Model Charlotte Kemp Muhl, known for her eccentric and edgy style, was the muse for Rebecca Minkoff’s Fall/Winter 2011 Ready-to-Wear collection. You could see her in the looks that walked down the runway which included a leopard pant suit, off the shoulder sweaters, leather and fur trimmed coats.  Here’s a pic of Charlotte for reference…

The urban cool that Minkoff is known for is all in the details. The drainpipe leggings with snake skin knee patches can be paired with her oversized blazers. I might be able to walk down the street in lace plants, but a classic look such as a trench coat with a Rebecca Minkoff twist – an exaggerated collar, faux fur shoulder detail and a full skirt would make this a closet favorite for seasons to come.

 This post was contributed by Alix Hernandez of AlixRose.com.

Photo Credits: Elle.com (runway photos) and NY Mag (Charlotte photo)

Vivienne Tam’s F/W ’11 collection mixed Ancient Chinese influence with modern detailing. Boxy tweed outerwear paired with full A-line skirts opened the show, boasting stark, sculptured shoulder and collar detail against dark charcoal grey and navy colors. Flowy, drop-waist dresses reminiscent of 1920s flapper style were rich with accents, from elaborate applique and long fringe to huge crochet knits and Asian-inspired designs.

Ever the tech maven, Tam included a “Double Happiness” Square with each line sheet. In a partnership with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, Tam designed these Squares in hopes of encouraging entrepreneurship in women. Squares are nifty little devices that plug into iPhones, iPads and Droids; allowing users to make credit card transactions through their mobile device. 

This post was contributed by Jess Estrada of FreshJess and Banyan Branch.

Photos courtesy of Vivienne Tam

What do Fashion Week goers do for fun outside the hours of the runway shows inside the tents? Fabulous cocktail parties, of course! Some might say sleep, but in all honesty, sleep always gets last priority. Kristin Booker (a dear blogger friend of mine over at Fashion Style Beauty) and Lianne Farbes (aka The Makeup Girl) hosted their annual Cocktails & Couture party last Saturday night at the Ted Gibson salon. What a great place for a glitsy gathering?!

First of all, the hostesses had their hair done by stylists at the Ted Gibson salon and they both looked amazing. During the party they had a make-up artist and two manicurists too! Let’s not forget the servers walking around with Starbucks mini ice cream treats! I’ve never seen that at parties before, but what a sweet surprise!

HTC was a sponsor (heart them) and they sent their stylish PR girl, Jessika Goldstein to show off their latest devices. Lucky me because Jess is one of my BFF’s from Seattle! For the giftbags, HTC put cute little pocket-sized mirrors with a card inside that read “HTC thinks YOU are pretty.” Not sure if you’ve seen the ad campaign, but pretty clever if you asked me. HTC also sent Jess with an Aria for me to try out during fashion week, which could be yours soon! I’m doing a giveaway in an upcoming post. It’s definitely my favorite HTC + Android device for AT&T.

I didn’t make the best choice in footwear and spent most the night hopping from benches to eventually chilling on the floor in the corner (don’t judge!). The party was full from the time it started to  the end of the night. I got to see some of my favorites like Wendy Lam from Nitrolicious, YM of Freshness and pretty much all the bloggers I know. Here are some more pics:

Additional Details:

September 11th, Bravo’s D.C. Housewives cast members Mary Amons and Jason Backe joined social media giants Lianne Farbes and Kristin Booker for their semi-annual Cocktails and Couture Fashion Week event at the Ted Gibson Salon and Spa with title sponsor Mwari Magazine. The event brought national fashion reporters, editors, bloggers and social media gurus together to discuss all things fashion, glamour and beauty. Guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres from Honey Bun Catering, grooved to classic hip hop courtesy of DJ Belle De Jour (India-Jewel Jackson of Glam.com), sipped Moet and Chandon champagne and satisfied their sweet tooth with passed Starbucks ice cream and frappuccinos.

The Mwari Magazine gift bags included products from sponsors L’Oreal, HTC, Stila, Lierac, Visine, Caress, Venus, Olay, Sigma, Zoya, Covergirl, Proactiv, Degree, Fournier, Suave and more.

Photo Credits: Facebook (pulled from various friends)

I try not to take fashion week too seriously…or even blogging for that matter. The reason I started Clutch22 was a selfish quest for happiness and though it’s grown to be more than an occasional hobby, the whole point is to have fun with it. That said, I felt this was worthy of a post and a few laughs.

This guy showed up to the tents at 9am, dressed like a Sonny and Cher combined into one body. He was patrolling the courtyard for photo and Twitpic opportunities. Apparently he does this every season. Cheers to you, weird old guy!

Given Alexander Wang is one of the most highly demanded designers of our generation and will be covered in the media like Gaga on radio stations, I thought I’d show you my favorite look from his Spring/Summer 2011 show instead of a review.

The look involved head-to-toe, white with neutral accents. The vest is killer and the layered capri leggings breathed new life into the dying harem pant trend (I’m still a fan of drop-crotch pants, but this totally surprised me).

With white playing a dominating role in the new collection, I find myself wanting to adopt a GTL* lifestyle to  match it. Anyone else? What was your favorite look?  There are a few more photos, just for fun and inspiration, after the jump.

To see the rest of the collection, go here, courtesy of Elle.

* GTL = Jersey Shore reference for Gym Tan Laundry…

Photo Credit: Elle.com