>> Alexander Wang hinted recently that he was ready to evolve, telling W's September 2009 issue: "As soon as people get used to what you’re doing, you have to change direction."  And evolve he did for Spring 2010: the look of his last few collections, with their body-clinging shapes and primarily black palettes, was replaced by a generally looser silhouette and all shades of khaki, tan, olive, and gray.  He told WWD that Spring 2010 for him "is very much about classic American sportswear," and the idea is visible in pieces like a sweatshirt dress with football pad detailing (below) and all the shinguard-like socks cut out at the back of the calf.

But Wang didn't give up the sexy side of his label — there were plenty of bra tops, crop tops, and and lingerie-style shorts to go around.  The house was unsurprisingly packed, with Katie Grand (Wang's after-party co-host), Terry Richardson, Olivier Zahm, Diane von Furstenberg (Alex's CFDA-appointed mentor), Erin Wasson, Devon Aoki, Liya Kebede, and Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin all front row.  Frankie Rayder, Angela Lindvall, and Iselin Steiro walked, newcomer Mirte Maas opened, Karl Templer styled, and Wang's three styles of sunglasses debuted.

>> This has been a week of firsts for Proenza Schouler.  They took home their first CFDA Accessory Designer of the Year award Monday, after which Jack McCollough was snapped licking Thakoon Panichgul; Lazaro Hernandez later quipped, "Yeah, we started the week off with a hangover, bad idea, and kind of throws off the whole thing!"  With A Magazine #9, out this week with Chloe Sevigny on the cover, they become the first American designer guest editors — Lazaro even photographed the Swarovski campaign inside.

And today, they present their first collection abroad in Florence — complete with performance artist Kalup Linzy's short film starring Chloe Sevigny and Liya Kebede (see here), because they felt they "needed to up the ante."  The Cruise 2010 collection includes bags with leather treated to look like herringbone canvas and was inspired by their recent trip to Tahiti: "When we finish a show we go away, and that trip usually winds up being the spark for the next season. Not directly — I think we try to avoid the places where the inspiration would be too on-the-surface, in fact."  They say they're staying to work in Italy, and then coming back to get ready for Spring 2010, so maybe some Italian influence will shine through next time around?

>> The wait is over.  The May 2009 issue of Vogue, wholly dedicated to models in anticipation of this year's Model as Muse Costume Insitute Gala next month has debuted, and Liya Kebede, Natalia Vodianova, Anna Maria Jagodzinska, Isabeli Fontana, Lara Stone, Jourdan Dunn, Raquel Zimmermann, Caroline Trentini,and Natasha Poly all made the final cut, wearing what appears to be Rodarte.  This cover, shot by Steven Meisel, is notable not only because of its subjects, but because it marks the third consecutive cover to feature a woman of color on the front.  

Inside, Natalia Vodianova, who has been called "the Baby" by Steven Meisel and makeup artist Pat McGrath since they starting working with her, collaborated with them again on a tribute editorial to models past, from Twiggy to Dovima, similar to the one Gisele Bundchen did for Harper's Bazaar last month.  The key to Natalia's chameleon act?  "I looked at each woman's lips — they're all different."
*image: source, source, source

>> Fall 2009 has turned out to be the season of new for Nicolas Ghesquiere and Balenciaga: new show location, new softness, new openness to models of color.  Instead of showing at the brand's headquarters on the Left Bank as usual, Ghesquiere took the show to Hotel Crillon, with its gold and cream atmosphere and the models walking through French doors.  The official blame for the move goes to neighbors around the HQ, who apparently didn't like the loud soundtrack, but some wondered if it wasn't prompted by Balmain's move to the Ritz this season — a little venue rivalry?

Nonetheless, the typically whitewashed Balenciaga runway felt a little influx of models of color this season; Liya Kebede opened, and Chanel Iman walked, her first time for the label — last time a model of color walked, as far as I can tell, was Fall 2006 — Liya Kebede.  Newcomers Johanna Kneppers and twin Gwen Loos made their first runway appearances.  As for the clothes, Ghesquiere took away the recent robo-chic, instead experimenting with draping and satin — two techniques he admitted he'd never really worked with before.  The result is garnering '80s Yves Saint Laurent and Dynasty comparisons, and perhaps a little uncertainty, but there's definitely a future for the high-slit, splotchy-printed dresses — Francois-Henri Pinault thought so, he was there with new wife Salma Hayek in the front row.
*image: source, source