lips and replied, “We’re models.”

We then spotted another impeccably clad woman pluck a bite-size pig-in-a-blanket off a waiter’s tray. “I’m gonna have one of these,” she said, somewhat shamefully, to her companion. And then, perhaps to justify things: “It’s going to be my dinner.”

Around 9 p.m., we said our goodbyes and left the comforts of Mr. Demsey’s home. They say there are plenty of fish in the sea, but on this night there was nowhere else we’d have rather been.

Models wearing Prabal Gurung's "Regiment" collection at Fashion Week.

As New Yorkers woke up under a blanket of snow Saturday morning, the Transom braved the ice-lined streets of Soho en route to St. John’s Studio, where—inside the unmarked brick building—a battalion of models had assembled in preparation for the launch of Prabal Gurung’s fall 2013 collection, “Regiment.”

Just before the chic soldier-models marched down the runway before the likes of Vogue’s Anna Wintour—properly seated in the front row—the Transom ventured backstage to find out more about the collection’s inspiration.

As makeup artists and hairstylists hustled about, we found Mr. Gurung looking calm, cool and visibly happy in front of a collage of his designs.

Clad in a black sweater, black jeans and black boots (everyone wears black except the models), the designer was busy smiling and pleasantly shaking hands with the growing horde of photographers, editors, publicists and stage managers who wanted a piece of his time.

It’s no surprise he’s in such high demand. Four years since his Fashion Week debut, he counts Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton among his fans. Even so, when a staffer offered Mr. Gurung sips of water between interviews, the humble designer was almost overly gracious. “Thank you,” he told the young man. “Thank you so much.”

So what inspires the man who designs for the world’s leading ladies?

Mr. Gurung told the Transom it was Time magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2012” feature on body armor for female soldiers—combined with the Pentagon’s decision last month to lift the ban on women in combat—that sparked his imagination.

“All these years, women have been wearing men’s uniforms, and now they’re redesigning,” he said. “That led me to think about, ‘Oh my God, I’ve taken it for granted. Women need a separate kind of new uniform.’”

Fear not—the models didn’t walk the runway in camouflage and flak jackets. Instead they sported military-inspired pieces with classic Gurung touches: black woven leather harnesses over military-green peplum jackets and a mink patchwork coat with feathered red fox, all designed to embrace feminine beauty and strength.

“What is empowerment, and what, as a woman, does it mean?” Mr. Gurung pondered before the show. “It’s not necessarily about being aggressive, but about totally embracing your femininity, totally being comfortable with being a woman in a man’s world and ruling it.”

Minutes before the show began, amid the hustle and bustle and dramatic lighting, there was a rare moment backstage when Mr. Gurung was left alone to himself. In the few seconds of silence, he turned slowly around to study the wall behind him, where photographs of his collection were mounted in orderly rows.

Asked what he hopes to conquer next in the world of fashion, Mr. Gurung mused, “I just hope that creatively I’m challenging myself and pushing myself and the business is growing. And I just hope I’m around for a long time. I just love the industry.”

With that, the Transom departed Mr. Gurung’s world, trudging through slush and frozen puddles in a pair of weather-inappropriate high heels. Channeling the designer, we embraced our feminine uniform (in our own small way) and walked, empowered, down the sidewalk to hail a cab.

Eve rocks DSquared2. (Paul Bruinooge/ PatrickMcMullan.com)

Although Nemo assailed our city with buckets of snow, threatening to grind Fashion Week to an unfashionable halt, The Observer would not be stopped. Shindigger was front and center at all the best New York Fashion Week had to offer. Who could forget Jason Wu’s billowy evening wear? Or Prabal Gurung’s must-buy Cesare Casadei military knee-high boots with python? What about Moncler’s stunning Star Wars-inspired fashion presentation?

Between the fabulously overpriced couture and the Oscar-worthy production values, the circus that is Fashion Week doesn’t just entertain us, it makes us whole again. With the desperate posing and the mere pleasure of sitting next to some of the most heinously obnoxious fashions mavens ever to breathe, it’s just consummate bliss! 

Still, Shindigger needed a break from the hustle and bustle every now and again. On Sunday, we took in the runway shows of Diane Von Furstenberg and Ralph Rucci in the American Express Skybox, far above the frenzy of Lincoln Center, with stylist Cameron Silver and FIT’s Valerie Steele. Perched high above the catwalk, Shindigger enjoyed healthy pours of red wine and bubbly, served alongside gourmet grub.

