>> Designers collectively seem to be over the ubiquitous body-con, hard-edged rock'n'roll look that has swept fashion for the past few seasons: Lorenzo Martone said Marc Jacobs is; Elise Overland told WWD: "I’m tired of that rock-star style — everyone else is doing it now, so I wanted to do something different"; and Joseph Altuzarra, who has focused on form-fitting silhouettes in the past, added some flounce this time around.

Narciso Rodriguez, who like Altuzarra typically goes with a lean look, also loosened up. A white linen and silk dress billowed around Monika "Jac" Jagaciak, even the nipped-in waists flared at the hips.  But the three stunners, which showed Narciso's experiment with volume at its best, were the last three finale gowns — one in black, one in white, one in "mercury" gray — knee-length in the front and parachute-like in the back as the model walked.

Also of note: pre-show, Anna Wintour was escorted backstage — not something that happens at every show; Narciso's close friends Ruben and Isabel Toledo sat front row, as did Tory Burch, whose show is tomorrow morning. Narciso has also just signed a deal with eBay to create a line — for Spring 2010 — with nothing over $350 (his runway designs are typically $1,800-plus), to be called "Narciso Rodriguez for eBay." A preview of his ideas for the line can be seen here.

>> Laura Mulleavy told WWD she didn't sleep last night because she was so nervous about the Rodarte show — inspired by the singed Death Valley and "mangled and tattered" black vultures — today, but she had nothing to fear. The room was packed for her and her sister Kate's Spring 2010 collection debut; crunchy black sand was on the floor, dry ice smoke filled the room, and a musky scent wafted through the room as part of a collaboration with fragrance company Firmenich. The first look emerged from the silver cave opening-like set, all plaid and burnt cheesecloth.  Following behind was lots of black, some feathers . . . deconstructed looks with tie dye and raw hems and patchwork.  Every model had her arms painted with makeup to appear like tribal tattoes, goth lips, and their hair wrapped in webbed wool.

Tavi of Style Rookie, the Mulleavys' muse, was front row, Nicholas Kirkwood did the heels again, causing one tumble and a trip by Karlie Loss, and frequent Rodarte collaborator Autumne de Wilde was backstage filming a Rodarte movie.  Full play-by-play here.

>> A number of designers this past week have been looking to nature and the organic for inspiration — even if just for a earthy, neutral color palette; Maria Cornejo is one of them. "The dynamic relationship we have with our surroundings; the beautiful tension of organic elements pushing through the cement of an urban landscape are what inspired me most. I love the energy of the city but always feel the pull of nature, so I find myself grabbing moments wherever I can."

With Cindy Sherman front row, she sent out four district sets of looks — black and white noise, wood, grass, and water — referring to the print that pervaded the group; the wood, ocean, and grass digitally-based patterns came from photos Cornejo took with her iPhone.  For the first time, she added a capsule collection of swimwear, but it's the accessories that really caught attention: stiff curves of bent wood belting half the waist, lying around the neck, cuffing the wrist, and a half-sandal, half-bootie shoe.

>> Thakoon got a boost earlier this year via Michelle Obama and then again later with his prominent role in The September Issue, and although Ikram Goldman (the First Lady's unofficial style advisor) was in attendance at his Spring 2010 show again today, he's still looking for ways to save costs without compromising creativity, he told Cathy Horyn last week.  He ended up buying a large supply of crinkled jacquard and printing it in different patterns, lowering costs, and can use the fabric again for future collections.

As for compromising creativity, his Spring 2010 collection — full of his hallmark brightly-colored prints mixed and patchworked together, scuba-like pants, and printed heels done in collaboration with Giuseppe Zanotti — earned some comparisons to Balenciaga's Spring 2003 scuba collection, WWD reported a number of editors noting. But ultimately these days, it comes down to whether the pieces will sell — and the slashed and draped, Fortuny pleated dresses should have no problem in that arena.

Fun little sidenotes: Bee Shaffer attended the show, but Anna Wintour skipped for the US Open; and Thakoon's backstage passes were pins featuring a picture of his dog, Steve, on them.