Yesterday we attended The Supima Premium Fabric Show where an edited group of companies revealed their Spring 2009 fabrics. The companies, based in countries all over the world, all use 'Superior Pima', a high quality cotton that makes up less than 1% of the cotton bales produced globally, and so we perused the variety of options available to designers using this textile.


One of the most interesting companies, we thought, was Arvind Mills. Arvind Mills is one of the top three producers of denim in the world and counts Lee, Wrangler, and Tommy Hilfiger as clients. Primarily based in India, the company thrives on its denim production but also creates khaki, shirting, and knits. It was all very American (we love our denim), the fact that the Arvind booth was chalk full of designers where the others had one or two ambling onlookers. Also popular were the presence of organic cottons and alternative textiles. While some companies, like Ecotex, specialized in green textiles, others simply had eco-friendly options (clearly a sign that the offering is not only responsible, but also now profitable).


Later in the day, we attended a lecture by David Wolfe, creative director for The Doneger Group, on forecasting trends for Spring 2009. Among Wolfe's predictions were a move towards 'undesign', Wolfe's way of describing the classics, and a steady reliance on menswear as an informant to women's trends. If there's anything that calls for high-quality cottons, it's menswear inspired basics.

Last week, we met with English designer Sue Stemp for a pre-fashion week interview and tour of her studio. This will be the sixth collection for Sue Stemp, who is known for her English boheme sensibilities and New York know-how. This season, Stemp draws inspiration from the famous restaurant, Maxim's, for its art nouveau interior and its social scene in the 1970's.

More: Sue Stemp S/S 2008 collection

>> Catching my eye from the Chanel Spring 2008 couture show this morning: the 75-foot tall Chanel jacket that the girls strolled around.  Made from wood and painted to look like concrete, it reminds me of what a very large Chanel-themed wedding cake might look like. 

**image: getty

In about one week, the rest of the world will have the new A/W 08 Love Brigade collection at their fingertips. We've scored a special sneak peek of the look book, having tagged along for the shoot this weekend. There's nothing better than bunch of Brooklyn kids pretending they're not surrounded by concrete and standing on aluminum rooftops. We think this look book is going to be pretty amazing.