Fashion Week is a magical time. A week completely dedicated to clothing. Designers are defined by it, models starve themselves for it, the rich and famous fight for a front row seat to it. The rest of us Just live vicariously through it.

I clicked through some of the collections thus far and two have caught my eye for very different reasons. Oscar de la Renta can do no wrong. Marchesa a took risks and while some paid off others did not.

Let’s start with Marchesa’s Spring 2013 collection. The oh so obvious Indian influence is intriguing. I love when you can see a designers inspiration in a collection. However, inspiration should be just that – inspiration. Some of Marchesa’s pieces were entirely too literal, looking identical to saris I have seen on the streets of Mumbai. Case in point:

I would have at least liked to have seen such a traditional garment in an unexpected color or fabric. However, they did get it right with the majority of the collection. Hints of unique, rich cultural details, such as intricate beading and cropped tops, coupled with creative silhouette made for some stunning pieces. One of my favorites:

And, now on to perfection, otherwise known as Oscar de la Renta. This collection oozes femininity and class – then tops it off with multi-colored, punk rock-induced beehives – with pieces that range from office-appropriate to Oscars-appropriate. Making the journey from black and white, to mustard yellow, bubblegum pink, baby blue and then back again to basics, the color palette is anything but boring. The ingenious and unexpected array of fabrics is what caught my eye, lace, leather, sheer, plaid, brocade, chiffon, the gang’s all here! For heaven’s sake, the man somehow managed to make latex look ladylike! Don’t just take my word for it, feast your eyes on some daywear:

And the evening wear is what has me ooh-ing and ahh-ing. My absolute favorite is the strapless striped ballgown. Stripes on an evening gown, pure genius and the epitome of preppy chic.