On May 24 at 10 p.m., you can see the always poised Vogue editor Anna Wintour dish about J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler on CNBC's "J.Crew and the Man Who Dressed America." It's no visit with Stephen Colbert, but Wintour does offer some good tidbits on Drexler.

“You see lots of CEOs who are brilliant at what they do, but they’re removed, and there’s nothing removed about Mickey,” she says.

If you're interested in Drexler and J.Crew's rise in the fashion world I suggest you read this amazing article in the New Yorker from two years ago. Or, you can just be lazy and watch clips from tomorrow's documentary.

Former schoolteacher turned New York-based women's wear designer Kara Laricks (pictured) took home the whole shebang on last night's finale of "Fashion Star" on NBC. In the season one finale, Laricks presented three individual (but cohesive) capsule collections pegged toward three different retailers (H&M, Macys, and Saks Fifth Avenue) to a panel of consumable fashion industry veterans (Nicole Richie, John Varvatos, Jessica Simpson) and each of the stores' respective buyers. Ultimately (and one pair of drop-crotch capris later), she managed to out maneuver her fellow finalists, Ronnie Escalante and Nzimiro Oputa.

Are we thrilled? (Sort of.) Do we think that Laricks's awkward geometric print collection will fly off the shelves at Macys? (No.) But do we think her luxurious day-to-night seasonless workwear for Saks will? (Absolutely.)

Did the judges and buyers make the right decision in the end? In case this season of "Fashion Star" was lost on you, let us simplify: the end goal was for the winning designer to create a collection that can be sold to different consumers at different retailers with very different price points (budget, moderate, and luxury) while maintaining a consistent design vision. In other words: create fashion that sells. Something Jessica Simpson, John Varvatos, and Nicole Richie happen to do very well. They might not be the most innovative, revolutionary, or even avant garde designers in the world, but they've become household names to a myriad of consumers through their respective lines. In the end, Kara Laricks came out on top. Was it because she followed the rules? Or because her designs were actually the best?

Regardless, Laricks walked home with a grand prize worth $6 million in buyer purchases. At least now she might be able to afford to buy one of her own designs at Saks.

We love you Karl Lagerfeld. We really do. But we couldn't help but giggle at some of the looks from the Chanel Cruise show Monday at Marie Antoinette's famed former home, Chateau de Versailles. In addition to the typical conservative and to be honest, tiring, Chanel fanfare (plenty of boucle, cool hues, and Brad Kroenig), Lagerfeld never fails to shake things up and get the fashion world talking about his latest collection with some unusual quirks. (Have you forgotten the infamous Chanel faux fur yeti suits? Neither have we!)

Check out seven of our favorite brow-raising moments:

1. The denim on denim combo that we bet your boyfriend can't wait to try. 2. Don't worry, there's a version for you, too. 3. Man capris. Need we say more? 4. The accessory he's been waiting for: a quilted Chanel watering can/"murse."

5. The out-of-control sporty "flatforms" that we're really hoping won't catch on.

6. The return of the gaucho pant. 7. Karl goes plaid.

David Yurman tapped Tom Brady's Brazilian better half to be the face of their Fall 2012 collection. According to Fashionista, photographer Peter Lindbergh captured Bundchen beachside in Malibu, donning not much more than fistfuls of Yurman jewels and a bikini. (Sweet life? Totally.)

In addition to Bundchen frolicking in the sand, Yurman and his wife Sybil were also filmed canoodling in this "First Look" video from behind-the-scenes at the shoot.

(Awww ...)

Check it out below:

The new Yurman collection will be available at Lux Bond & Green's Wellesley location (60 Central St.) starting mid-September.

E! Fashion Police hostess Giuliana Rancic (pictured with husband Bill) will be launching an apparel line for HSN in early fall. The collection, named G by Giuliana, will put the TV personality among the ranks of fellow fashion and celeb commentator, Louise Roe, and one-name retired models, Iman and Twiggy, who all have womenswear lines for the Home Shopping Network.

