Austinites at NY Fashion Week, and What Riverboat Gamblers and Fashion Have in Common

We think Linda Asaf has since stolen her throne as Austin's pet fashion designer, but at one time Cat Swanson's work could be found everywhere in Austin from fashion shows to the UT Co-op. She actually ended up marrying fellow Austin menswear designer Tomer Gendler and going to work as a design director for Rachel Roy. Rachel Roy presented at New York Fashion Week, and her Fall 2008 line had a Native American meets Colonial look. We wonder if some of Cat Swanson's University of Texas burnt orange style didn't bleed through into her work for Rachel Roy.

UT graduate and Season 4 Project Runway contestant Elisa Jimenez brought her trademark brand of wackiness to fashion week with a new collection called The Hunger World, featuring 15 looks modeled by actors and puppeteers in a venue strewn with playing cards and inflated latex gloves imprinted with the words "bliss" and "bless." Elisa narrated as models walked the runway in outfits that, at times, consisted mainly of body paint. The oddest part of this whole story is that she has evidently also signed on to do some costume work for High School Musical Three.