Fashion Funhouse Emporium

Yigal Azrouel

Yigal Azrouel was self taught. Can you believe it? This CFDA inductee has been around since 2000. With his growing success, he opened his own boutique in the former Meat-packing district of New York. Since, hes expanded to a bridge label called Cut25, shoes, menswear and more. Not only is he easy to look at, but his designs are as well. And it seems he's not just a designer or a pretty face. Hes actively involved in several charitable organizations including: Aids, juvenile diabetes, and ovarian cancer organizations among many others.

Colors: Black, white, orange, cobalt blue, green, yellow

Materials: Leather, silk, crepe de chine, chiffon

View full collection on Style.com

Loved Looks:

Yigal Azrouel manages to blend masculine and feminine in such a way that its not completely obvious. This is his customer, the busy woman who wants to look chic, but doesn't want to put all of her time and energy into making an impression. She just does. The leather orange wide leg pants were stunning. An easy sell to the mass market? Probably not. Though the woman who buys Yigal's clothing gets it. From easy tank tops with a unique cut, to basic blazers with a small twist, make for easy layering and versatility. His gowns are so simple but elegant just as well. They are smart in the way that a girl can add what she wants to suit her own style.

Unloved Looks:

Yellow and black prints were for someone, but maybe not Yigal's core fans.

People, Scene and Music:

Kate Lanphear was front row again. Is she following us or are we following her? Along with Zanna Roberts Rassi of Marie Claire wearing her signature stripes and leather, plenty of editors packed the show including Cindi Leive of Glamour, Michael Carl of Allure, Fabien Baron and Dani Stahl. The big time buyers showed up including Roopal Patel of Bergdorf Goodman and Ken Downing of Nieman Marcus. Quite frankly these are the people you want at your shows for real fashion cred, not b-list reality stars. The standard runway techno (music by Sebastian Perrin) played in the spacious off-site venue where most people were able to grab a seat and see the fashion with a clear view.

Rating:

Three out of four Karl Lagerfelds.

MANDY COON

Mandy Coon was one half of the duo Two Mandy DJ's. It figures that a club personality had her foot in fashion. After all, you can see  a lot up there in the DJ booth.  After assisting Camilla Staerk, Mandy Coon took a chance on her own and debuted her own line for Spring 10.  Two years later, shes earned a spots on Style.com and is ever evolving with her edgy, downtown designs.

Colors: Black, white, pops of bright yellow and cobalt blue

Materials: Silk, leather

Loved Looks:

View Full Collection on Style.com

As a designer, Mandy Coon keeps evolving for the better. While she hasn't worked much with color in the past, she used it wisely and included it in her collection as if she felt completely at ease. Personally, yellow seems to work best on dark skin tones, so this blogger would stay far, far away from it. Though the cobalt blue silk tops and accents brought an additional interesting element while still keeping within Mandy Coon's downtown chic. A skort made its way in there, but in a good way for the city girl on the go who doesn't want a pervy guy under the subway stairs peering at the goods. Though at times I notice a few fit issues and hanging threads (but that's my job and I may be one of the few who noticed), no doubt her line will be perfected and ready to go for buyers. And we surely hope to see more Mandy Coon on the racks of more boutiques soon.

Unloved Looks

A look or two was over-worked. A perfect pair of leather pants included a sheer black or blue panel. Minus one element and Mandy Coon would've achieved pure Spring 2012 perfection.

People, Scene and Music

The music in this small off-site venue was experimental new age upon entry. While models walked the runway, a song that sounded some what like Joy Division looped "Dance with us". The venue seemed as if there was wasted space, as there were only two rows of chairs. Perhaps in true fashion-show politics format, the promoters wanted to keep a certain level of exclusivity.  At the last minute, someone had to give up their first row chair for editor Kate Lanphear, who by the way, we see at all of the cooler shows, like Mandy Coon.

Rating:

Three out of four Karl Lagerfelds.