Although he's certainly a fashion insider favorite, Derek Lam couldn't pass up an opportunity to work on a project that would bring him to a wider audience. So he's teamed up with EBay on a collection of 16 dresses, including a crisp denim shirtdress with a peplum in back (would be a summer staple for me), a dahlia-colored long cotton sundress, and a black cotton full-length gown. I also liked the white floor-length shirtdress with a peplum back. Can you imagine how many ways you could accessorize that?

Shoppers can vote on their favorites at dereklam.ebay.com, and the five winning styles (announced March 1) will be available to purchase on EBay in May. The price range is $125 to $295.

Although everyone is interested in the outcome of this experiment in crowd-sourced design, the resounding call from editors who saw the dresses was that EBay should produce them all.

Meanwhile, Lam's runway collection was a study in new fabric development, in response to the rising cost of cotton and other raw materials. He used silk woven with nylon, for example, and viscose with twill. And he wasn't the only one. There were a lot of these new fabrics in the collections in New York. Designers insist they are not cheap imitations, but the way of the future.

Lam's utilitarian styles still managed to look rich, and were lighter somehow, starting with the salt 'n' pepper-flannel and rayon drawstring twill skirt that opened the show, and the red stretch wool sleeveless coat (what a great option for warmer climes) with horn toggle closures.

An olive colored, blanket stripe cape coat was very on-trend, as was a silk crepe tuxedo jumpsuit, which was far more interesting than the gowns.

-- Booth Moore in New York

Top dress photos: Looks from the Derek Lam for Ebay collection. Credit: Derek Lam.

Middle and bottom photos: Looks from the Derek Lam fall-winter 2011 runway collection shown during New York Fashion Week. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson and Peter Stigter / For The Times.

Mariah Carey has confirmed, on "The Today Show" Thursday, that she and husband Nick Cannon are expecting. Not a surprise to fashion followers, who have been speculating based on the loose, floaty styles she's been wearing lately. [LAT]

To mark the fifth year it has been collaborating with up-and-coming designers, Target is partnering with 17 past participants in its Go International initiative for a collection of dresses, to be available starting in March. [WWD] (Subscription required.)

Derek Lam plans to design an exclusive ready-to-wear collection for EBay that will debut in February. [WWD] (Subscription required.) Meanwhile, he tells FabSugar about the coolest color combos for women -- he likes navy and brown together, as well as salmon with pink and khaki.

Spanx might be considered a girl's best friend, but now they've come out with a T-shirt and underwear collection for men. [People]

St. John is looking to boost its international profile and has named two new senior executives to take on that mission. [WWD] (Subscription required.)

Every now and then, a survey comes along that confirms what you already knew anyway. Consumer analyst Mintel just did one that showed that 1 in 7 Brits has no reason to wear a watch. [StyleList] I'm guessing the same holds true for Americans, since it is so easy to find the time on a cellphone or iPad. So this actually makes status watches even cooler, since hardly anyone else will be wearing one. 

Be careful if you happen to visit Castellammare di Stabia, a small town south of Naples, Italy. The mayor has told the police to fine any woman wearing a mini-skirt or showing too much cleavage. Could be an idea worth borrowing to boost our city coffers! [Guardian]

Vera Wang threw a party Wednesday night for the 29 new members inducted this year into the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Getting into the group is an arduous process, new inductees Rebecca Minkoff and Robert Geller said, which involves putting together a portfolio and providing references. [The Cut]

-- Susan Denley

Photo: Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey  Credit: Gabriel Bouys / AFP/Getty Images

Clothes that make you take a deep breath and say "aahhh." That is what several designers showed here over the weekend, as a new quietude took over the runway.

Derek Lam's beautifully restrained collection was inspired, he wrote in the show notes, by artist Larry Bell and California's singular brand of minimalism.

The result was a romantic ode to classic sportswear, with clothing that was simple but covetable -- an A-line skirt in a lovely washed blue denim, paired with a boxy utility jacket with a back vent detail; a canvas trench coat with a peplum-back vest in the same fabrication layered on top; and a short-sleeve devore velvet dress in a dappled blue, black and green pattern like moonlight shining on ocean waves.

