Creative Director Francisco Costa alongside Diane Kruger, Emma Stone and Amy Adams.

We love the clean lines and abstract nature of Francisco Costa’s designs for Calvin Klein Collection. Of Brazilian descent, he has an unmatchable talent for creating wearable art that is minimal and wearable—perhaps the only one who provides a Parisian level of artistic thrills in New York.

We had some time to spare before the show began—a departure from our general habit of sprinting four blocks and arriving sweaty and out of breath at the last minute. We left our seat-mates Bianca Jagger, Julie Macklowe and Kelly Klein, to name a few, to explore the front rows.

Amy Adams, Diane Kruger, Emma Stone and photographer Patrick Demarchelier were all present, but our vigilant eyes sought out someone less obvious: W Magazine’s Fashion and Style Director, Edward Enninful.

“What are some of the highlights for you?” The Observer asked.

"September is the January of fashion," said Edward Enniful, who was flanked by Hollywood's hottest.

“Oh my goodness, there have been a couple of really great shows. I really enjoyed Proenza [Schouler]. I really enjoyed Rodarte, Marc Jacobs,” he replied, browsing the endless catalog of styles he had presumably witnessed in the past week; an unbearable fashion overload, it seems.

“How have you enjoyed W and growing there?” we carried on.

“With a great team, there is so much freedom ... It kinda of encourages you to do the best you can. We’re having a ball!” Mr. Enninful told The Observer.

Indeed, but is the ball worthwhile, we wanted to know. “Why is fashion week so important for stylists?”

“It’s like the Oscars of fashion. It’s like a get-together on one hand, and you decide how the whole year is going to be, how the whole season is going to be mapped out. September is the January of fashion.”

Well put. We bid adieu to Mr. Enniful, who was off to London in a few hours for more style and mayhem.

There was a sense of powerful austerity and dark romance for spring 2013, and it delivered a bold, physical (read: sexualized) reaction. There is a curiosity to the clothing, one that our fashion eyes could not decipher. Chiaroscuro, cinched waists and overemphasized busts, and innovative fabrics captured the fashion frenzy’s weary attention. The looks featured interesting moiré appearances, glossy leathers layered over tranquil matte crepes and cotton voiles in muted black, reed and cream colors. It highlighted a richness that was not opulently crass.

Looks from the spring 2013 collection.

A novice would have likened the proportions of several dresses to rolls of toilet paper under silk or waxed netting over a cage, but such individuals shouldn’t even be permitted to grace a Calvin Klein Collection boutique.

To end with a bang is no small feat after innumerable ready-to-wear collections of relatively unmoving, routinely practical and safe proportions. American’s sportswear isn’t in a rut; it just is what it is. How lucky we are to have Calvin Klein’s Mr. Costa. We don’t have any callous commentary, just rare bliss, which sadly ended the moment we exited onto ghastly, repulsive 39th Street.

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!

Bergdorf Goodman's Linda Fargo, in frothy Vera Wang, lamented having to miss the two shows for the event. "I feel terribly guilty because I'm missing two shows tonight; Tahari and Proenza Schouler. I sent them all apologies ahead of time, and I tried to schedule getting into the showroom to make up for it." Ms. Fargo explained that she felt she deserved a break after a Fashion Week that averaged 12 destinations a day. Also, "they're our neighbors. Van Cleef is almost a part of Bergdorfs! And we don't get to treat our senses to this kind of thing very often. I know I will be very spoiled by this."

Wearing very sparkly diamond earrings, Piper Perabo looked much more like an Upper East Side socialite than the Coyote Ugly bartendress that made her famous. Currently shooting the sci-fi thriller, Looper, with Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ms. Perabo told The Observer she was excited for her scenes with Mr. Willis, which begin shooting next week.

Richard Meier coyly deferred answering whether he liked Frank Gehry's new residential tower in the Financial District, smiling shrewdly, "I haven't seen it." He also told The Observer that he designed a very architectural, gold necklace for his daughter for her recent nuptials.