Rancic told E! Online that she aims to keep the line "very affordable and very chic," adding "I definitely kept Joan Rivers in mind while designing the line. I want to make sure I am on her best dressed list!"

When Cindy Crawford 10-year-old daughter, Kaia Gerber, shot a rather leggy campaign for Young Versace, it raised some eyebrows. Crawford eventually put her daughter's career on hold, telling the media she "didn't want to be a stage mom."

However, this innocent pint-sizer might be more likely to bring smiles with her modeling debut. Gisele Bunchen's (or as she's known around these parts: Mrs. Tom Brady) five-year-old niece, Duda, not only starred in a campaign the Brazilian children's clothing line, the Brandili Mundi collection, she helped design it.

"The pieces were all approved by Duda, whose romantic inspiration will no doubt catch girls’ eyes," said the brand's commercial and marketing director Germano Costa in an interview with Forbes. The Duda for Brandili Mundi collection puts a significant emphasis on Gisele's niece as the face and inspiration for the collection, stating "the prints, cuts and details" were "based on the briefing [the brand] received from her."

According to Vanity Fair, the wee one worked as a "spokesmodel for a year before inking the deal for her own collection, which is expected to arrive in stores in July."

Thoughts on Duda? Thoughts on taking design strategies from a five-year-old? What if she's related to Gisele?

Personally, we're rooting for a Jack Moynahan for Osh Kosh B'Gosh.

Oh dear. Here's Katy Perry openly flaunting her mint green bloomers at Paris Fashion Week. Here's your lesson of the day: Blue hair clashes with green panties. Also, when you're at Paris Fashion Week, cover your lady bits please.

The Diane von Furstenberg store on Newbury Street is planning a soiree on March 8 if you're feeling inclined to shop for a good cause (or just shop). It's in celebration of International Women's Day. Here's your invitation, ladies.

Perhaps paying homage to the fact that she's in Massachusetts, Lady Gaga opted to wear a dress from Marblehead native Sally LaPointe as she launched her Born This Way Foundation at Harvard today. As you may recall in a story we ran last February, this isn't the first time that Gaga has opted for LaPointe. And since then, Gaga has worn the designer for a Canadian music awards show, and in her "Judas" music video. Gaga wore this black, floor-length dress which LaPointe debuted just weeks ago as part of her fall/winter 2012 collection.
In "Judas," Gaga wears LaPointe's custom gold ruffle dress.

In addition to Gaga donning LaPointe's clothes, her creations have been worn by musican LaRoux and former super model Iman. Will Gaga's decision to wear the dress help LaPointe's business? We got the designer on the phone to ask her.
“Yes. Definitely," LaPointe says from her New York studio. "People really respond to the whole celebrity aspect. Even more so that it’s at such a special event. Together it makes it even more special. Not only is this huge celebrity wearing my clothing, but clearly it’s an important event that a lot of people are paying attention to. “

For my full interview with LaPointe about Gaga, keep reading.

Jiminy Cricket! I seem to be asking a lot of questions with these blog posts. In this case, "Who Will Buy?" from the musical "Oliver!" (thank goodness I was sitting next to a Broadway musical-loving queen who could name that tune in two notes) played throughout Marc Jacobs' stunning show last night. Whenever I depart for New York Fashion Week, the question I hear is "What show are you looking forward to most?" The answer is inevitably Marc Jacobs. The staging and clothes are the closest that the US gets to a couture show. For a runway presentation that literally lasts 10 minutes, this elaborate, Whoville-meets-Tim Burton-esque set was created in the New York Armory.

The clothes are an entirely different matter. As the fashion writer, I should have an immediate explanation for the giant fur hats and larger-than-life frocks. My immediate reaction of the concept was 'little girl raids mom's closet.' I'm still mulling this one over. Hey, no one ever said I was the sharpest hat pin in the jewelry box. What to make of Pilgrim shoes with crystal buckles and dresses with padded hips? Still digesting this.

And just in case you're not a fan of musical theater (join the club), here's the Nancy Sinatra version of "Who Will Buy?" (from her 1967 TV special "Movin' with Nancy," which, by the way, you should own.) Jacobs played this version, among many others.