“What’s on the party schedule tonight?” a well-dressed yet curiously uninformed brunette asked us after Ralph Rucci.

“Dsquared2!” Shindigger screeched. We explained that the brand’s designers, Dean and Dan Caten, were hosting a private screening of their spring 2013 ad campaign video, “Behind the Mirror,” shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott and starring two surprise female models, who turned out to be the identical twin designers in magically convincing drag.

Regrettably, we had no additional room for hangers-on, so we gulped our merlot and danced down the Lincoln Center steps so our waiting car could whisk us off to the Copacabana on West 47th Street. (Fighting every impulse in our booze-addled brains, we did not start singing that old 1970s favorite, though we wanted to, especially when we learned that Barry Manilow was putting on a solo show just a few blocks away.)

Luckily, we made it to the club in relative quiet. And the Copa, quite frankly, may never have seen a better list of revelers. There were the super attractive and fashionable: models Carolyn Murphy and Chad White, Anh Duong, Riccardo Tisci and rapper Eve. The fun and freaky: Susanne Bartsch and Amanda Lepore. And of course, the powerful scenesters: Russell Simmons, Mia Moretti and Vikram Chatwal.

“I’m inspired by all the designers for some reason or another,” Mr. Simmons told us. We had eyed him from across the runway at Hervé Léger and a few other shows. “I love all the bandage stuff that they do. It’s inspired a lot of what I’ve designed.”

And the business magnate’s biggest inspiration? “Tommy Hilfiger, period. He helped me get started 20 years ago, helped me build what would ultimately become a billion-dollar brand.”

We’ve heard a few debates about Phat Farm’s actual value, but Shindigger let it go, as we were suddenly forced to hit the deck—some drunk dancing passerby nearly spilled Veuve Clicquot on our Hermès! We returned to our feet only to find ourselves staring right into the face of TV personality Carson Kressley.

“What are you enjoying most about this party?” Shindigger asked the ex-Queer Eye guy, who’s about to appear in Broadway’s NEWsical The Musical as a four-week guest star.

“Who is this for?” he demanded.

“The Observer,” we replied.

“Is that the pink one?”

“Salmon,” we corrected. He laughed, continuing to sway his hips to the beat.

“I love The Observer!” he said, and then gave us his assessment of the party: “There’s free liquor, hot guys and did I mention free liquor?”

“Are you single and ready to mingle?” Shindigger said.

“I’m totally single! Are you asking me out?”

Shindigger sadly had to turn him down and get back to business. We ordered three more glasses of champagne for our posse and then found some space on a banquette next to billionaire Renzo Rosso, founder of Diesel and owner of holding company Only the Brave, which controls Staff International, the firm that manufactures and distributes Dsquared2, Maison Martin Margiela and Viktor & Rolf. Recently he also bought a majority stake in the quirky luxury brand Marni.

“A new baby on board!” he sang in his Paduan accent, over a thunderous bass line, about his major investment in the label. “I’ll try to do the best to give it good visibility, because [it is] so beautiful!”

Of the Caten twins, Signore Rosso said, “They are unbelievable. They are like me! Crazy, rebellious, funny, enjoyable. It’s so nice to work with them.”

And speak of the devil ...

“We arrived last night at 3 in the morning,” Dean Caten chimed in, just a few feet from Signore Rosso. “We started in London with a pit stop in Miami.”

“A party or a tanning pit stop?” Shindigger asked, noticing the designer’s tenné flesh.

“A day of tanning,” he giggled.

“Why did you choose the Copacabana?”

“I dunno. Maybe the drag ad campaign?” Mr. Caten responded.

“You looked great in drag!” we said.

Speaking of looking great, the Dsquared2-clad siren Eve suddenly appeared, her décolletage ornamented with her signature paw-print tatouage. We moved to talk to the actress/singer and quickly learned that she loves a fashion parade.

“Yesterday I went to the Prabal show and after-party at Bow! It was so fun,” she said. “The day before, I was at Nicole Miller, Monika Chiang. Tomorrow I’m going to The Bonds.”

We couldn’t help but notice her impressive level of fitness, and Eve confessed to an elaborate regimen. “I do everything,” she said. “I have a trainer that comes, but I do elliptical. I do a lot of body weights.”

Shindigger decided that we would meet her at the gym some time. If we could get up in the morning, that is.

blehay@observer.com

An exclusive backstage photo from The Observer's Wang-insider/tipster.

