By Walter Greene

The curtains come up on Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York on
Wednesday September 5th. The Spring 2013 collections will be shown at
the main venue in Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park, with literally
hundreds of other shows around town as the fashion media converge on
New York City. According to New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg,
Fashion Week brings in $865 million to the city. All of the fashion
week shows are by invitation only and is geared towards the world
press, fashion buyers, retailers and special celebrity guests of the
designers. Fashion week is not open to the public. Everything comes to
a grand finale' on Thursday September 13th with TimeCrafters Luxury
Watch Exhibition at the Park Avenue Armory and the Lux List Show at the
Strand Hotel on 37th Street in New York's garment district.

Although the Lincoln Center show venue is the nerve center of the twice
yearly fashion shows, some of the most sought after shows are shown off
site in locations that run the gamut from secluded showrooms in the
garment district to swank Park Avenue rooftops. Greenwich Village's
Industria Studios, Pier 57 at Chelsea Pier, Highland Studios, several
West Side Art galleries and even Webster Hall are hosting designers
this season. Major names like Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren,
Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger and Oscar de la Renta are not showing at
the Lincoln Center hub. So, in essence, one can see some key
collections of the season without even going to Lincoln Center.

Fashion Night Out kicks off on Thursday September 6th when shops open
late and celebrity appearances fuel business in all the major
department stores across the nation. This fashion event was founded two
years ago by Vogue Magazine's Anna Wintour and has been successful,
setting off a chain reaction all over the world that has boosted the
global fashion industry. Earlier in the day, Arise Magazine will
present `African Icons' at their yearly showcase of the best of
Africa's designers at the Lincoln Center Theatre. Designers:
Tiffany Amber, Ozwald Boateng, Gavin Rajah, Tsemaye Binitie and
Maki-OH will be featured. As part of Fashion Night Out, Fashion editor
and style expert Harriette Cole will launch her `108 Stitches'
collection of hand knitted scarves at Hair Rules
Salon on Manhattan's West side, hosted by prima ballerina Misty
Copeland.

Harlem Fashion Row will present designers; Omar Salam's "Sukenia"
collection: `Bloom.' alongside Latisha Daring's "Ashtyn" collection; Joseph Bethune
"Bethune Brothers" collection and The Nzinga Knight collection at Jazz
at Lincoln Center's, Frederick P. Rose Hall on Friday September 7. South African designer David Tlale will
present his fashions at `The Box' venue at Lincoln Center on Sunday September 9. Tracy Reese
will also unveil her new line on Sunday September 9 at the `Studio'
venue in Lincoln Center and young breakout designer La Quan Smith from
Queens, New York, will showcase at the Hudson Hotel on Monday September
10. Among the celebrity designers presenting their fashions will be
Daisy Fuentes who will show her Spring 2013 creations at an intimate
gathering on Wednesday September 12 at a venue on West 18 Street.
Haitian designer Prajje will launch his collection on Wednesday
September 12. He is the only designers that one can purchase
tickets to view his collection. He's doing his show as a fundraiser for
his country.

CAPTION:
Prima ballerina Collection to be launched during NY Fashion Week. Photographed by
George Chinsee.