Whenever the group of slightly askew events that collectively make up “L.A. Fashion Week” come to town, it’s a chance to see some clothes, yes. But it’s also a chance for us to expand our social calendar past the Bravo reality shows that usually comprise a standard weeknight in the Weinger house.

But with multiple runway shows, cocktail gatherings and dinners throughout the city each night, one must be choosy when deciding where to spend their Fashion Week evenings.

Luckily, the current lineup of fashiony fetes has made it quite easy with a slew of fun, highbrow events that couldn’t feel farther away from the implant-and-booze-fueled Smashbox tents of yore.

Here’s what we’ve hit up, thus far.

What: Directives West First L.A. runway show

Where: The California Market Center

The guest list: Fashion bloggers Lauren Shane (elshane.com), Kristen Turner (GlitterNGlue.com) and Kelly Lee (BussBuss.com).

Why we had a good time: Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that the apparel business is just that, a business. And trend forecasting firm Directives West never fails to show L.A. Market buyers what they should stock in their stores for the season ahead. This time around, the showcase featured looks from contemporary brands including Sanctuary, Language and Whitney Port’s Whitney Eve, all broken down by “seasonal messages” such as “social heritage” (Feminine Americana) and “Rapture” (vivid, mis-matched prints). And the entire display acted as a nice primer of what spring should look like, for both showroom buyers and bystanders alike.

Photo: A look from the “Sophisticated” spring trend. Jacket by Walter Baker, metallic pants by Whitney Eve. 

What: Designer Kimberly Ovitz hosts a benefit for the ASPCA

Where: The awe-inspiring, 28,000 square foot Ovitz residence in Beverly Hills.

The guest list: Musicians Moby and Pete Yorn, actress Bonnie Somerville and Vogue editors Lawren Howell and Meredith Melling Burke.

Why we had a good time: Sure, the cause was extremely noble — Ovitz partnered with the ASPCA to wage war against the atrocities of puppy mills after finding out that her own dogs came from one. But the reason why we personally got our jollies at the swanky affair was because of the Ovitz family art collection, one of the top 200 private collections in the world that is comprised of pieces by Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning. Not to mention countless other fantastic pieces that our art-world ignorance couldn’t identify. We wished we could have taken part in the silent auction, where among the pieces of CC Skye baubles and Kimberly Ovitz collection goods was a private tour of the art. But the bidding began at $1,000. And while we abhor animal cruelty, we abhor the thought of not being able to pay our rent more. Luckily, those in attendance took care of the bidding for us, and raised enough to raid and shut down two puppy mills. See, fashion does mean something after all.

Photo: Kimberly Ovitz in a dress and blazer of her own design (Photo courtesy of WireImage). 

What: British Fashion Council London Show Rooms L.A. closing cocktail party

Where: Skybar at the Mondrian Hotel

The guest list: Anna Wintour and daughter Bee Schaffer, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Hartnett and more fashion world darlings than we can pronounce.

Why we had a good time: Though we only stopped by for a bit (we spent quite a bit of time at the actual London Show Rooms earlier in the week), the crowded, lively cocktail party was the perfect atmosphere for connecting with new friends and old and enjoying the glittering lights of the city below.

Photo: Bee Schaffer and Anna Wintour (photo courtesy of WireImage). 

What: Beckley by Melissa launch party

Where: Eveleigh

The guest list: Selma Blair, Emmy Rosum, Busy Phillips and Jenna Dewan.

Why we had a good time: We got there late and missed all the food. But we got to see the  sumptuous leather goods and covetable chiffon blouses that make up Beckley Boutique owner Melissa Akkaway’s brand new house brand, all while enjoying the sounds of DJ Ana Calderon, good wine and impeccable conversation. And Chick-Fil-A was still open when we left. Genius.

Photo: Selma Blair, Busy Phillips, Beckley Boutique Melissa Akkaway, Jenna Dewan and Emmy Rossum (Photo courtesy of WireImage). 

A perennial favorite of LA Fashion Week and recently seen on — of all people — Britney Spears, Skingraft took a decidedly different approach to the traditional runway show during last night’s Concept LA Fashion Week presentation held at Ace Gallery.

