Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week-Twinkle by Wenlan

Girlie Gothic was the name of the game at the Twinkle by Wenlan show. The Fall 2010 collection had a wonderfully ethereal feel to it mixed with a tinge of toughness exemplified by chains, studs and exposed zippers. There was a Hansel & Gretel "in the enchanted forest" ambiance in the room, which was mystical and reflective of the entire line. The stark white setting provided a perfect contrast to the spectrum of color splashed in front of me. Slinky models cascaded down the runway in everything from earthy hues in mossy green, muddy brown, nutty cream and mustard yellow to tints more reflective of the city's hustle and bustle: royal purple, inky blue, mauve, sparkly gold, charcoal gray and of course black. There were dark silhouetted outlines of trees in this fairy tale forest-fantasy-land that provided the main prop for imagination and the label's logo. Each outfit had a fabric, sheen, pattern or shade that I loved and the mixing of chiffon, silk, knit and wool provided an interesting, eclectic silhouette that I'm more than excited about recreating. Twinkle jewelry was also out in full force. Big, chunky beads, geometric baubles, statement pendants and metallic bling graced the necks of our lanky friends and added sparkly accents to the clothing. If there's one thing I took away from the show, it's that interesting necklines are going to be the highlight of Fall fashion. Twinkle necklines went from embellished, adorned with jewels to bare, one shouldered, and cowl necked scooped.

M.A.C. makeup artist, Gianpaola Ceciliato, created the fresh faced look which reflected some of the big beauty trends I've been seeing throughout the week. Natural looking, "makeup free" faces were seen here and at several other show, foreshadowing a big trend in healthy, bare skin for the Fall. The rest of the look was equally understated and drew your eye straight to the upper quadrant of the face: darkened eyebrows, a basic smokey eye and completely nude non-existent lips. Blackened or deep red nails, done by Roxanne Valinoti at CND Nails, added extra edge to the flirty outfits. Not one model wore loose locks and updo's are another trend that seems to be big on the runways this week. John Ruidant for Redken helmed the hair team and created the upswept variations. The styles varied from an elegantly refined low bun, to pulled back messy chignons, french braided pinups and extra teased bouffants.

Check out a few of my personal pictures from the show:


Waiting for the show to begin



Fern Mallis, the woman who makes Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC possible


Rev Run's daughter-Angela Simmons in fuschia


America's Next Top Model's Miss J





Check out highlights from the show courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York