Unfortunately we got to the Ports 1961 show late because we were held up at EDITION Georges Chakra. It’s a scramble getting from one show to the next when they are back to back, so we ended up standing right at the back with our view obstructed by heads, camera lenses and cell phones.

From what I could see of the collection, it was just lovely. Very cool, summery and invoking an oasis in the middle of the desert. The range was predominantly made up of sandy colours and soft fabrics. Lots of tan, nude, off white and light grey with a touch of black, bright purple, emerald green, cobalt blue and chartreuse. The clothing looked soft, yet structured. Quite a  few one shouldered looks, voluminous styles and cinched in waistlines.

Of great note: hemlines were ON THE KNEE. Does this mean that hemlines are once again creeping back down? I selfishly hope so. Ports also showed quite a few wide leg trouser cuts alongside skinny silhouettes. A good mix.

I was extremely excited to see this show because Georges Chakra’s pret a porter collection, EDITION Georges Chakra, was my favorite of the Fall collections in February. It did not disappoint! And it was the longest runway show we’ve seen. Fashion shows usually last about 10 minutes but the Chakra show went on for double that amount of time. Quite the treat.

When the first 12 dresses came down the runway I was a little disheartened because most of them were a shade of beige or caramel. To me, these colours are quite hard to wear and also don’t translate that effectively on a runway. Since neutrals like these seem to be underpinning most of the shows at Fashion Week this season, I thought that beige was going to be the dominant colour palette of the collection. I’m happy to say that I was wrong.

The sea of beige was soon accompanied by brighter neutrals like black and off white. And right after that there was an explosion of colour that looked magical. Turquoise, citron, purple and a spot of tomato red — some of my favorite colours of all time. My very best runway outfit so far at Fashion Week is Chakra’s turquoise ombre gown. I had to catch my breath when it moved down the runway. Simply stunning and the model showed it to perfection. The collection ended with liquid bronze lamé and what looked like a gold brocade. Very fab.

I have NEVER seen garments drape the way Chakra gowns drape. I am totally mesmerized by the quality of the fabrics, the creativity of the design and the skill of the pattern makers and seamstresses. Chakra pieces are total works of art and I appreciate every square millimeter of them.

The intricacy of the designs was also amazing. Such ornate detailing, crisp definition and refined structure. Delicate strands of piping ran through many of the silhouettes as did crystal beading and exposed zippers. Chakra’s dress shapes were contrasting: short and long, form fitting and flouncy, soft and hard, sleeved and sleeveless. This was one the things I liked most about his collection.

Aside from the beige and caramel in the beginning of the show, the other thing that almost put me off the range was the styling of the models’ hair. I found it unflattering and to a certain degree it took away from the beauty of the gowns. After a few minutes I was focused 100% on the clothing though, and it didn’t matter.

The gold show stopper was magnificent and my second favorite runway moment of this trip. Superb, superb, superb drape. If I could make sure that my bust line was locked and loaded in this gown, I’d want to wear it to the next Oscars — you know, the Oscars I go to in my dreams.

I seldom wear black from head to toe, but did so today as a tribute to New Yorkers and the sea of black outfits that are very much prevalent at Fashion Week.

The typical black ensemble at Fashion Week is a short black dress with sky scraping black heels. This is also the uniform worn by most of the volunteers. My black outfit was different to this norm.

I wore silky harem pants with a sequined blouse and topped it off with a cropped Theory tuxedo jacket (a recent NAS purchase). I turned back the scrunched up sleeves boyfriend blazer style, added pearls and stepped into my Kate Spade crinkle patent pumps. The polka dot London Lulu Guiness completed the look.

Greg particularly liked this outfit, complimenting me a few times during the day. He said that I looked “elegantly edgy”. Thanks, Greg! I appreciate your compliments the most.

As soon as one photographer starts shooting something the others in the vicinity get interested, thinking that it might be a celebrity they missed. So its hilarious when Greg starts taking my picture and others join in.

Today’s Spring 2011 collection by industry veteran Tadashi Shoji had its highs and its lows. It was in a venue called The Box in a format called a “presentation”, which means no runway and no music. Instead the collection is showcased by a group of 25 models standing (mostly) still against a theatrical backdrop. I was not expecting the collection to be showcased in this way so my heart sank when we walked into the room.

A catwalk show is so exciting — the lights dim, the music explodes and your heart races in anticipation as you wait for the first few models to walk down that runway. When a collection is showcased in the form of a standing presentation such as this one, you don’t get the same rush of excitement at all. The clothes don’t move, the collection is revealed in one go, and the lack of music feels bizarre.

I was also rather surprised to see a particularly young model take center stage in the presentation (short lace ruched sleeve oyster frock). She couldn’t really fill out the dress and seemed a little shy compared to her peers. Perhaps that was the persona Tadashi wanted her to project, but to me it felt out of place.

Viewing a collection presentation style does have it’s advantages too. You get to see the clothes up close and I savored every detail. Tadashi Shoji’s fairly unstructured masterpieces were inspired by the Renaissance frescos of Piero della Francesca and Botticelli. They are extremely soft, feminine and romantic. Tiered layers, ruching and draping, one shoulder styling, ruffles and rosette detailing dominated the silhouettes. That is totally opposite to the rigid military and menswear inspired themes which are all over stores right now.

Tadashi kept his palette pastel using varying shades of oyster, beige, antique pink, grey and lilac. Its only the first show, so I don’t know if this means that pastels will be strong for Spring. Even though the overall look of the collection was not to my personal taste, it was inspiring to behold.

The best, best, best part of this collection was getting to within a few feet of Tadashi himself. A killer moment! This would never have happened during a runway show. The man has an infectious smile and looked so hip in his ink blue military jacket and tinted specs. I had to restrain myself from not jumping in on other people’s camera action to give him a hug. I did manage to stand right behind him though. Very fab!

There were also a few celebrities at the show and one of them is embracing Tadashi in the picture. Apart from the fabulous model in the lilac dress, I think that the celebrity looked better than any of the models in the collection. She was stunning!