Glitz, glamour and sex appeal reigned on eveningwear designer Farah Angsana's Fall 2011 runway, whose collection of micro mini cocktail dresses and floor length gowns was inspired by '70s decadence. The show opened with a semi-masked model cloaked in a silver fox fur and sky-high platforms who shed her coat in one dramatic move when she reached the end of the catwalk, revealing a black tulle corset and nothing else (see photo after the jump). Sure, it was over the top but that's why I come to Fashion Week! Some of the gowns were a bit too embellished but overall they sparkled like gems and I can't wait to see them on the red carpet where they'll feel right at home.

Click through to see more of my photos - it's amazing what I can accomplish with my camera when I'm sitting in the right spot!

Today I attended the Vivienne Tam Fall 2011 runway show at the Lincoln Center, part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Tam always brings a unique East-meets-West aesthetic to her designs, and this season, she was inspired by the ancient Kun Opera of her home country, China. The inspiration was apparent in the structured outerwear with swooping, pronounced shoulders and collars as well as intricate embroidery and other embellishments. The color palette of mostly blacks and blues, dark purples with a few accents of red added to the drama. I really think this was one of Tam's best shows that I've seen, the collection was modern while hinting at the past and referenced the opera without veering into costume territory. What I would have liked to have seen is a few minor alterations to some of the eveningwear, a tweak here or there that would make some of the gowns more appealing to today's red carpet starlet.

Photo credit: Style.com

On the morning of February 11, I attended my first Perry Ellis runway show for the Fall 2011 Men's Collection, presented at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. To be perfectly honest, my expectation were modest for the menswear megabrand, but I was more than pleasantly surprised. Not only were the models handsome and the music soulful, the clothes were actually fantastic, too.

What impressed me the most was the seamless flow of the presentation, each look related to the next but presented something fresh and exciting. The clothes were both totally wearable - sweaters, blazers, coats, pants and jackets in a warm neutral color palette inspired by nature - and fashion forward at the same time.

In fact there were a lot of pieces I wanted for myself, from a wool plaid cropped peacoat to a castlerock quilted bomber to a spruce suede riding jacket. (Love fall outerwear!) Everything was expertly layered and accessories were not overlooked, including cool beanies, fingerless gloves, cozy scarves and trousers tucked into thick socks (it worked, trust me).

Above, you can watch the runway show finale, a fun moment as the models had changed into something a bit more comfortable (ie. long underwear) to take their final walk down the runway.

On the Perry Ellis Facebook page, fans will find creative director John Crocco's 10 favorite looks available for purchase hot off the runway for four days only - check it out just to see the clothes!