American fashion design has seen an exciting new crop of talented youngsters creep onto the scene. Creatives such as Joseph Altuzarra, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and Prabal Gurung have received a great deal of attention—and rightfully so. The majority of this bunch thrive on fanfare—not always on the design of their clothes, but on their front-rows, frantic check-ins and backstage dramas.

The Proenza Schouler duo, after several seemingly shaky years, have quickly become darlings of the global fashion elite, continually present interesting and attractive collections. Now sitting more comfortably with financial investments from Theory Group’s Andrew Rosen and a glossy new David Adjaye-designed boutique (albeit too damn dark to see any of the merch), its safe to say they are no longer emerging.

Mr. Altuzarra’s nomadic, opulent materials and prints seem to satiate the critics. Since PR Consulting has never invited us to one of his magical shows, we’ll let him be.

Jason Wu’s nearly flawless technique and practical glamour—not to mention being a favorite of first lady Michelle Obama—means he’s fine and dandy.

Same for Thakoon Panichgul.

The Observer will save Prabal Gurung, whose miscellaneous but splendid collection delivered a meager dose of sensationalism, mostly by way of models, for later …

The most interesting “up-and-coming” designer to The Observer is Mr. Wang.

Alexander Wang’s street-friendly sportswear, with its less daunting price tag and edgy wearability, enabled the designer’s swift and massive surge to the top. The party vixen created clothing that catered to his entourage of downtown creatures—models, anorexic rich brats, svelte power gays, artsy drunks—with a cost-effective production (even though a lawsuit claims allegations of sweatshop conditions!). It's no Ralph Lauren or Michael Kors, but the Soho boutique is crawling with new money eager to pounce, and one insider reported that sales are robust.

“He came on the scene just at the right time,” former Barneys bigwig Julie Gilhart was quoted as saying in New York magazine in 2011. Indeed he did.

The Observer is all too guilty of getting wrapped up in the Wang mystique. His shows are electrifying—a circus of outré celebs, aggressive fashion mavens and top-notch models. It’s sensationalism—perhaps even smoke and mirrors, except there is always something to covet. This is followed by the perennial blackout nights of mayhem at his costly, booze-fueled after-parties. But hey! Mr. Wang and his baby empire can afford it.

Look 14: Jordan Dunn. (PMc)

This season, Mr. Wang and his team returned to Pier 94. Tyson Chandler, Karen Elson, Justin Theroux, Sia, ASAP Rocky and Die Antwoord all showed up Saturday, September 8 to witness Mr. Wang's presentation of patch pocket separates, outerwear pieces with cut-outs or “zebra-embroidery,” and weird textured skirts and shorts in onyx, glacier white and desert sand. There were hints of menswear tailoring on shirts, fishline craziness and skeletal knee-high sandals that had people clawing with desire. For luxurious touches, Mr. Wang and co. used stingray detailing and crocodile beading.

It would be nearly impossible to top of the pack of supermodels, led by Gisele Bündchen, who stormed the runway at last year’s conclusion. Nonetheless, a gaggle of top models marched out in all-white looks. The lights dimmed and all their couture turned glow-in-the-dark.

The crowd ate it up like hotcakes, The Observer included. Tacky and stupidly club-kid-esque? Perhaps, but it was fashion entertainment at its American best.

But is this pot of fabulousness and spectacle about to bubble over?

One person, who wasn’t enjoying the fashion feast was New York Times critic Cathy Horyn.

“Mr. Wang ended with his white dresses being lit up like neon glow sticks, but the mood couldn’t be sustained,” Ms. Horyn wrote in the Times on September 9. “But, despite the styling of Karl Templer, who knows how to sharpen a designer’s message, Mr. Wang’s fancifully sliced-up clothes seemed to hit a wall. They had focus in terms of minimalist shape and futuristic textures, but there was no moment of uplift. A glow-stick snap of radiance isn’t enough.”

A bit harsh.

Die Antwoord Spreads the creepiness at Alexander Wang's after-party. (PMc)

The Observer would argue (not that we are deemed fit to challenge the legendary Ms. Horyn) that Mr. Wang’s shticks are exactly aligned with his boisterous lifestyle and extravagantly unfocused glamazon clientele. While we all might have been distracted by the blow-’n’-glow finale, The Observer is already sorting out the finances to scoop up a few of those garments and accessories. The scattered message rang loud and clear: Rave on!

New York fashion week has finally come to a close. Amen! For those less-fortunate editors and fashion authorities (or perhaps we are the lucky ones) that have not jetted off to London or Milan, we finally get a moment to recover.