This will be my most disjointed blog post ever (not possible, you're no doubt thinking). But I have so many random thoughts about tonight's Betsey Johnson show. The first is that I actually liked the show. I use 'actually' because although I love Betsey as a person, her style is a tad frilly for my tastes. However, this evening she went all Carnaby Street circa 1967. And it worked. First there were the clothes.

And then there was a giant screen behind the runway that showed images like these:

And finally, I ran into the group Karmin and took my picture with them. They're super sweet, super cute, and now I sound like a 13-year-old girl, so I'm going to bed.

If there's anything I like, it's a good fashion disaster. I see them all day. Models falling, people at Lincoln Center walking into walls because they're so busy texting that they just sat next to Tinsley Mortimer that they can't be bothered to look up, and so on. Who doesn't love a good laugh at someone else's expense? But today at 3.1 Phillip Lim, it was technical difficulties. The fog machine went haywire, and it looked like a foggy day in Maine. Poor Suzy Menkes from the International Herald Tribune was fanning herself like the countess dowager. Frustrated photographers who couldn't get a clear shot yelled for the fog to stop. On top of it all, the poor DJ was experience horrible feedback. On the bright side, I loved the clothes. At least the ones I could see.
(I have no idea why I used this photo, I just liked it).

And it's with Chloe

It's subtle, it hits F/W 2012's recurring strong women theme, and it's very prevalent this Fashion Week. Hints of military details are showing up everywhere, and in unlikely places. Even the normally lady-like designs of Victoria Beckham and Jason Wu are showing signs of strength.

Victoria Beckham

Tommy Hilfiger

Prabal Gurung

So far the most ingenious staging for a fashion show this week: A skating rink in Central Park. This was the Moncler Grenoble collection shown last night. And if you were brave enough to stand in the cold, you got models... on skates!

Naturally I loved it because it was inspired by (these are not my words): "The plastic revolution in visionary forms reference Joe Colombo; the graphic ductility of this new material in the furnishings envisioned by Vico Magistretti; experiments with the use of vinyl and plastic fabrics borrowed from French couture, which in the 1960s was inspired by the technical sporting world of skiing. All combined with a space-age style that pays homage to Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Design, fashion and cinema - the creative verve of the ’60s where everything was intertwined and any innovation seemed possible."

Meaning you wish you were running around in the cold and getting dirty looks because it appears that you slept two hours last night (true) and that you don't have a driver like everybody else and that you must take the subway (also true). Here's an easier way. A guide to shows this week that you can watch on your computer.

Jason Wu helped open fashion week with a gong a subtle trip to China. (Below)

Last night Zac Posen's elegant show traveled less-subtlely to Japan (above).

Now wondering which Asian country we'll be visiting today.

Because my New York wi-fi is moving about as quickly as an obese turtle after a few Xanax, how about a quick look at two very different interpretations of green?

Here's a look at Diane von Furstenberg's romantic and flowing interpretation of electric green. Her show was a lovely shock of color for Fall/Winter 2012

And this unfortunate model at yesterday's Custo Barcelona show appears to have crawled out of the bottom of a yarn-filled swamp. The first thing I wrote in my notebook when I saw this look was "Cheese and crackers! She looks like the creature from the green lagoon."

Well, she's supermodel delux Gisele Bundchen, and she came out of New York Fashion Week semi-retirement to walk Alexander Wang's show on Saturday in this leather trench coat. All of my hetero friends keep telling me she's married to some sports dude. Whatev. I'm not going to pretend I know. All I know is that Wang's show was both fun and polished.

