Fashion Week: Sofia Coppola and Fergie Check Out Anna Sui; 3.1 Phillip Lim Is Ready for Action

Photos by Angela Ashman

Sofia Coppola.

After a week of dashing around to shows and enduring more than a few disappointments, attending Anna Sui was as comforting as getting together with an old friend. While other designers scramble to guess what women want now, Sui happily does whatever she wants--which typically means returning again and again to her favorite decade: the 1960s.

"I just love the way the '60s rock stars put themselves together, because they were like dandies and peacocks," Sui told Interview Magazine. "They really lived out their fantasies--and dressed their fantasies."

Butterfly belt at Anna Sui.

What came down the runway was a little hippie, a little mod, a little Art Nouveau, and all very groovy: Psychedelic dresses cinched with whimsical butterfly belt buckles; green neon prints (think black light); and fur stoles and coats wrapped around pretty velvet dresses. Another thing we love about Sui is that, though she always has a foot in the past, she'd never make you look like you were going to a Swingin' '60s costume party. However, there was one piece you could wear on Halloween--a hat shaped like the head of a black cat. We could see Sofia Coppola, who was in the front row besides Vanessa Hudgens and Fergie, making a mental note to send that to Elle Fanning for her next birthday.

3.1 Phillip Lim.

We must admit that, like Sui, we too love the 1960s. Which was why, two years ago, when Phillip Lim gave us a Sergeant Pepper's-inspired collection for fall, we were thrilled. After going '70s for 2010, Lim tried his hand this season at making a collection for the modern, active--but always very chic--woman of today. There were silk jumpsuits, sweet track pants, and alpaca pullovers all perfect for leisurely riding one's bike around the city in style (and, indeed, the lady who bikes was said to be a strong influence on Lim). Pieces that didn't work as well were tops with patent paneling (too stiff and awkward) and trousers with bulky folds of extra material in front that appeared challenging to walk in and could only look good on models with long, skinny legs (and even then we weren't so sure).

So, if we could choose one thing to buy for fall, what would it be? Definitely that cat head.