In retrospect, we relished the young talents of Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu. The Observer will never forget the spectacle and grandeur of Alexander Wang—or the impeccable quality of Simon Spurr’s suiting. With such a busy social schedule and so many shows, it’s hard to remember all the garments we evaluated with a careful eye.

We’re still a smidgen bitter about a few mishaps with Oscar de la Renta and PR Consulting… but we forgive easily… Oscar might possibly have been the best women’s collection in town! Best of luck obtaining the financial means to swing the $15,000 price tag...

One thing we do recall in our hazy fatigue, is the undeniable fact that fur is back. Yes, yes it never really left! But honestly!

"It's so glamorous and luxe!" proclaimed Joan Rivers about fur, backstage at Dennis Basso.

Perhaps Ms. Rivers is in the right. Has there ever been so much mink, chinchilla, fox, raccoon, coyote, goat, rabbit, astrakhan, Mongolian lamb, ermine and sable shown in New York? Probably… but let’s peruse The Oberserver’s favorites— shall we?

Images: GETTY and Patrick McMullan.

KCD's darling, Hallie Chrisman. (Patrick McMullan)

Navigating the realm of fashion publication relations can be a difficult job. For in-house publicists and leading New York PR firms, such as KCD, PR Consulting, Karla Otto, Starworks, Bismarck Phillips and HL Group—fashion week is a marathon: RSVP-management, developing press releases, endless email chains, photography and artistic direction, event and runway production, front-of-house organization, seating charts and VIP affairs!

Scheduling and logistical nightmares are frequent; editor struggles occur; and drama is a guarantee. For international firms, the chaos continues in Milan and Paris. Even more maddening, some publicists have red carpet dressing to deal with for the Grammys and fast-approaching Oscars!

It took some effort, but The Observer hunted the striking Hallie Chrisman, Publicity Director at KCD— to get the scoop on what her life has been like of late…

What does fashion week equate for you?

Since I go to London and Paris it’s actually more like fashion month—to me it equates to training for a marathon, you have to make sure you don’t burn yourself out in the beginning. New York is always the most all-consuming, as we each have our own shows we individually oversee and then are staffed to work the 20-plus shows and events we handle for New York Fashion Week. Once the team goes to Europe we generally focus more on the U.S. press aspect of each client’s show, as well as providing support to any shows our Paris office is handling. So, as I said, it’s a marathon.

KCD is everywhere, with a blue-chip roster of clients! How do you balance it all?

I’m very fortunate to love what I do and where I work, however when it’s not fashion week(s) (or the CFDA Awards, or the Victoria’s Secret show, or another major project) I always make time to see friends and travel to maintain a healthy balance between my work and personal life.

When you need a break, where is your go-to for a drink or good eats during fashion week?

One Lucky Duck Juice Bar—it is located conveniently across the street from the office in Chelsea Market. I love the Strawberry Blonde shake and then I always get a ginger shot to stave off the inevitable fashion week cold.

Take us to a show—where are you? What are you doing? We saw you at Wang!

It depends on the show, at some shows I am running the backstage press and photographers, while at others you will find me inside the venue helping seat guests and greeting the editors, retailers and VIPs.

How many people try to crash shows and after parties? Any good stories?

There are always some crashers but they are pretty easy to spot and we run a pretty tight ship so we don’t get as many as you might think. Some doors—you might not get crashers per se but more fans who will just wait outside to watch and see who is entering and exiting the event. Even though they will never get in, you have to at least give them credit for their dedication.

What celebrities are incredible to work with? Is GPS like fashion week “Big Brother?”

Fashion GPS was initiated when KCD PR approached Fashion GPS President Edwin Mullon to create a cutting edge technology to control inventory management and then events management. It’s so great that most of the industry uses it so we are all on one system to make editors, retailers and our lives easier!

Which editors do you look forward to seeing during fashion week? Who has the best style?

I wouldn’t be a very good publicist if I played favorites now would I? A lot of my close friends are actually fashion editors so it’s always great to see friends and catch up (if only briefly) during fashion week.

Any fun nightlife plans? What will be the best after party?

I try to stay under the radar during New York or else I don’t think I would be able to make it through Europe; however I try and stop by my client’s after parties if I can. Jason Wu and Prabal Gurung both threw great after parties this season and then of course there was the Miu Miu party we handled and the CFDA Impact Exhibit opening party at FIT, which kicked off the year-long celebration of the CFDA ’s 50th anniversary.

Best part of being a fashion publicist?

Getting to do what I love every day and working with some of the most talented, smart and interesting minds in the industry. Plus going to London and Paris twice a year isn’t too bad either!