Flashbulbs erupted and guests murmured in awe as Cate Blanchett ascended the steps of the former Carnegie Mansion in a jet-black taffeta Balenciaga column. Asked if she had chosen a dress for the next week's Academy Awards, where she will be a presenter, Ms. Blanchett said, "No, I haven't!" A glimmer in her eye. "I literally just flew in from Sydney."

Arriving at the event without a coat, Chelsea Clinton must have inured herself to the cold while visiting ski bum hubby Marc Mezvinsky in Jackson Hole. The couple continued to battle rumors that Mr. Mezvinsky's flight to Jackson Hole spelled the seven-month itch for the young couple, who posed arm in arm.

Former supermodel Carolyn Murphy arrived on the arm of designer du jour Jason Wu. The model, who recently relocated to New York City, told The Observer, "I'm working on a book for parents about bibliotherapy--storytelling."

Ms. Murphy assured The Observer that her 10-year-old is not allowed to have a cell phone and instead borrows her nanny's phone for texting.

Mr. Wu told The Observer he felt underdressed for the event. "I feel like I should be wearing some jewels!" Asked which jewel exhibited he would steal if given the chance, Mr. Wu beamed without skipping a beat, "I have the prettiest one," slipping his arm around Ms. Murphy's waist (which was about shoulder height for the diminutive designer).

Fiery fashionista Julie Macklowe lamented the 9 a.m. Yigal Azrouel show that morning. "Ugh, I was at the Buck Cherry last night, and then I had Yigal at the crack of dawn, and my kid, of course, standing on my bed at like 5 a.m.!"

Downtown jewelry designing darling Waris Ahluwalia also felt underdressed for the event, whose dress code designated "black tie and bejeweled."

"I didn't come bejeweled. I wore black tie, but no jewels. I thought about wearing some of my new pieces," said Mr. Ahluwalia, who had his debut Fashion Week presentation at the Museum of Art and Design the day before. "But I don't really wear my own jewelry."

When asked which piece from the exhibit she would swipe, society stalwart Muffie Potter Aston, didn't hesitate: "Marlene Dietrich's bracelet," lingering on the words like a heroine addict chasing a fix. "A big cuff from the '40s that's done as only those big '40s bracelets were done, with the big diamonds on top and the rubies--spectacular!" She also confided that she has thought about launching her own jewelry line now that her daughters had been accepted into kindergarten at Spence and assured The Observer, "I have been approached."

The black-tied-and-bejeweled guests were slowly ushered into Bronson van Wyck's silk dinner tent for the Jean-Georges Vongrichten five-course dinner.

Ms. Blanchett, the clear guest of honor, was seated at the central table next to Van Cleef & Arpel's chief, Nicholas Bos, and flanked by Jason Wu on her left. At a neighboring table, Mr. Meier's dinner partner was Ms. Aston. The nearly 1,000 guests listened attentively, spooning their Meyer lemon gelée and caviar while Smithsonian director Wayne Klough thanked the audience for joining him at the opening of the Van Cleef & Arpels exhibit. Smirks passed like a contagious pathogen around the room as Mr. Klough pronounced the French house's name "Arples," like Ms. Marple. Half of the guests filtered out before the Sparkling Key Lime pie arrived, streaming past the hanging mobiles of dyed feather butterflies suspended from the tent ceiling.

The panel—which included Milk’s creative director, Mazdack Rassi; Open Ceremony co-founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon; Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez; New School Dean of Fashion Simon Collins; and designer Alexander Wang—looked a bit the worse for wear. Of course, it was the last day of Fashion Week.

“The whole point of these shows,” Ms. Menkes began, “has been to showcase American fashion.” She asked the Proenza Schouler designers—who had presented at Milk Studios the night before—if there was anything they would have done differently.

“All you really need is passion and a point of view,” Mr. Hernandez said, not really answering.