I'm back at New York Fashion Week and ready to complain! As much as I j'adore new technology, the latest problem at Fashion Week is the iPad. It's bad enough when the hoi polloi crammed into the rafters at Lincoln Center have to strain their necks to get a glimpse of the runway. Making matters worse are folks who hoist their iPads into the air to take pictures and video of the catwalk. If you have the misfortune of sitting behind these people, all you can see is a grainy image of the proceedings on the tablet, because it's directly in your line of vision. Not that I'm bitter about this, but I'm bitter. I propose they be banned during showtime. Ok, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

As Muther mentioned earlier last month, the Boston Symphony Orchestra put forth their fourth annual Project Debussy challenge to local fashion designers, asking the eleven students to create an evening wear look.

They came, they designed, they walked... and The School of Fashion Design student, Kowoon Jeon, won this year's competition with the design pictured below:

Jeon will be featured in a full page spread in April's issue of Boston Magazine.

Fisher College student Teresa Calabro was named the "People Choice" winner via an online tally on BSO's Facebook and Twitter pages.

[Image via Stu Rosner for BSO]

Fashion designer Tory Burch took center stage at the Raytheon Theater at Northeastern University earlier this afternoon to chat with a room brimming with budding entrepreneurs. The Philadelphia native was invited to serve on the board of Startup America Partnership, with much credit to her efforts through her namesake foundation, The Tory Burch Foundation, and fashion and accessories label, Tory Burch LLC, for which she currently serves at CEO and CCO.

Since Burch's foundation and the theme of the day is to share the tools of knowledge and financial support with the next generation of business-savvy savants, we asked for a few words of advice for our readers.

So Startup America seems to be an ideal fit for you and your foundation.
It's a great fit, and it wasn't much of a decision for me after just seeing what exciting things they were doing.

Is there anything you wish you knew going into the business?
Just how hard it would be. I think that it is hard and I often talk to entrepreneurs about that. I tell them to know that it's going to be fulfilling and exciting but also know that it's going to be a tremendous amount of work. You need to be super passionate and super focused. Also, you need to have a unique idea.

As someone with a strong brand, what advice do you have for these young entrepreneurs when it comes to developing what their brand will be and stand for?
I don't think mine was started from the very moment from what I started about it. I think it's a lot of trial and error and being flexible enough to move on for when it's not working.

What are the next steps for the Tory Burch Foundation?
I think we're just starting, just like a company. We still have so much to do. The more women we can help in business the better.

Are there any great young start-up ideas that you're very excited about?
I just met with eight here [at the event] today that sound like they all have legs. These girls are bright, tenacious and sound like they really want to build great companies.

Since you've arrived in Boston, do you think you have a good sense of the city?
Well I've been to Boston many times. I love Boston.

But do you think we're stylish?
I think Boston has its own style, it reminds me of Philadelphia in a way. It's slanted a bit more conservative but it has other elements as well. It's such a great young college town.

What rule do you think all businesses -- start-up or not -- should follow?
Always be transparent.

In terms of being transparent, you have a very socially and social media active business. Do you think any young businesses run into any pitfalls when pursuing these fields?
Probably all the time! [Laughs] I think social media is something everyone is always learning and we're learning as we go as well. We're very interested in being in the forefront of social media in general. Moving into China, for instance, Sina Weibo (China's microblogging answer to Twitter and Facebook) is something we're interested in. Twitter is something I personally do myself, but Facebook is something our team works on. It's a fine balance of what you can say on Twitter but I think authenticity is really what it's all about in social media.

[Image courtesy of Mary Knox Merrill/Northeastern University]

This is a tease for the H&M ad for David Beckham's new line of manties which will air during the Superbowl. Yes please.

Eleven local fashion design students face off in a bitter power struggle over who can design the fiercest dress based off of the music of Claude Debussy in a competition sponsored by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. We predict a fashion blood bath. Perhaps we're overdramatizing a smidge, but the design students will show their designs on Feb. 2. If you're attending the show that night, you can view the clothes at 7 p.m. before the 8 p.m. concert. The winner will be chosen by a panel of local luminaries (Sadly, we were not asked. Again. Not that we're bitter about this). You can find more and buy tickets at www.bso.org. You can pick your favorites here. Continue along the post to see them all.