Under the looming spectre of global disaster, designer Jonny Cota’s recent inspiration struck an unintended vein.  Citing “the grace of death and dying” as his muse (his grandmother passed away quite recently), Cota presented his Fall 2011 collection in stark contrast to last season’s softer silk and jersey-infused wares.  The brand’s signature elements were present in each of the seven pieces on display, including the usual triple zippers, swaths of rogue leather and shredded knits. But the overall vibe was decidedly more mature, with sharp shoulders, Gaga-esque fur and blazers that erred the side of traditional for the avante garde label.

The crowd of tattooed and theatrical devotees seemed impressed with the showing, as murmurs of approval and and awe passed through the packed gallery. While the collection was small (Cota chose just a handful of pieces from his full fall line to display), the designer delivered a success with the promise of much to come.

— Jordan Rae Lake

Photos: Jordan Rae Lake for Style Section L.A.

There are few things better in life than discovering a ridiculously cute contemporary label that you’ve never heard of before (ok, so maybe winning the lottery and being handed the keys to a new Aston Martin [with working side mirrors] are two things I’d like better. But I digress).

And last week, while preparing for trend forecasting firm Directives West’s First LA fashion show I’ve been asked to help style, I was led to an awesome, previously unknown line called Kolae, which is being used in the show.

The line launched for fall, 2010 and is designed by Cameron Danielle Spear, a Manhattan Beach native who studied at Parsons in New York and Paris and has an impressive internship pedigree that includes the likes of Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs and Theory. And Spear’s easy, breezy L.A. roots can be seen in the way of flowing ’70s chiffon dresses, oversized sheer button downs and silk kimono tops that could work just as well over a pair of jeans as with one of the collection’s killer knee-length leather skirts.

For the First LA show, which is happening tonight at the California Market Center downtown, I created six wearable looks from Kolae’s stock — each outfit being something that I would absolutely wear myself (depending on who you ask that could be a good or bad thing).

I’m excited to see Spear’s West Coast—meets—Manhattan vibe come down the runway tonight (with my added touches, of course). In the meantime, here are some of the the fall, 2011 pieces I’m loving from the line:

The myth of the Greek Goddess Persephone tells the story of the young, naive daughter of Zeus and Demeter who was kidnapped one fine afternoon while picking flowers. Her captor was Hades, the God of the Underworld, who made Persephone his unwilling Queen and forever changed her destiny.

Odilion designer Stacey Clark and assistant Harold Kuhn used this story of Persephone as inspiration for their Fall/Winter 2011 collection. We went to the LA-based company’s debut presentation at New York Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion earlier this week.

Re-setting the Queen’s existence to 1970s rock n’ roll and psychedelic music, the collection was to be Persephone’s transformation from a sweet girl into a creature of the Underworld. As the looks began we were pleased to see an East Coast Fall vibe in such items as a multicolor brown wool cape jacket and a multicolor brown wool skirt.

Progressing from that, our favorite look was a gold twill cocktail dress underneath a pomegranate (coincidentally the name of the forbidden fruit eaten by Persephone binding her to Hades for all eternity) pony hair jacket with bronze zippers, shown above.

The collection wrapped up with a black double knit shift dress and black double face wool fleece cloak coat. While we found this end note to be a bit on the dark side, we loved the edgy and wearable feel of the entire collection.

Calvin Klein’s been scoring some red carpet coups that have been impossible to sniff at–most notably Emma Stone’s flawless peach gown at the Golden Globes. On Thursday in New York, women’s designer Francisco Costa continued to do what he does best—understated looks made mesmerizing thanks to his prowess for cut and innovative fabrics. Hollywood falls in and out of love with elegantly simple looks, but we’re glad it’s at least quasi-infatuated with less-is-more this year. Too many tricks and you fail to notice the woman wearing the frock, if you allow us to bastardize a Coco Chanel quote for just a moment.

View the full collection via NYT here. —Krista Jennings

Despite an acute case of bronchitis, courtesy of the freezing NYC temperature, nothing could keep us away from the Betsey Johnson show at Lincoln Center last night.

Johnson, whose whole persona exemplifies the free-spirited funky fashion prom queen adored by all, choose to theme her collection “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not;” quite fitting since the show took place on Valentine’s Day.

Split into two acts, the “Black Tag” collection was a gothic ode to love gone wrong, featuring dark black velvet looks mixed with punches of blood-red and zebra-print. A leopard-print unitard with a blue floral dress and blue floral neckpiece had our senses on overload — in a good way.

Johnson’s use of prints and colors was, in this first half, an absolute delight.

