>> Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been quick with the Internet recently: They just launched e-commerce and uploaded both Fall 2009 Dolce & Gabbana and D&G campaigns over the weekend.  The former, shot by Steven Klein, features Mariacarla Boscono, Edita Vilkeviciute, and Heidi Mount — who in one shot takes a simian pose — at a casino, and the latter, shot by Mario Testino, features a younger group: Katie Fogarty, Sara Blomqvist, Stephanie Rad, Hanna Rundolf, and Ragnhild Jevne.

>> Before heading back to the States from Venice, a number of Chanel Cruise attendees — and show strutters like Toni Garrn and Siri Tollerod — made a stop over in Vienna for the annual Life Ball AIDS charity spectacular Saturday evening.  The town hall was surrounded by 2.5 million liters of water trucked in for this year's marine theme, and the guest list topped 40,000.

Amber Valletta opened the motorcade in a blue crystal-covered chariot, Anja Rubik was in attendance wearing her favorite label as of late, Balmain, and Sessilee Lopez sported a blonde wig for one of her turns during the catwalk festivities.  Heather Marks, Iris Strubegger, Emina Cunmulaj, Eliza Cummings, Kinga Rajzak, Sara Blomqvist all also participated, plus first-timer Stephanie Carta, who described the experience as "a fantasy world of glitter and botox and some kind of neverending celebration."

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>> Phillip Lim created the mascot skirt of Fashion Week earlier this year — not kidding, I've seen it on at least one person every day this week — and if the attendance to his newest collection's presentation is any indication, Spring 2009 will be smooth sailing for 3.1 Phillip Lim — the Tent was packed to the gills with fans, including friends Richard Chai and Irina Lazareanu, both sitting front row.

Christian Louboutin designed ruffled heels for the collection, eliciting covetousness in many — in fact, the whole Spring 2009 season is about ruffles for Phillip.  The treatment in some of the dresses and skirts reminded me of a tamed version of Marc Jacobs's Spring 2007 ruffles, but among the hazy smoke that hovered on the runway, the real standouts emerged — the stiff, open-edged zipper pieces, and the jewelry Eddie Borgo made for the occasion.
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>> For the second season in a row, Marc Jacobs started his show promptly, just ten minutes after its scheduled start — only this time, half the attendees weren't locked out — everyone had learned their lesson. "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The show is about to begin."

Through swinging mirror doors, the models walked the mirror-lined runway from every direction, funhouse illusions abounding. But show tactics aside, with Marc, it always comes down to the clothes — the mashed-up, layered, bangled clothes, sparkling, plaided, and sheened. As Gershwin played in the background, Marc took us in a whole new direction — and he did it while wearing a skirt.

To get the full experience, check out the runway video at Elle.com.
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