Before launching his namesake fashion line, Chris Benz worked at the helms of J.Crew and Marc Jacobs. His previous employers appear to be natural mentors when viewing his coquettishly chic collection of wearable womenswear with an affinity for prints and pops of color but Benz brings his own flair for personality and wit to the brand through a ferociously active Twitter account and bright bubblegum pink locks.

We’ve been following your Tweets (@CMBenz) and see you’re in the midst of the BluePrintCleanse liquid diet, how is that going?
I’m on day five and it’s been fine. I’ve done it a few times and the first couple of days you’re just in a different mind space. You’re getting all the nutrients you need so you do feel great. The first time I did it though I could barely get through three days.

Is this your pre-holiday detox?
Post-Thanksgiving, pre-holiday – I’ve had so many friends in town and coming to town so there’s a lot of going out and dinner parties.

What did you do for Thanksgiving?
I hosted and had Thanksgiving at my apartment. I’m cursed with a gigantic dining room table. It’s one of those things where once you do it once, you have to do it again because people know.

Like having a guest room?
Exactly. But I didn’t cook. I ordered everything and it was just as delicious.

You’ll be heading to the area soon for an appearance. Have you been to Boston before?
I’ve been there about three or four times, just short trips, but I love Boston. Conceptually, for me being an American sportswear designer, it’s such an American city. It’s still very young but has that old Americana spirit. The last time I was there was for the [ICA] opening and [it is] a building that seems so modern, like it should be from Denmark or something. I grew up in Seattle, which is a lot like Boston in being such a tiny city with a lot of effort for preservation of the historical architecture, but with Microsoft and new businesses comes severe modern architecture also moving in. I like that feeling of tension in a city.

What will be seeing from you in terms of fashion when you’re here?
I’m showing Resort and previewing Spring [2012]. We have a lot of really great knitwear and I think the women of Boston understand layering better than anyone else. They’re not afraid to have that preppy moment where blouses are layered under sweaters that other climates and cities are apprehensive of. I’m excited to play with layering and mixing colors and updating the classic American sportswear for these women.

What would you like to see women wearing this holiday season to their cocktail parties and events?
I think a lot of people are feeling nostalgia for the old Hollywood holiday parties. A cocktail suit is something we haven’t seen in a while as opposed to the same old little black dress. You can make a little black tuxedo look so chic [as] opposed to the expected.

You were one of the first designers to really embrace social media and become an active Twitter user, and now we’ve noticed another identify, @CHRISBENZgirl, has popped up. Is she affiliated with you or is she just a fan?
She is! She’s Susie Mascotte, our social secretary – yes, that’s her actual title -- who is really representative of the spirit of the brand. She’s smart and funny and we do the Twitter account together. We wanted to represent the woman that we design for, and post things that are overheard in the studio and on the streets of New York.

Do you have any holiday wishes this season?
I just hope everyone can come to a close of a year that I think was difficult for everyone in some way or another. My wish is that 2012 can be brighter and better than 2011.

The designer will be in town Thurs. Dec. 8 at Gretta Luxe in Wellesley (94 Central St., (781) 237-7010) for a trunk show and guest appearance from noon -7 p.m. The event is open to the public.

[Handout image above]

While we were busy bees at our desks, jewelry designer Alexis Bittar was at Saks Fifth Avenue for a special in-store visit yesterday afternoon. But just our luck, he took a break to give us a ring (not a literal one, just a phone call. Bummer, we know.)

What brings you to Boston today?
We're showing Resort 2012 at Saks. Visits like these give me the opportunity to meet with the customers and connect and understand what they want. I only do six personal appearances a year across the country.

So Boston was the chosen one?
Boston was a lucky chosen one -- but to be honest I had nothing to do with picking it.

That's extremely honest.
I'm a very honest interviewer! I had nothing to do with it.

Since we're not there, can you paint a picture of the scene for us?
There's an overall excitement and a lot of people bring their archive pieces to have my sign. I also think there's an overall excitement because we usually only have six cases in the store but I design over 300 pieces each season so we brought a much wider assortment.

So... much... jewelry...
People are like ADD [ADHD] and freaking out over the amount of it. It's the mix of the inability to be focused and people being very, very excited.

