Eiji Yamane at work at Zang Toi
I kicked off my Fashion Week experience with a preview of the Zang Toi show, hosted by Jill Zarin from The Real Housewives of New York City (co-star Bethenny Frankel was also in attendance). Toi, in a "Team Toi" t-shirt and his signature black mini-kilt (he changed before making his public entrance), was talkative and adorable, and Zarin couldn't get over the models' amazing hair, even asking lead hairstylist Eiji Yamane from Eiji Salon for his card. The hair was set in gravity-defying updos, created with hair forms and lots of extensions, that reflected the collection's sexy and sophisticated NYC vibe. "We took a classic style and made it a little funky for 2008," Yamane explained. The makeup was minimal: semi-matte face, soft pale lips and just a touch of color definition on the eyebrows and lashes. 
At the Aveda party at the Greenwich Hotel in TriBeCa—attended by their partnering Fashion Week designers, Alex Wang (Alexander Wang), Phillip Lim (3.1 Phillip Lim), Kate and Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte), and Justin Thornton (Preen)—fashionistas, models and media folk sampled organic food and drinks and learned about Aveda's Caps Recycling Program, in which students and Aveda employees across the country collect caps that are later recycled and used in Aveda packaging (such as the new 30th anniversary Clove Shampoo, left). Two young students from New Jersey who participated in the program were there to talk about how they were able to make an impact on the environment, and letters from students were on display around the room.
This morning, I went backstage at the BCBG Max Azria show in Bryant Park, where I got to see the runway looks come together thanks to talented nail technicians, hairstylists and makeup artists. The clothes featured a lot of intricate and delicate draping and a tonal color palette mixed with flashes of color. The nails and toes, done by the team at CND and led by Wanda Ruiz, were given an impeccable and fresh finish with Serenity painted on trimmed, rounded square nails. For the hair, Laurent Philipon for Bumble and bumble channeled a girl that's "sexy, likes to party and very into life," giving the models a smooth, round-brush blowdry with a center part and slightly curved ends. The result was hair that moved well and looked effortless. The models' faces also reflected natural beauty. The NARS makeup team, led by Lisa Butler, went light on color, featuring just a touch of blush and barely-there smoky eyes created with metallic taupe and blue.
Up next: Edwing D'Angelo, who will be the first designer to feature an all-black cast of models during NYC Fashion Week. —Lori Morris, Senior Editor