September is one of my favorite months for many reasons: Back-to-school, Labor Day, Lil’ Wayne’s Birthday, Starbucks’s Pumpkin Spice Lattes and, of course, Fashion Week. Fashion Week is actually a misnomer; instead of a week, it is a month-long event full of runway shows, presentations and parties that starts in good ol’ NYC, and then travels to London, Milan and Paris.

Don’t know your Marc Jacobs from your Calvin Klein? If the only designers you know hail from Project Runway or Go! International lines at Target, listen up. Here are five hot designers whose work has them poised to become the next Oscars de la Renta and Diane von Furstenbergs.

Grab a bib and get ready to drool.

ALEXANDER WANG

Hailing from Northern California, this 25-year-old designer has been making fashion-lovers swoon for his tough-girl chic designs since 2007 when he launched his first full women’s collection. Since then, he’s been making the grungy, sexy, I-don’t-give-a-f**k look cool again. Basically, anything Wang puts down the runway instantly becomes the latest it-item. Even Topshop, Britain’s better version of Forever 21, has ripped off his designs. This fashion newcomer isn’t going anywhere and is sure to have a long and successful career ahead of him.

RODARTE

One day, sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy are in California packing the few dresses they’d designed into suitcases to show to editors in New York. A week later, they’re on the cover of Woman’s Wear Daily (think the New York Times for fashion types) and their collection is championed by the likes of Anna Wintour. Rodarte, named after their mother’s maiden name, is a design house focused on extremely beautiful, detailed, whimsical pieces that drop jaws. These creations are literally wearable art. Can’t afford to spend $2,000 on one dress? Don’t even worry; the duo is planning a Target collaboration that will be available for sale this December. Expect gorgeous party dresses with offbeat touches on a college-friendly budget.

3.1 PHILLIP LIM

Have you ever wanted a piece of clothing that’s comfortable and cool but doesn’t make you look like you’re trying too hard? Phillip Lim is your man. Everyone from Scarlett Johansson to Camilla Belle to Kate Hudson has worn items from his collections, full of cute dresses in laid-back patterns adorned with feminine details. Earlier this year, he started Go Green Go by Phillip Lim, a 10-piece eco-friendly collection full of tunics, biker jackets and harem pants. As Nicole Phelps from Vogue said, “Lim knows how fashionable women want to dress.” And to me, it’s head-to-toe Lim.

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON

Are you an international jet setter that spends one week in Ibiza, the next in St. Barth and ‘relaxes’ in St. Tropez? Neither am I, but if I was one, I would only wear Matthew Williamson. His crazy prints in relaxed fabrics have me imagining myself on a yacht in the Caribbean with a piña colada in hand. This British designer, who’s heading back to London Fashion Week this season to celebrate the British Fashion Council’s 25 anniversary, has been designing his own label since 1997. Earlier this year, he released a collection with H&M that had fans waiting in line for 12 hours before the store opened. With fans like Katy Perry, Kelis, Sienna Miller and Keira Knightly, this man is my second-favorite UK import… After Prince Harry, of course.

PROENZA SCHOULER

So, you’re an aspiring fashion designer on a plane to New York and notice that Anna Wintour, possibly the most powerful woman in fashion, is on your flight. What do you do? Instead of cowering in sweatpants, as most of us would have done, Lazaro Hernandez, half of design duo Proenza Schouler (pronounced Skool-er) slips a note to the notorious ice-queen. One thing leads to another and in 2002, during their final year at Parsons The New School For Design, Barneys New York buys Proenza Schouler’s entire senior collection. Since then, the buzz around Hernandez and partner Jack McCollough hasn’t stopped. Their line, full of strong, timeless statement pieces that can be styled in a myriad of ways, is always one of New York Fashion Week’s most-watched show. Expect at least one Spring 2010 trend to revolve around this collection. Oh, and Lazaro, no more getting head butted by celebs, OK?

Are there any other designers you think we should know about?

All photos via style.com showcase Fall 2009 runway looks

Usually I hate when things happen ahead of season, like when Halloween stuff starts popping up in August, or when Christmas decorations are everywhere in September.  In general it is just plain wrong.  I don’t need a blow up outdoor Santa snow globe before Halloween has even passed.  Actually, I don’t need one of those at all.  Ever.

However, there’s one thing that I don’t mind arriving a wee bit early, and that’s next season’s makeup trends (or any fashion for that matter); it’s never too early to look into/play around with the new fall colors.

Now’s the time to get your makeup bag ready for fall and I’m here to help. You should be glad I’m not actually there with you, because I’d be trying on every lip gloss you got and curling my eyelashes instead of really helping. But I digress. I’ll tell you what to keep, what to toss, and what to buy for Back To School season.

You don’t have to do it right now (obviously), but just keep your eye out for the colors of fall and prepare yourself to part with the makeup of the summer.

First of all, it’s a good idea to clean out your makeup bag every season.  Check things for expiration dates and think back to the last time you used a product.  Check out these tips to find out how long you should keep mascaras, shadows, and lip glosses.

Once you’ve cleared out the cakey makeup you bought for the 7th grade play or the chunky glitter you used for a middle school dance, you can take a look at more recent cosmetics.  This summer was big on blue hues and light tones, but these are inappropriate for the fall.  Put those puppies somewhere safe (and cool – you don’t want them growing any bacteria), and take your nude tones while you’re at it. The fall is all about dark colors.