It’s all over! Where do you flee to rejuvenate?

I try and get away for a weekend once I get back from Paris. This season I am planning on visiting friends in Austin for a long weekend. I also always start making my summer vacation plans during fashion week in February, this summer it will be several trips to Nantucket and is also looking like a week in Turkey.

Forty-Five! That was the approximate tardiness of Prabal Gurung's runway show at the Gehry-designed IAC building. The Observer, having misread our schedule, arrived on time (that's a first). We even had a few moments to kiss-kiss Mary Alice Stephenson and compliment her Naeem Khan. Who to blame? Surely not front-of-house PR behemoth KCD, they have their shit together more than a Swiss bank.  Zoe Saldana, colorfully festooned in a phenomenal liquid Prabal paint suit took her seat relatively on time. Lily Rabe sat quietly en attente. Buyers are never late. Cross off Anna Wintour, style.com's Nicole Phelps, and Paper's Kim Hastrieter… hell they've never been late! Best-dressed contender, Kate Lanphear of ELLE magazine arrived with time to glare vacantly at her smart phone.

We couldn't tell why Michelle Harper was just shy of tears. The passing of H.R.H. Whitney Houston occurred after this fashion frenzy... perhaps she was suffering from a panic attack or mal au ventre in row one? Frankly not our business.

In the meantime, we decided to get social. Seated betwixt team WWD, we gave it a go gingerly... The Observer had the good fortunate to sit behind the poised Executive Editor, Bridget Foley. "Will you be going to Milan and Paris for the shows?" she sang. Mais oui! Paris! We chirped.  KCD founder and gentlemen, Ed Filipowski whisked over and assured the WWDs that the show would start soon! Sincere apologies. Foley's response was so graceful many churlish divas should have taken note.

Thankfully, he need not apologize, because the clothes made up for all the delay.

Patent leather and black black fur by day; add white tulle and gold embellishments for night. Signature Gurung color schemes and patterns, reminiscent of an iridescent oil spill, were wondrous. Brocade, techno fabrics, appliqué, volants: all there! Look number 28-- a hand-embroidered, black tulle gown with with Fabergé cutwork on Joan Smalls drew gasps. If it's edge, yet feminine elegance that starlets and statuesque first ladies want… look no further!

The clock had barely struck 1pm and our Burberry-clad feet hurt like hell! By the grace of God VPL was just across the way. Whew!

Later, the chaos and disarray at Dream Hotel's Electric Room (ROOM! Try complex) for Mr. Gurung's after party was indescribable. Praise Syndicate's Anuschka Senge, who ushered The Observer past the riff-raff at the door. Inside, we spotted Candice Swanepoel and Rose McGowan, whilst slurping up delicious Belevdere cocktails and dancing to DJ Mia Moretti's fab beats.

Nicki Minaj and Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann.

Prabal Gurung's show had everything going for it, from the deep purple hues that popped off long rippling dresses to the sun-drenched opulence of Frank Gehry's IAC building. It's surprising, then, that the whole thing was a bit upstaged by a single front row occupant.

Or maybe not so surprising when that attendee is Nicki Minaj. Before she walked into the building lobby The Observer had no first-hand evidence to refute the possibility that she's been a cartoon character all along, but there she was, in the flesh -- a good amount of that flesh exposed, we might add -- going hirajiku on everybody.

Her bodyguard wasn't to shabbily dressed either. He had a black t-shirt with #SWAG emblazoned on the front, the last "G" doubled and flipped, an homage the a mirror-image Chanel "C."

"Um, it only took me about an hour to put this together," Ms. Minaj told The Observer. We nodded, as if a a giant pink hair-bow, an exploding fuzzy pink wig and pink pretzel necklace are things one can put on for any occasion. She had taken her seat next to model Elettra Wiedemann, who happens to be Isabella Rosselini's daughter. Did David Lynch do the seating to this show or something?

Everyone scurried to their seats moments later, and the show began. The models walked the runway in Mr. Gurung's vibrant color-splattered looks as the music switched from "Fast Car" to James Blake. Oh but he's so last season, Prabal!

The show ended and after Mr. Gurung's enthusiastic bow-curtsy, Andre Leon Talley ran over to Ms. Minaj.

"Ah! I'm so glad you're heeee-re," the Vogue editor said.

Bill Cunningham was there to take the photo of the duo, and upon capturing it the immortal New York Times shutterbug broke into an enormous, giddy smile. Upon seeing that, we did as well.