*This post was written by guest blogger Autumn Newell

An excited crowd filled the room in anticipation of Zang Toi’s Spring/Summer 2013 show. Edith Piaf played in the background as everyone settled into their seats. When the lights dimmed, the sounds of birds chirping softly led into music, and a foggy mist billowed out from backstage onto the catwalk, transporting the audience across the Atlantic to the scene of a French Riviera sunrise.

A handsome young man took to the runway first, wearing an ivory silk dupioni suit and velvet suspenders over a bare chest with a jacket slung over his shoulder. As he exited, a female model in an exquisite ivory silk pleated ruffled gown with hand-beaded flowers entered and the two paused for moment to notice each other, igniting the romantic energy of the show.

An elegant combination of soft silk gazar, shantung and taffeta dresses with French lace and beading details, and strong wool suites and separates made for a well-rounded collection by Zang Toi. Solid hues of icy lilac, pink, yellow, black, and ivory dominated the dressy evening attire. Incorporating more color into his collection this spring was uncharacteristic of Toi, who usually loves to work with black, white, and ivory. My favorite silhouettes in the collection included the dramatic backless dresses, the tailored jackets and dresses that were nipped in at the waist, the bell shaped trains, and the exaggerated sleeves, which were smartly paired with pencil skirts.

Zang Toi’s celebrity fans in the crowd included Kirstie Alley, (who served as a model in Toi’s Spring 2012 show), Ivana Trump, and The Real Housewives of New York City’s Sonja Morgan, Ramona Singer, and Alex McCord (who was accompanied by her husband Simon).

I was lucky enough to score a seat in the 4th row and left with a gift bag filled with Zoya nail polish in shades of Julie, Piaf, and Gei Gei-all of which were inspired by the collection.

Check out this brief video for a look at all of Zang Toi’s designs.

The Bebe spring 2012 collection was a sight in white - literally.  Every piece in the collection down to the accessories, shoes and wigs were white.  The striking color scheme was refreshing, especially for spring, and unexpected for a mall brand like Bebe.  The collection looked fit for a modern day Victorian-era Gibson Girl with corsets, bloomers, puff sleeves, ruffles and lace-up booties dominating the looks.  Some of my favorite looks included the jumpsuits (which looked a bit Little Bo Peep), the bathing suits with ruffles and high-waisted sailor pants with a cape jacket.  I loved the mass of white curls on all of the girls - all of the models looked so similar they were a great blank canvas for really paying attention to the clothing. After seeing this collection, I may have to get some pieces next spring.  You just need to be sure have the right undergarments on because many of the pieces were sheer.

Helen Yarmak’s collection is the stuff of mid-to-late 90’s rap videos. The whole aesthetic of this line mirrors the music videos of my adolescence, including Lil’ Kim’s “Crush On You”, Mase videos, and all things Cam’Ron in the early 2000′s. Although designing (and wearing) fur can be controversial these days, it is still considered the material with a universal symbol of status and affluence. Those who have the bravado to don candy-colored fur, do so, and these individuals are usually the stars, musicians, and (as the name of the collection suggests), Rock N Rollers of the world.

The designer featured furs that were saturated with color, alongside some of the more subdued looks done in greys and browns. Lemon yellow, lime green, cobalt blue, orange, and tropical hot pinks were just a few of the bold colors represented throughout the pieces, and the best looking furs were dyed in a striped horizontal pattern in these colors. This season, all of the looks were extremely elegant – but the real showstoppers were the tri-colored vest in slate blue, beige and grey and the striped fur coat in lemon. Unfortunately, Yarmak’s new luxury Tee Shirt Collection for Spring 2012 fell short of my expectations. The dresses in this collection, when worn alone, seemed to hug the body too closely (hello, Spandex.) Only when paired with a fur of a slightly darker color, did each dress seem to shine. To quote Jay-Z, “My texture is the best fur, chinchilla.”

The Spring 2012 Pink Tartan presentation is all about going back to the basics. Although the collection was a slight nod to the androgyny of the mod era - with tailored slacks and flat oxfords - there were still many pieces that reeked of femininity. Although most designers would cringe at the thought of their presentation being categorized as “wearable”, Pink Tartan should take pride in the fact that women will want to own these designs. Sometimes the simplicity of a well-made white shirt can be stunning! The most visually impressive of the show lineup were the polka dot cutout dress and the monochromatic red outfit; the latter of which was expertly paired with a skinny orange belt and electric blue heels. Add hair with volume, liquid eyeliner, and a nude lip, and you’ve got that 1960’s look.