Fashion Week Music: The Highlights, The Appearances And The Odd Soundtracks

Richard Guaty

Anna Wintour eyeballing Nicki's tights. Oh, to peek inside the mind of the Vogue editrix in chief in this moment.

Thank science Fashion Week is over. Isn't it just torture? If there's something worse than not being in New York City for the circus that is Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, it involves not breathing or swimming in a pool of maggots with Michelle Bachmann eyes. The celebs! The CLOTHES! The Mulleavy sisters! Tavi F*%#ing Gevinson! We're crying big fat Marc Jacobs Lola scented tears over here.

One thing that always fascinates us about fashion week is the music: the trends, the appearances, the inevitable Kanye and Gaga factor. Was it like 2010 when Florence and the Machine echoed across way too many catwalks? Will Nicki Minaj -- Betsey Johnson's new muse -- wear something horrible? Who will be the big new star to bust out of the tents?

The answer to that last question is undoubtedly UK sensation Katy B, who tore up Lincoln Center at the W Hotel party with her grimy dance beats. The flame-haired songstress and her Columbia debut On a Mission are second to Adele's 21 on the UK charts. But it wasn't all Katy -- both Florence and Adele's music made an appearance at the shows, backing Michael Kors' safari inspired prints for spring.

As for Gaga and Kanye, it turns out Kanye's real fashion splash is slated for October 1; he'll show his new womenswear line at Paris fashion week. Traitor! Haus of Gaga main man Nicola Formchetti opened a pop-up shop of Gaga gear in Tribeca.

Other Highlights:
Mia Moretti, who DJed the Alice and Olivia show, dropped some Siouxsie, the Rapture song that no one can get enough of: "How Deep is Your Love," Au Revoir Simone, Theophilius London and Donovan.

Always the badass, Marc Jacobs killed the finale yesterday, debuting his ridiculously chic collection, his models marched to Phillip Glass' Einstein on the Beach. Glass shows up on a lot of runways -- Lanvin, Jacobs in 2006, and the late, great Alexander McQueen.

Inspired by Russian painter Ilya Repin's "Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom" Marchesa's collection featured all things filmy, floaty and fabulous, soundtracked by Rene Arsenault's vaguely Middle Eastern electronic mix.

Jeremy Scott's tongue in cheek "beauty of the backwoods" collection feature big hair and Motley Crue's "Girls, Girls, Girls," in true hoosier style. One of his models strutted in, yes, a gold lamé potato sack.

Indie darlings Cults played Phillip Lim 3.1's party for Fashion's Night Out in West Hollywood.

Sweet Swede Lykke Li played a special Donna Karan showcase for American Express.

Ralph Lauren and Thom Browne channeled bygone eras with classic retakes on Gatsby, set off by ragtime and Cole Porter respectively.

The Mulleavy Sisters, aka Rodarte, kept sort of an M. theme with Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" and Morrissey's "Everyday is Like Sunday" for their Van Gogh-esque line of silken prints and surprising silhouettes.

Getty Images

Naeem Khan, Spring 2012

DJ Chelsea Leyland shocked the hell out of Naeem Khan's crowd, pairing her beyond gorgeous couture gowns with Marilyn Manson and the Dead Weather.

Who Was Where:

Best Coast: Helmut Lang
Kim Gordon: Mark Jacobs
Theophilius London: Tommy Hilfiger
Beyonce: Rodarte
Michael Stipe: Patrick Ervell
Leann Rimes: Monique L'huillier
Sting: Edun
Bono: Edun
Courtney Love: Marchesa
Wyclef Jean: Donna Karan
Taylor Swift: Rodarte
Avril Lavigne: Abbey Dawn by Avril Lavigne
Grace Potter: Herve Leger by Max Azria
Mandy Moore: Marchesa
Pharrell Williams: Proenza Schouler
Alicia Keys: Proenza Schouler
Nicki Minaj: Prabal Gurung