Don’t have any dark tones? It’s time to get some in hues like purple, berry tones, and black. To start incorporating these colors into your collection, check out some of these products:

Purple: Pick a deep plum color and use as a liner for a subtle effect, or sweep over your whole lid for a more dramatic effect.  If you choose a powder shade, like this one from Bare Escentuals in Legit, you can use it now for light color layers and then pile it on wet in the fall for a darker, more dramatic look.

Berry: Gone are the nude lips of summer, and deep berry colors are in.  This is a pretty big switch from the natural look of the summer so don’t test this out too early.  When the summer fades away, keep the rest of your look light and try out a bright berry like this one from NARS in Russian Doll.

Black: Thick black eyes are going to be in style for an intense night look.  Try this cream eyeliner pot from Smashbox and use it as a thick eyeliner by sweeping it over your upper and lower lash line.  Fall is going to be especially dramatic with bold black being used on lids – not just lash lines – so don’t be afraid to use black as a shadow.

I love Gossip Girl. Ever since I heard Kristin Bell’s first “xoxo” back in 2007, I’ve been hooked. GG’s got it all: drama, scandal, hot men, and adorable outfits. The thing about those outfits, however amazing they may be, is that they can be super expensive. So, when I heard that Anna Sui was designing a Gossip Girl inspired collection for Target, I had high hopes and was immediately excited. I even contemplated camping out at my neighborhood Target American-Idol-style the night before the line was released. But after spotting the collection online, I’m torn.

Love it:

Variety – I love that Anna decided to make a collection that showcases the style of all four Gossip Girl ladies: Blair, Serena, Jenny, and Vanessa. With the GG line, you have the opportunity to mix and match with different pieces inspired by each character, or just pick your favorite. I don’t know about you, but some days I’m a Blair and the next I’m Vanessa, so I like a collection that takes this change in style into account.

Price – Though specific prices for Anna’s collection haven’t been announced yet, it’s making it’s debut at Target, so it will definitely be budget-friendly. I might have loved the Marc Jacobs Joelle dress that Blair wore to the white party, but I most definitely do not like the price tag, or the fact that it is now sold out.

Wearability – Although I would love to be able to prance around campus in 5 inch stilettos and shirts dresses everyday a la Ms. Van Der Woodsen, it just is not practical for me. Short hemlines + tall shoes = disaster waiting to happen. Luckily though, Anna Sui found a way to emulate S’s (and B, Little J, and V’s) style in a more everyday fashion. It would be so easy to pull on any of these dresses over tights, leggings or a hot pair of socks and make them your own.

Loathe it:

Translation – Although the collection has some great looks, many of the pieces seem to have been lost in translation, or don’t fit the character’s they were inspired by. Whether this was an attempt to keep costs down, or if the design team only watched a few episodes of Gossip Girl, I’m not sure. Whatever the case though, some of these outfits are just plain weird. Serena’s outfit with the fitted bermuda shorts with bows and a vest, Vanessa’s puffy vest, Jenny’s textured tights and tie-up shirt, and pretty much all of Blair’s looks just don’t get it right; something’s off. (Perhaps the designers?)

Lack of pants – Gossip Girl by Anna Sui (or whatever they’re officially calling this line) undeniably offers some great skirts and dresses, but that’s pretty much it.  What about the skinny jeans? Shorts? Leggings? I realize that most of the outfits on the show are feminine and formal, but Serena, Vanessa, and our favorite bad girl Georgina most definitely rock pants from time to time.

Vanessa’s Looks – Why oh why are all of V’s outfits the same shades of brown, orange, and yellow?! Though she doesn’t have an Upper East Side sense of style, Vanessa’s outfits on the show are still colorful and generally pretty cute. Or at least different! Liquid leggings, a denim mini, and hot pink patent Doc Marten’s? That’s Vanessa. 70′s print orange and brown? Not so much. This girl loves neon!

So, Anna’s line is definitely slightly flawed, but it’s also the closest I’m ever going to get to an UES wardrobe. I’m so torn. What do you think??

XOXO,
CollegeCandy Girl

Even the glamorous world of fashion has been hit hard by the recession. In a time where most people are cutting back, spending money on designer outfits just doesn’t seem reasonable. At this year’s New York Fashion Week, many designers have cut costs by hosting smaller runway shows or gallery presentations.

But more than how, designers have changed what they are showing. Their goal is to show women looks that they must have; looks that will get them reaching for their wallets. So what can you expect to be snatching up for fall? A little of this, a little of that and a whole lot of 80s…

1. Head-to-toe Black. While the future of fashion definitely looks dark, that may not be a bad thing. Sleek, modern-looking all-black ensembles have dominated the runways this week.

2. Purple and Red are breaking up the monotony by popping up occasionally, as well.

3. Leather is going to be everywhere this fall – jackets, boots, and, yes, leggings.

4. Cutouts will add sex appeal to the tougher, edgier looks you’ll be seeing.

5. Full-length, exposed zippers will also be back to make a bold statement on seemingly standard ensembles.

6. Built-Up or Padded Shoulders have been spotted quite a a few times on the runways, so get ready to raid your grandma’s closet. The big shoulder is gonna be huge (pun intended).

7. Cinched waists will be back next for fall, which is refreshing as it is the most flattering silhouette.

Other trends that will continue through fall 2009 are animal prints, volume and structure, full skirts, color blocks, and plaid. Thankfully designers have recycled some trends from ’08, allowing all of us to keep up with fashion without overhauling our wardrobes.