What was the inspiration for Resort 2012?
Over the influence is the turn of the last century and an Etruscan interpretation of color and Victorian gold work in the 1880s, but much more of a wild garden, not as confined.

Did you take a fabulous inspiration trip?
I was in Italy for the summer in Ischia, this amazing island. I was drawn literally to the antique jewelry of that time there so I guess in some level I think that last trip to Italy was Resort.

Do you have any holiday blow-out party plans for your team?
I have about 315 employees so it's gotten kind of big. I rented out a ferry one year and we went around Manhattan but this time we rented out a massive restaurant venue and will do karaoke. We're multilingual in the office so it'll be kind of incredible. We'll have karaoke in English, Chinese, or just pick different languages.

What's your go-to karaoke song?
I like The Human League's "Don't You Want Me." I like doing both accents, both the boy and the girl. I do a really good British accent.

As you scurry about trying to finish work before the turkey genocide and shopping riots begin (Occupy Copley Place, anybody?), take a moment, relax, and have a look at this season's Alexander McQueen show. This is the Spring/Summer 2012 collection that was shown in Paris. And before you dare ask "What were they thinking?", here's the explanation from McQueen designer Sarah Burton. As you can see, the woman can do more than royal wedding dresses.

"I was thinking about a woman as an object of desire. We go to such lengths to adorn ourselves that we almost become our clothes or are taken over by them. This is a collection about excess - an exploration of ideals of beauty at their most extreme."

Daniela Corte has been making her sexy dresses on Newbury Street for quite some time. She's also been making those itsy bitsy teenie weenie non-polka dot bikinis that have found their way into the pages of Sports Illustrated. But now she's opened a gorgeously designed, more visible retail shop on our favorite shopping promenade. Which means that you should swing by if you're on Newbury.

After flying to Boston from Mumbai earlier that morning and spending the afternoon styling Neiman Marcus's holiday windows, designer Bibhu Mohapatra (pictured, center with two of his models) looked relieved to sit down in the front lounge of the W Hotel Boston. "I'm not drunk, just jet-lagged," he explained after apologizing for seeming tired. The designer showcased 24 looks, mostly from his Spring/Summer 2012 collection, for a well-heeled crowd at the W, but took a break between prepping his designs and regulating the runway to chat with us.

While fans may have already seen the Spring/Summer 2012 collection at New York Fashion Week, what do you hope Boston will get out of seeing the designs in person?
I hope that they will understand the aesthetic and feel what I'm trying to say with my work. I believe that women in Boston share a similar sense of beauty that I do and I'm hoping they'll benefit from this experience.

You've had some amazing partnerships in the past -- first, the CFDA Fashion Incubator, now with the W's Fashion Next series. How does that feel as a designer?
It's really humbling and it drives me further. It's been a very exciting, scary ride but I'm looking forward to things that are coming up as well.

When you say scary, I know you have an unusual background for a designer with a degree in Economics, so you know what's going on in your business, financially, at all times. Do you ever feel like you know too much?
I get economics and it's definitely a plus but fashion is as much of a business as it is a creative cycling process. The more I get into it, the more I realize I need a second set of eyes on [the business] end of things.

So you're equally talented on both sides of your brain -- left and right -- like you can write with both hands, what's that called?
Ambidextrous. Yes, yes, I guess you could say that.

Then the reporter (me) laughed at her own joke before parting ways. Overall, another successful fashion interaction.

See and shop the Bibhu Mohapatra collection during his trunk show, Nov. 17. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Couture Salon at Neiman Marcus, Copley Place.

Charlotte Ronson, of the too-creative-for-their-own-damn-good Ronsons, is presenting a fashion show tonight at the Red Latern for the boutique Sells & Co. Ronson's super accessible and super cute (Ugh, I can't believe I just used the words "super cute") clothes are shown each season at New York Fashion Week. This is your chance to pretend that you're Andre Leon Talley in Lincoln Center (sans cape) and look bored while you're secretly thrilled inside.

