Color palette: Red, white and blue
Mood: Magical, nostalgic, enlivening
Statement Pieces: The whole damn show was a statement
Front Row Name Drops: Phillip Bloch, Garance Dore, Elizabeth Hurley, Margherita Missoni, Amy Sacco, Alek Wek, Scott Schuman and Waris Ahluwalia were all in the house
Gossip: “Oh my god this is amazing. I’m going to cry.”
Runway Music: The Harlem Boys Choir, M.I.A.

From this collection you can tell that Thom abhors two things for Spring 2012: pants & sleeves.

I say this because it seems as if this collection is void of the two. He deconstructs the traditional suit jacket be removing the sleeves or not adding places for them in the first place. He also plays with suiting by chaining up proportions, lapels, and hem finishing.

A trend that seems to e emerging is skirts on men. Some designers such as Rick Owens have kept them a staple but it seems more mainstream designers are picking up on this pantless kick.

My favorite part of this show had to be the fringe. I don’t know who decided it was time for the flapper to return but it really works great and adds a flair that is seen in more womenswear that even menswear.

This collection does offer a slight variety of styles. There are a few options for the “average” man but mainly this collection is for someone who wants to be seen on the cutting edge of mens fashion.

Follow me on Twitter & visit my personal menswear blog for more pictures & Mens Fashion Week coverage: dailyMISTER.com

1. Christopher Raeburn: Made from recycled military parachute nylon, this parka (which also allows for a warm winter insert) will protect from the elements.

2. Emma Cook: Not your typical poncho, this one has the capacity to enhance your outfit, rather than covering it horrifically, as so many ponchos do. And it will be good to you during a potentially rainy festival season.

3. Peacocks: A cheapie mac from across the pond, where it rains, all the time. Printed leopard. Rawr.

4. Ann Demeulemeester: Drawstrung up in silver, the lapel alone is worth the wear.

5. Jil Sander: As gray as the day is long, yet as olive as my filthy martini, this coat can make a splash.

6. Topshop: Brings me back to a skirt I had during my middle school Spice Girls days – deep blue and plastic. But what I really really really want is zigazig ahh.

7. ModCloth: Red and rubber with an inner whale.

8. American Apparel: Down with a cinch, up with a hood.

9. Moncler: The dolman cuts it short for warmer weather drizzle.

10. Burberry: Cropped and caped, shrug it dry.

As umbrellas are quite the temporary fixture – lost or broken almost immediately – pick up a cute printed guy at H&M for cheap.

And I continue to stand by a solid flatform in the rain.  Because weather is no excuse for shlump.  In fact, there is no excuse. Stay classy. Stay dry.

Miuccia Prada and chief executive officer Patrizio Bertelli own a 95% majority stake in the company and will sell about 15% of that, while Banca IMI-Intesa Sanpaolo Group is expected to sell its 5.1% share, thus meeting Prada’s goal of a 20% public listing.

Whereas Prada’s decision to go public in Hong Kong is an attempt to capitalize on China’s rapidly growing luxury sector, fellow Italians Ferragamo and Moncler, who are also going public, will list on the Italian Stock Exchange.

Despite its record year of profits, Prada still had a debt of $575 million at the end of the fiscal year in January, leading to speculation that going public was a means to get their affairs all squared up. [WWD]

Through cracks in the spaces between heads in front of me, I glimpsed the Moncler-clad ski ready people appear from nowhere to line up within the crowd. I held up my Blackberry to give us a view.

A bit miffed, my mind wandered to the common folk on the first level, who apparently had the true front row seats. What the eff? Desperate for a better view, I sprinted downstairs, down to the main level of slowly segregating models and humans.

When I reached the floor, I could here the grumblings of the underbelly of Grand Central Station. A gray bearded giant green t-shirted crazy walked plumb through the line of models shouting, “THEY CAN’T DO THIS! Just walk around! This isn’t real!” He tried to incite a riot, a Monclerebellion if you will, but not one person followed suit. Regular passersby in North Faces and Uggs were whipping out camera phones with dazed looks, mouths agape at the oddity of witnessing such a thing. Then BAM! Flash mob.

Barbara Streisand.

Mind. BLOWN. Marvelous. And, did I mention, Barbara Streisand? Not just the Duck Sauce WOOOOOO version, but also the glorious sound of Babs herself. Perplexed, I watched as Moncler proved its flexibility and active ready comfort through mass synchronized dance. Though I certainly was getting an excellent view of the models close up – I could see diamond quilted nylon side zip up sweaters and the minute details on the impossibly expensive puffy belted skiwear with perfect clarity, my thoughts began to wander back to the upper level, where the panoramic view of such a thing would be most vivid from a height. So I gathered myself, darted past security, through the aisle from where more Monclerians were about to shimmy in, sprinted back up to the balcony and slipped into tier two VIP and marveled at the rest.

I found this video – an uninterrupted version from someone who obviously didn’t have quite as erratic adventure as I did. Enjoy.

Untitled from Racked on Vimeo.

Photos and Videos (except that last one) by Jessica Lapidos

Thom Brown has quickly become the fashion world’s sweetheart, a recognizable face within the industry so saturated with men’s suits. Apparently, investors just realized that his suits can cost about $5,000 each and they’re not holding their own on the rack. Which means canceled orders for Spring and Fall from small boutiques and larger department stores and the possibility of bankruptcy.

Much to everyone’s surprise since he has a multi-million dollar partnerships with Harry Winston, Moncler and Brooks Brothers.

LINKAGE: Fashionista