It must get rather boring reading about fashion in New York but, I’m sorry, here it is again: Marc Jacobs rules this town. While other, younger designers spent today involved in a conversation Jacobs began eight months ago (full pants, wide shoulders, neutral palettes), Jacobs blasted forward with a collection that was unerringly focused, dynamic, and jam-packed with great ideas.

Monday was quite an emotional roller-coaster for us: Between the love in the air at Diesel and the jumpsuits on the brain at Proenza, we didn't think there was anything left to feel. But the celebrity audience at Chris Benz proved us wrong — clearly, whatever oxygen they were huffing before the show was steeped in pure, unadulterated wackitude, leaving us confused and in desperate need of some healing hooch.

There are some days when we can't believe we have to drag ourselves to another fashion show, and there are others when we can't believe we have the privilege to even stick our toes in this phenomenal world. Last night, Calvin Klein's 40th-anniversary celebration on the actual freakin' High Line gave us enough moments of childlike wonderment to last for the next ten seasons.

Something about Diesel inspires heavy petting. Two seasons ago we saw Demi Moore at the show getting handsy with Ashton Kutcher; this time, Daisy Lowe and a very dapper Mark Ronson clasped hands and rubbed each other's legs affectionately. Right behind them, former tennis ace Boris Becker had his left arm wrapped tightly around a hat-clad and very tan blonde, running his fingers up and down her bare arm as he sang along to a cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry." Whatever the orgiastic mojo is, someone should bottle it and get it on the shelves at Duane Reade — especially if it comes with a complimentary athlete.

The shows are in full swing, and the critics are weighing in. We'll be compiling the general consensus throughout the week.

ADAM
Adam Lippes unleashed a vivid collection of eye candy inspired by MoMA’s "Color Chart" exhibition last spring. “Think jellybean explosion on Easter morning,” the Associated Press elaborated. Most critics admired a colorful, beaded stunner of a dress and a knit tank that was embroidered with multicolored discs meant to imitate Smarties candy. British Vogue claimed that “the real deliciousness came through in bright sporty separates,” and Style.com added that the designer “was at his best when he kept it bright and uncomplicated.” Fashion Week Daily was least impressed, finding the collection “disparate and unconnected,” and Style.com grappled with “some distracting straps and buckles,” but the playful display pleased the majority of critics. Concluded WWD, “Overall, the collection was as upbeat and interesting as it was wearable.”

Oh, joy: Today we've spotted not one but two stars of The Real Housewives of New York City — combined with yesterday's Whitney Port sighting, Fashion Week has become reality-television heaven (or hell, depending on how you feel about these things). First we spotted Bethenny Frankel sitting front row at Jill Stuart, just a few seats down from Michelle Trachtenberg (that's right: Frankel is on par with Gossip Girl when it comes to seating). Then later, at Catherine Malandrino, we spied fellow Housewives star Luanne de Lesseps sitting right across the runway from us. We hit her up after the show; she said she wasn't being filmed at Malandrino but that she was pretty sure they were filming Bethenny at Jill Stuart, explaining that not all designers are keen on having the reality-TV crews storming around. De Lesseps said she planned to attend a few more shows, noting that, "Kelly Bensimmon invited me to Malo." Well! Does this mean Luanne and Kelly are becoming BFFs? Or at least in the staged way? We see a very jealous Jill Zarin in our Bravo-watching future.

How is the economy affecting folks in attendance at yesterday's Miss Sixty show? Perhaps we should've known better, but we had to ask. Wichy Hassan, Miss Sixty's creative director: "I really don't care about the money because otherwise it would be a sad collection." (He's Italian and getting half off on everything in the U.S.) Ugly Betty's Becki Newton noted that her television character, Amanda, wouldn't be caught dead wearing the same thing twice, but that in real life, she has to be more practical: "I think there's no shame in mixing it up, wearing accessories again. I plan on wearing these [Gucci fringe] boots every single day to justify how much they actually cost." Perry Ferrell, who showed up in a supertight pair of red, size 0 women's jeans, got a little sentimental. "I could care less about money. It just floats around, you know what I mean? If I can get there, I get there. If I can't afford it, try next year. I've lived in my car, I've lived out on the beach, I'd take showers down by the beach. It sounds terrible, but it's a really good life." Finally, Blake Lively is getting in touch with her frugal side. "I try to save energy, which saves money? The cheaper lightbulbs are the green lightbulbs, so I filled my house with those. I do splurge, though, on shoes. I shouldn't be talking too much about saving money."

And so it begins! The shows are in full swing, and the critics are weighing in. We'll be compiling the general consensus throughout the week.

Rag & Bone
After opening their first rag & bone boutique on Christopher Street last week to a flurry of eager shoppers, David Neville and Marcus Wainwright wooed the rest of the fashion world with a tough and rough-around-the-edges collection inspired by England's music scene. The critics were divided on the parade of punkish denim and leather jackets, exposed zippers, checked button-downs, and miniskirts. Style.com sighed over the theme, complaining "it's all been done before," and even venturing that "the fit on one or two of their double-breasted jackets looked off." WWD agreed, writing that the designs "felt repetitive and at times lacked personality," though it allowed that the rock-inspired zippers and studs added edge to rag & bone's classic suits. But British Vogue championed the show as "one of the strongest Rag & Bone collections we've yet seen" — particularly loving the floral accents mixed with leather — and asserted that Neville and Wainwright "remain true their English roots and they always get it right." Celeb fan Kelly Osbourne agreed, declaring to The Daily, "They are masters at androgynous wear."

Watch a slideshow of the Rag & Bone collection.