Talk turned quickly to the topic of technology. Ms. Menkes asked if there was an alternative to the traditional runway show.

“I’ve had to face as a journalist, the fact that bloggers—maybe they can do my job and do it better,” she said.

Mr. Lazaro argued that technology had already changed fashion by making it more democratic.

“Everyone’s gonna see it on the Internet the next day,” he said.

“You haven’t quite answered my question,” Ms. Menkes said, and moved on to Mr. Collins. His advice for designers?

“Get a job first. Make all the mistakes with someone else’s money.”

“You’re pretty keen on parties,” Ms. Menkes said, turning quickly to Mr. Wang.

The designer—looking especially casual in sweat pants, and a dirty, ripped white t-shirt, had held a party the night before in the gas station next to Milk Studios. He started talking about “finding the right people to dress.”

There was still no word on the industry’s future.

  “We’re involved in creating the image of fashion,” Mr. Rassi said of his increasingly influential studio and event space. “We know that television and the Internet will merge in the next 5 years. That’s really the future of media. It’s all merging together.”

But what about fashion?

“Can anyone be a fashion designer?” Ms. Menkes asked. “Can anyone be a journalist? Can anyone be a stylist?”

“If you put enough monkeys in a room with typewriters, one of them will eventually write Shakespeare,” Mr. Collins said.

“These bloggers are starting to get invited to shows,” Mr. McCullough said, somewhat shocked.

Ms. Menkes opened the floor for questions from the students.

“We don’t want to hear any rants,” Ms. Menkes said. “Anybody out there want to make a pitch?” One girl stood up with her look book, asking the Opening Ceremony founders to take a gander.

Then, suddenly:

“I have to go off and see Calvin Klein,” Ms. Menkes said. “Lucky me.”

But what is the future of the fashion industry? Where are the answers?

“Students have said to me ‘I want to be the new Calvin Klein’ or ‘I want to be the new Rodarte.’" she said. "I just want to say to you all, no you don’t. You want to be yourselves. Fashion needs individuality and individual imagination far more than it needs a carbon copy of any of the designers out there. So remember that. You are the most important people in the industry now.”

H&M has teamed with up with Matthew Williamson for its latest designer collection, which will arrive in stores in April. [WWD] 

Alice & Olivia designer Stacey Bendet Eisner gave birth yesterday to a baby girl named Eloise Breckenridge Eisner. [P6] 

Designer cameos on popular television shows like Gossip Girl, Stylista, and even Law & Order are on the rise. [WWD]

Diane von Furstenberg staffer and The City star, Whitney Port, has launched a blog where she talks about her clothing line, Whitney Eve, and her recent purchases. [Whitney Port via Racked] 

Now, with New York Fashion Week approaching, Ms. Wintour has roped in Sarah Jessica Parker to help with a second fund-raiser on Sept. 9 at Charles Nolan's West 27th Street studio, according to British Vogue.

In the spirit of Fashion Week, the fund-raiser will include a mini-fashion show, with designs donated by Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, Proenza Schouler, and Narciso Rodriguez making their way down the runway.

This election year isn't the first time that Ms. Wintour has backed a Democratic candidate.

In 2004, according to Women's Wear Daily (subscription required), Ms. Wintour donated $2,000 to the John Kerry campaign. This was the same year that other fashion figures like Michael Kors, Cynthia Rowley, Kenneth Cole, Marc Bouwer and Ms. von Furstenberg also publicly backed the candidate.

This is also the final disappointment for Hillary Clinton, who in January backed out of a Vogue cover in fear of appearing too alluring, thereby angering Ms. Wintour.

In her February editor's letter, Ms. Wintour wrote, "Imagine my amazement, then, when I learned that Hillary Clinton, our only female president hopeful, had decided to steer clear of our pages at this point in her campaign for fear of looking too feminine. The notion that a contemporary woman must look mannish in order to be taken seriously as a seeker of power is frankly dismaying."

It seems the Obamas have no such reservations about having the glitzy fashion world behind them.