First Parties of Fashion Week

By posing her models in stationary vignettes from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, a very pregnant Rachel Roy turned her Fall '08 presentation into a civilized party complete with Champagne. I think the show's Native American style is just right for this election year where the country seems to be rediscovering what this country's all about. [photos] Leaving the show, I wound up on an elevator to the lobby of the Far West Chelsea building with: six of the models and Ms. Roy's husband, Damon Dash, and then I was off to FIT for the opening of a stunning exhibit on Madame Gres. The exhibit has four main sections: one showing the pajama look of the 60s, labeled an ethnic period; one showing sculptural evening gowns and coats, some o them copies for the American market; another sculptural grouping focusing on day wear, and the centerpiece of it all, a masterful arcade of Grecian dresses in oh so many colors and variations. [photos] Afterward I took what I thought would be a break from fashion, attending a Glimmerglass Opera concert at the Morgan Library. But the three sopranos playing Shakespeare's Kate, Cleopatra and Juliette showed their impeccable style, coming up on their own with just the right outfits for their roles. And the ladies in the audience too were impressive, with their rich prints, brocades, and tweeds. And so opera takes another fashion-forward step forward.[photos]