Her popularity in Asia has helped designer Jill Stuart side-step some of the economic troubles plaguing her competitors, the designer told Reuters backstage after her Fashion Week show.

    In fact, there was a separate guest list for Japanese media attending her runway show at New York’s Public Library on Monday.
    Jill Stuart’s collection featured big shoulders, boots, tight leggings, cut-out details and very short dresses, a look she said was inspired by singer Cher.

Models at New York Fashion Week are facing an even more competitive environment as many designers continue to down-size and opt for cheaper presentations over runway shows, said Marques Nolan, an agent for Code Model Management.

Model Emily Fox, backstage before the Academy of Arts runway show, said designers are holding less castings making it even more competitive than usual to get modeling work.   It has also become more common for models to be paid in clothes rather than money, she said.

Another model, Alice Gibb, said she was told last minute she wouldn't be needed for a show she had been booked for.

At New York’s semi-annual fashion week, Nicholas Kunz, who designs the Nicholas K line with her brother Christopher, gave some tips on how to weather a tough market:

Another designer at Fashion Week, Thuy Diep, who designs the line Thuy, said her company has trimmed their overhead by buying fabrics in New York this year instead of making the trip to Paris. She has also made it a point to make fewer rough drafts of her designs in order to save money. And even smaller details have not been overlooked for cost-cutting potential– Thuy said she is taking the subway instead of cabs, for example.

For more, read Reuters coverage of emerging designers at Fashion Week.

Sales are down, profits are off, but that didn’t stop discount retailer Target from throwing a big bash in Manhattan on Friday night to celebrate the launch of its latest designer collaboration – McQ by Alexander McQueen.

Timed to coordinate with Fashion Week and draw fashionistas in town for the shows, the bash took place in a huge downtown warehouse.

Drinks were free, hors d’oeuvres were passed, and rock band The Duke Spirit (pictured to the right) came to play.

But the biggest draw seemed to be the clothing line  — which was on sale at the party before being offered to the general public. 

Although the event started at 8 pm, by 8:15 pm there was a huge line for the dressing rooms.

By 8:30 pm, the line to try on clothes easily lasted an hour or more.

Some in line speculated that business-minded fashionistas were buying up the clothes with the intention of reselling them on eBay. (A quick search on the marketplace site showed that may actually be the case).

The warehouse space was then going to be open to the general public as a pop-up store on Saturday and Sunday, and the clothing line will debut in Target’s stores on March 4

Eager party attendees on Friday night snapped up studded denim jackets for $59.99 and a tattoo-print strapless dress for $79.99 (pictured at right). Others loved the one-shoulder zigzag print dress that looked like it was available for re-sale on eBay.

But it remains to be seen how the collection will sell nationwide.

Is a recession weary America ready to shell out $139.99 for a sleeveless black leather vest that is part of the McQ collection?

(Photos: Taken by Reuters’ Nicole Maestri at the event on Friday night)

Check out how designers at New York’s Fashion Week are using technology for inspiration, on the runway, behind the scenes and for business.

In its most obvious cameo, technology showed up at Vivienne Tam’s Spring 2009 show on Tuesday, where models sashayed down the runway clutching slim, red HP notebook computers instead of evening bags.

The limited-edition computer, which she called a “digital clutch,” featured the Tam collection’s signature red peony print on its cover. It will be available early next year, sometime around the Chinese New Year, Tam told a Reuters reporter backstage before her show Tuesday night.

She added that the peony’s petals on the laptop cover symbolize multi-tasking, which is synonymous with being a woman in today’s tech-oriented society she said.

HP said it’s the first time a fashion designer has partnered with a computer company, though others are teaming up with mobile phone companies.

LG Mobile Phones said on Thursday it is partnering with budding fashion designer Christian Siriano, who made the media spotlight for winning Season Four of Bravo television’s popular reality show “Project Runway”.

At Siriano’s fashion show on Thursday, he will show a scarf designed for LG’s newest phone, the LG Lotus.

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp recently unveiled a mobile phone technology that allows consumers to scan barcodes found in magazine ads and shop from their phones.

Other designer houses, including Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, and Zac Posen, are now using technology offered by Fashion GPS, which uses global positioning technology to keep track of inventory and samples. DKNY also used a barcode technology for invitations and seating for its fashion show, asking guests to r.s.v.p. on line and then scanning their invites at the show.

But Karan did have some uninvited guests, so maybe the system is still evolving.

Depending on how you look at it, technological advances can both help and hurt our free time. On one hand, it gives us more time to do the things we love, like shopping and going to fashion shows. But it also means we can now work from cocktail parties and black-tie events without toting a clunky computer.

(With reporting by Jan Paschal and Michelle Nichols)

Also in the basket:

Accessories playing big at New York’s Fashion Week

Walgreen sues San Francisco over tobacco sale ban

Designers say “green” fashion sustainable

 Retailers reprogram workers in efficiency push — WSJ (subscription required)

(Photo: Courtesy of HP/Vivienne Tam)

Fashionistas in town for New York’s Fashion Week this September will have a new type of bodega to duck into during their time in the city — a fashion bodega.

Manhattan is flush with corner stores or bodegas that are all too eager to meet the city dweller’s desire for a convenient place to grab a gallon of milk,  a stick of gum or a pack of cigarettes.

But Target will temporarily open four Bullseye Bodega in Manhattan from Sept 11 until 14 — coinciding with Fashion Week, which is September 5 until 12th. Instead of being stocked with food or toilet paper, the Target bodegas will sell clothes, accessories, home goods and beauty items by 22 designers it features in its stores, like Mossimo Giannulli, Liz Lange  and Jemma Kidd.

Those visiting the bodegas can be sure to get those designer duds at discount prices. Target said the stores will sell items that have an average price of $25.

(Graphic: Target’s website)