1. The New Design duo

Cushnie et Ochs Is the New Parsons Duo

The Proenza Schouler and Vena Cava teams both went to Parsons, and both graduated with glory after their senior collections won the school's Designer of the Year prize. Now, Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs (the latter of whom snagged the award) are following in their footsteps. The ink's hardly dry on their diplomas, but they're already well versed in the art of the sound bite: "We were inspired by American Psycho and Christian Bale's compulsive, meticulous, ordered discipline." That string of adjectives makes an apt description for their body-con dresses, which look as dangerous as Bale's cheekbone

2. William Rast Is the New L.A.M.B.

William Rast Is the New L.A.M.B.

Most stage-to-street trends are regrettable: Hammer pants come to mind. But sometimes a savvy pop star manages to capitalize on his or her look with a legit fashion line. Take Gwen Stefani, whose rock/ska/rasta mash-up, L.A.M.B., grosses close to $100 million annually. Now, Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala, who were childhood pals in Tennessee, are hoping for similar success with William Rast, a denim collection that's been expanded to include men's and women's ranges designed by Johan and Marcella Lindeberg. Expect Southern staples with a Hollywood edge. As long as there aren't any "Frankie Say Relax" shirts, we're happy

3. TV Socialites Are the New Socialites

TV Socialites Are the New Socialites

Ah, the irony. The cast of Gossip Girl has inadvertently pulled the red carpet out from under the Park Avenue princesses they play on TV. Once upon a time, Tinsley and Fabiola ruled the roost. Nowadays, a party isn't complete with out a Blake or Leighton sighting. What with all the designers clamoring to dress them, the GG crew will no doubt be ubiquitous come fashion week. And in a case of art imitating life—or is it vice versa at this point?—the second season includes a "fashion week" episode. Oh, and cameos by Tinsley Mortimer and Michael Kors are also coming down the pipeline. It's all so deliciously meta.

4. Hess Natur Is the New Miguel Adrover

Hess Natur Is the New Miguel Adrover

Miguel Adrover, ahead-of-his-time designer (remember his idea about seasonless dressing?) and enfant terrible, is back from Majorca to stir up the New York fashion scene once again. Hess Natur, the German mail-order company that sells ecologically sound clothing where he now works, is on the calendar, but don't go looking for a traditional show. Adrover won't be taking a bow in a T-shirt that reads "Anyone see a backer?" as he did at his Spring 2005 collection, because now that he has one, he's not showing anything that's for sale. That's right, his show is strictly "look, don't buy." Plus ça change…

5. Joseph Altuzarra Is the New Boy Wonder

Joseph Altuzarra Is the New Boy Wonder

Joseph Altuzarra's well-defined aesthetic belies his age. "It's very much for a woman—structured, tailored, clean," says the 25-year-old Paris transplant of his Spring collection. "It has that Helmut Lang masculine aspect to it and that Azzedine Alaïa aggressiveness." Only a few years out of school, Altuzarra doesn't even have a Web site yet—although he has an internship with Marc Jacobs and stints with Proenza Schouler and Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy under his natty belt. His precocious debut is being shown by appointment in New York next wee

6. The Mini Is the New Maxi

The Mini Is the New Maxi

Maxis are so Fall 2008. For Spring, it's all about the Mini…Cooper, that is. The car company has monopolized the party calendar with a ten-day event series set on a Garment District rooftop. Dazed & Confused will kick-start the festivities with a be-there-or-be-square fête headlined by indie band du jour MGMT. And the beautiful-people quotient will reach its zenith at the V magazine bash, where Agyness Deyn, Lily Donaldson, and Jessica Stam are expected. Kudos to the ad wizards who dreamed all this up. The next time we're in the market for a smaller-than-average automobile, we'll be sure to think of you.

7. Forty Is the New Forty

Forty Is the New Forty

Ralph Lauren's Central Park Conservatory Garden show and black-tie-dinner last September might've gone down as fashion's most extravagant birthday party…if it weren't for the ginormous bash the Calvin Klein team has planned for its own 40th. Architect John Pawson has constructed a multilevel structure alongside the High Line—the West Side's abandoned elevated railway, soon to become New York's coolest public park—and artist James Turrell has created one of his signature "Space Division" light installations to go in it. With special tours of the High Line on offer, you can bet the crowd will be glittering.

8. Nicholas Kirkwood Is the New Christian Louboutin

Nicholas Kirkwood Is the New Christian Louboutin

What makes us think Nicholas Kirkwood is ready to step into the maestro's shoes? For one, the Rodarte sisters have chosen the London cobbler to craft their Spring footwear. And for another, he's landed a gig making shoes for Pollini, where the appointment of Jonathan Saunders as ready-to-wear director has made it one of Milan's must-see shows. Then there's all the front-row types—Leigh Lezark, Daisy Lowe, Selma Blair—who've been spotted in his high-and-mighty architectural stilettos and cantilevered platform heels

9. Alice Dellal Is the New It
Alice Dellal Is the New It

This 20-year-old model/heiress/party girl was born to be envied. There's the pedigree: Mom's a former Brazilian model, Dad's a British financier. There's the posse of fabulous drinking buddies, including former flame Pierre Casiraghi. And then there's the sort of looks that not even a nose ring and a sideways mullet can spoil. Agent Provocateur recently tapped the punk princess to replace Kate Moss as the face of its campaigns, and now Alexander Wang is jetting Dellal (left) over from London to co-host his after-party. We hope this won't be her only foray onto the party circuit. When you've got so much It to give, it'd be downright selfish to stay locked up in a suite at the Merc

10. Fifth Avenue Is the New Rue St.-Honoré

Fifth Avenue Is the New Rue St.-Honoré

Colette is coming to New York. Commissioned by Gap and residing in the concept space adjacent to Gap's flagship at Fifth Avenue and 54th Street, the pop-up store is destined to be a show-week must-see. The shelves will be stocked with, among other things, mini versions of classic Gap khakis and denim jackets from Luxembourg-born artist Anne-Marie Herckes. And what's a sister-city experiment without some healthy competition? Jean-Philippe Delhomme and Ruben Toledo were commissioned to design these tees. We've got plenty of hometown pride, but we can't help wanting both.

11. Goth Is the New Grunge

Goth Is the New Grunge

How many goths does it take to change a lightbulb? None. They prefer to embrace the darkness. OK, kidding aside, the gothic subculture has had a serious impact on contemporary fashion, perhaps never more so than last season, when everyone from Ann Demeulemeester and Rick Owens to Alexander Wang and the Rodarte sisters went a bit ghoulish. Starting on September 5, the Fashion Institute of Technology will present Gothic: Dark Glamour, an exhibit exploring the aesthetic from the perspective of both the catwalk and the streets. This, clearly, is a trend that won't be going away anytime soon. Somebody call Siouxsie Sioux.

12. Erin Wasson Is the New Designer Mascot

Erin Wasson Is the New Designer Mascot

We all know the story: Designer meets model, designer gets model to style his show, designer loses model. Alexander Wang and Erin Wasson remain friends, but the upcoming season has the Maybelline mannequin lending her je ne sais quoi to a pair of West Coast labels: the surf/skate company RVCA and William Rast, Justin Timberlake's denim and lifestyle line. For RVCA she's designed a capsule collection that will be sold at Opening Ceremony in New York. Expect fitted vests, blazers, and (of course) her signature frayed denim shorts.

* special thanks to Style.com to see the rest please go to http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/stylenotes/082808/slideshow/?loop=0&...