Details! Yes! There is a VIP reception from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., which includes a meet and greet with Charlotte herself, passed hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Tickets range from $50 for individual seats to $500 for tables of eight. Or, if you're pinching pennies the way your pumps pinch your toes, you can buy general admission tickets for $20. Doors for general admission cheapskates open at 8 p.m.

For more information, call 617-338-4343. To purchase VIP tickets, call 860-204-6366.

Boy wonder Jason Wu, who skyrocketed to sartorial stardom after designing Michelle Obama's inaugural gala dress, is the latest big name to create a capsule collection for Target. The clothes will arrive in stores in early February, but the question has been raised: Will this line sell anywhere near the level of the Missoni capsule collection? Wu has a following, but is not a household name. Stayed tuned, and stay tuned for a look at the collection. Samples will be debuted next week.

The only "Project Runway" winner to make it to the tents at both Bryant Park and Lincoln Center is coming to Boston next month. Fashion pixie Christian Siriano will be at Neiman Marcus on Oct. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to show off his latest collection and hopefully apologize for Heidi Klum's ridiculous red carpet dress at the Emmy Awards.

Speaking of "Runway," Who are we liking -- and disliking -- this season? Many of my friends have fallen off the "Runway" bandwagon, but I've stuck with it. I like Anja and Anthony Ryan. I suspect Bert will be next to go. Actually, why on earth is he still there?

[A look from Alexander Wang's Spring 2012 show. The soundtrack reportedly included "Baracuda" by Martiniq & Breitbarth; AP Photo/Mary Altaffer]

So you don't have time to scurry from tent to tent, nestle in next to editors and celebrities, and take in all of the glamorous, pricey clothing whipped up by a-list designers for New York Fashion Week. But you can still (kinda) participate in the catwalk mania and wiggle your booty in the comfort of your own Boston apartment as if you were at Fashion Week with the help of our NYFW playlist. We've hand-picked a few notable selections from this week's Spring 2012 presentations to make you feel like you're in the center of the action.

Designer Marc Jacobs (pictured) may be slated to replace John Galliano at Christian Dior (Galliano was dismissed from his former creative director position for making anti-Semitic comments), according to the AP. But does that fit? Would the New York-bred fashion darling, who currently helms his namesake line (and spin-offs) along with Louis Vuitton, be an appropriate fit to take the reigns at the house of couture?

After reading ho-hum reviews for the Fall 2011 Dior Haute Couture show designed by studio assistant Bill Gaytten, we wondered who would quickly be tapped to fill Galliano's shoes.

However, Jacobs just may be the one the fashion world has been waiting for -- because we're already so familiar with him.

Until we know for sure, Christopher Muther and I rounded up a top 5 list of designers that we think would be a a fit for the role:

Peter Som -- "Perpetually underrated but innovative. Has been floating in the fashion world since his year as creative director at Bill Blass. He could loosen up traditional Dior, although his chances of getting the job are the same as Kim Kardashian admitting she has no talent." -- C.M.

Jason Wu -- "It feels like an ideal fit. Despite his young age, Wu's elegant frocks fit nicely with the Dior mold, however his vision may not be wild enough for Dior couture. Perhaps Michelle Obama could campaign on his behalf?" -- C.M.

Stefano Pilati -- "He's a far more likely choice for the job. He has run the high profile YSL line since 2002, and unlike Galliano, he's easy on the eyes." -- C.M.

Phoebe Philo -- "Something about her makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside, and sleek and refined the outside. Everything she touches (Chloe, Celine) turns to the instant epi-center for French feminine "it" chic. The AP piece cites her as a potential replacement at Louis Vuitton if Jacobs goes to Dior, but since we're playing all in the (LVMH) family, her move to role would be a way to shake things up." -- R.R.

Alber Elbaz -- "After last year's rumors of the Lanvin designer's move to Karl Lagerfeld's role at Chanel proved to be false, we think he deserves his rightful share of glory. " -- R.R.

[Image via REUTERS/Eric Thayer]