This was Lam's take on effortless West Coast style -- a white sateen pleated skirt worn with a black swallowtail-back cashmere sweater; an incredibly chic sleeveless linen jumpsuit; and flared trousers (they're baaaack!) Worn with a navy blue embroidered tunic tucked in.

Anchoring these easy, breezy clothes were wood-block platform sandals that are sure to become one of spring's must-have styles.

-- Booth Moore

Derek Lam spring - summer 2011 collection photo gallery

Photo: Looks from the Derek Lam spring-summer 2011 runway show at New York Fashion Week. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson and Peter Stigter / For The Times

Italian luxury label Tod's threw a grand re-opening party at its Beverly Hills flagship boutique Thursday night that lured a gaggle of Hollywood celebs, including Marisa Tomei, Kate Beckinsale, Halle Berry, Kelly Lynch, Jessica Alba and Pierce Brosnan.

The cocktail soiree, which was also thrown to commemorate the arrival of Jeffrey Deitch, the newly appointed director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in L.A., was hosted by Tod's Chief Executive and Chairman Diego Della Valle, and spanned all three floors of the freshly revamped boutique. The company's new store concept, which is meant to evoke a luxurious residence, will be rolled out to other locations in the coming year.

"I think in this town, everything is a destination," said Della Valle, who speaks with a melodious Italian accent and wears a wrist-full of colorful braided leather Tod's bracelets. "We wanted this to be an address for our customers during their Rodeo Drive shopping. They can take coffee, go upstairs, maybe touch or buy something. We wanted it to be a really friendly point in one of the most important luxury streets in the world."

The store's new design evokes the feel of a warm, luxurious manse — with sofa-and-table vignettes in shades of brown and beige placed throughout. Walls have been painted a rich burgundy and decorated with clusters of framed family photos and paintings. Side tables bearing fresh flowers abound.

"For a retail environment to go with a dark color scheme I think is very daring — but I’m selfish, it highlights what I do," said Derek Lam, creative director for Tod's ready-to-wear and accessories, who also flew in from New York for the occasion and mingled with Tomei and Vogue editor-cum-socialite Lauren Santo Domingo (in town for the Coachella music festival this weekend).

Indeed, Tod's clothes and accessories (including its signature driving moccasins) clearly served as inspiration for their new surroundings — which are chic, but not at all trendy. Because as Della Valle so perfectly put it, "We need to be contemporary and modern, but we don’t want to be fashion."

-- Emili Vesilind

Top photo: Derek Lam, left, and Diego Della Valle. Bottom photo: Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry. Credits: Donato Sardella for Tod's

Shimmering copper lips paired with bold blue eyes defined the sun-kissed, 70s-feeling makeup at Derek Lam's fall 2010 runway show.

Conceptualized by Estée Lauder's creative makeup director Tom Pecheux -- who led 15 makeup artists working on 22 models -- the fierce look also included matte skin (which should always be the case when you have shimmery eyes and lips), bare cheeks and neutral nails created by Estée Lauder's Jin Soon Choi.

The Wild West is a well-worn theme in fashion, but Rodarte's Mulleavy sisters and Derek Lam took two decidedly different approaches to it for fall.
 
At Rodarte, the designers were inspired by the idea of workers in Mexican maquiladoras walking half-asleep to the factories in Juarez, after dressing in the dark.
 
Although it was refreshing to see them step away from the aggressively dark glamour of the last few seasons and try their hands at something sweeter, the theme translated into too many romantic rag dresses -- collages of florals, plaids and lace, tulle and pearls --that felt unfinished. There was a handful of more salable hits -- a cream-colored sweater jacket in a loose crochet weave that is an update of their signature spidery knits; a draped blanket-print and red-checked miniskirt; lacy beaded undershirts and leggings; and four white dresses that hinted at a move into bridal wear.