Another designer we’re looking forward to seeing this go-around at New York fashion week is Nicole Miller. Her line was hands down one of our favorites this past Spring fashion week in September. You will naturally be seeing it in one form or another at your retail racks, but to refresh your memory click our photo gallery above and read Ali Manning’s review below:

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Gold cuffs, swinging earrings, and gowns worn by only the chicest of Mayan princesses. The South American indigenous aesthetic, inspiration for Nicole Miller’s Spring 2007 line, seemed to be the natural outgrowth of two looks that dominated the runways in ’06: safari and gladiator. The Mayan look takes a step back from these trends, allowing Miller to integrate new elements—thickly wrapped waists (belted or otherwise), fresh indigenous-derived prints, and a directed focus on variations of the blouson—into a restrained, and even reinvented, boho look.

Murmurs of adoration swept over the crowd each time a blouson dress or top in “celestial aqua silk” came down the runway, and admiration of Miller’s intricate construction could be seen in the crowd’s eyes. The theme was perhaps a bit safe, not too far a departure from the seasons past, yet isn’t that what Miller devotees seek? Miller catered to her audience by giving them a collection that was novel without being overly risky.

ALI MANNING

In our runup to fashion week we’re going to take a look at our past coverage and what you can look forward to this fashion week.

Today we repost our review of the Costello Tagliapietra line that should be appearing in stores this spring. It’s really interesting by the way, seeing how designs from the runway trickle down to retail. Something I marvel at even now. Click the photo above for the gallery and see the review below:

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One could not help but register the irony as Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra came out from backstage, donning flannel shirts and suspenders to wave to an audience whom they’d just captivated with their ability to delicately drape dresses into softly billowing perfection. They may look like lumberjacks, with hands fit for the use of chainsaws and axes, but they’ve proven that their hands are equally equipped with fine jersey and silk.

Costello and Tagliapietra walked the delicate balance between youth and maturity with the Spring 2007 collection. One could imagine a socialite mother/daughter team wearing their creations side by side: the daughter would look elegant in the grape empire v-neck dress with Swarovski crystal embroidery, while her mother would opt for the same style—empire—but in a white gold that covered the neckline and gave more frame to the shoulders.

The color palette of griege, petal pinlk, white gold, grape and orchid all well suited for a roof deck cocktail party on a long summer’s eve—evening appropriate, but also fantastic-looking as the sunlight wanes at 10PM. While last season was “fundamentally boxy,” this season the dresses fell along the body with grace.

Other standouts were the form-fitting strapless dresses with pleated draped or wrapped bodices, and the use of red ochre and golden embroidery for a Romanesque look. With Anna Wintour making a special Sunday afternoon appearance (Nina Garcia of Elle attended last season, but Anna is truly the queen bee) at this off-site show, Costello Tagliapietra is sure to be carving their niche in the mainstream fashion world.

ALI MANNING

Random Spring/Summer 2006 photo editorial. This was from Self Service Magazine, and a year later I don’t feel so weird coveting those pieces. Ask me whether I feel that way 5 years from now.

**You can understand that I am really dreading and anticipating fashion week.

As the curtain falls on the couture shows and RTW begins with New York this Thursday, I look back (and forward) at what looks to be a promising season. New York last year left a lot in the press and on blogs a bit underwhelmed, London seemed to make up for it and we were at a crossroads in terms of Milan and Paris when last we left. So the question now is where is it all going?

The last photos I looked at were from the Christian Lacroix collection and the one thing I got from his and most collections is that when it comes to dresses, bigger describes it all. More, more more. More embelishments, more contraptions, and yes, more flowers and flowerlike objects are in order for dresses. My sixth sense tells me that this is what we will see during fashion week (at least the European ones), but like Sylvia Browne, I’ve been wrong before.

After a sellout collection in ‘05 at H&M, and a current collection for Adidias, not to mention her own lines Stella McCartney is set to become the hardest working woman in fashion. She is now joining forces with LeSportsac(remember the L.A.M.B line?) to create a 30-40 piece limited collection including: baby accessories and totes for mothers, travel bags, and luggage.

The collection will be available in London, New York, and Los Angeles at top department stores.