Act two was filled with fun and love as the “Pink Patch” collection showcased classic Johnson items all priced under $100. Created for the not-filthy-rich woman, the designer enlisted her own staff to model the clothes. Best of all, Johnson put them in bleach-blond wigs with blunt bangs to mimic her own signature look, including the men…who had fun whipping off the headpieces.

After 70 looks (this time we didn’t mind), Johnson finally stepped onto the stage. Clad in a black wig and fur, the designer sauntered out and pulled Patricia Field onto the runway with her. The show ended with a dozen or so models walking out with gigantic flowers and a sign on their heads that read “I f*cking love you,” all to the tune of Gillette’s “Don’t Want No Short….Man.” (We’ll let you Google the missing piece of that song title.)

Overall, our hearts are still skipping a beat from Johnson’s show. View the entire Betsey Johnson Fall 2011 collection here.

Check out the finale below:

Betsey Johnson Fall 2011 Finale

With Black Eyed Peas and Coldplay blasting on the sound system, we’d never have guessed that Asia was a theme at the Pamella Roland Fall 2011 collection Monday night at Lincoln Center.

And as each look came down the runway, the connection with the East seemed even more tenuous (the finale look, a camisole and pant ensemble with a billowing crimson silk coat with hand-painted chrysanthemums was more 80′s-era Joan Collins in Dynasty than Zhang Ziyi in Memoirs of a Geisha.)

But disconnections aside, Roland’s pieces are full of clever details, such as the black matte jersey dress with lace and ostrich feather sleeves shown at right. There was also an olive green strapless pleated gown with leaf-embroidered motifs and a smoke gray spiral tulle-beaded gown that revved up the audience.

But once again, too many looks; 47 in all. Designers this season seem to think more is more, instead of striving to distill their vision into more concise collections.

If Gloria Vanderbilt and Keith Richards had decided to take a trip to colonial India in the 1960s and were musing on what to pack for the journey, Timo Weiland’s Fall 2011 collection would have been just the answer.

This intriguing mental picture of the two legends was the inspiration that Weiland and design partner Alan Eckstein used to manifest clothes for this Fall.

With the bold colors and usage of fabrics in India, we were pleased to see a print that was used in three different ensembles–twice as a skirt and once as a coat. Supposedly an image of the Himalayas at sunset, we felt the print could be stapled onto canvas and proudly hung.

Having this print mixed in with the plaid and zebra, alongside tailored English separates made for a smart and fresh collection.

View the entire Timo Weiland Fall 2011 collection here.

Over-the-top would be one word we would use to describe Zang Toi’s Fall 2011 runway show this past Sunday night at Lincoln Center.

Toi is certainly not a designer that would ever be accused of playing it safe. He caters to the woman who knows not of the word “budget.”

Case in point: the finale look, a black silk gazar ballgown with nude beaded french lace encrusted with crystals, costs an astounding $30,000. The only thing more outrageous than the price tag was the model herself– none other than Jill Zarin, from The Real Housewives of New York. Ayiyi.

But casting choices aside, we thought Toi’s show was actually quite an awe-inspiring sight to behold. The collection started off with a gentle progression of coats, pantsuits, and pencil skirts crafted out of Loro Piana Italian cashmere and wool. The focus then turned to shades of green, with a standout being a black silk velvet gown with emerald Swarovski crystals adorning the dress, which was dramatically unveiled underneath an emerald saga royal fox stole.

We have never seen a crowd applaud and gasp in sheer child-like delight as much as they did for the Toi show. And the deafening standing ovation that the designer received showed us that to the elite audience, “price limit” means not a thing.

The Stonemasters: California Climbers in the Seventies, is a book that documents the rise of a small band of Southern Californians who changed the world of rock climbing.

The American adventure-seeking trend was perhaps born out of this book, and while Saturday’s show from Band of Outsiders contained zero outfits suitable for trekking up Mt. Baldy sans the look on the right that appeared to have a harness attached to it, designer Scott Sternberg cited the tome as an inspiration for his Fall 2011 collection.

Instead, Sternberg employed Native American motifs, another sassy 70s trend, particularly in sweaters and long scarves. The Band collection sat better with us rather than the Boy or Girl part of the show, in large part due to the expert tailoring of the men’s pieces. Some, including a gray ruched skirt and floor-length blue floral dress, looked a bit sloppy and matronly, respectively.

But it was good to see Sternberg’s work on the runway for a change, as he usually opts for evocative, semi-static presentations.

View the entire Band of Outsiders Fall 2011 collection here.