The Must-Cliques of Fashion Week

With the runway world still staggering over last week’s loss of Alexander McQueen, the mood at this year’s fashion week is by most accounts subdued – though resilient. From NYC and beyond, here are my picks for the web's best coverage of Fall/Winter 2010.

Igniting the snark, no star is safe from the Fug Girls, who are live blogging with abandon from the tents for NY Magazine’s The Cut. Check out who’s made them shudder so far (Ciara, the cast of The City) while getting the scoop on important stuff – like Betsey Johnson’s Clarissa Explains It All obsession and unspeakable front-row snubs (last night, Marc Jacobs exercised a full-on celebrity embargo).

For even more irreverence, head to Fashin, the style-obsessed Livejournal where hundreds of members comprise a catty collective chorus on the sartorial scene. Warning: Gratuitous shots of male models and Mean Girls quotes may coincide with some priceless fashion week commentary. And we’re completely okay with that.

Women’s Wear Daily is, in our opinion, fashion week’s paper of record. Stop by for their must-read rehash of all of yesterday’s (and last night’s) happenings. And while we still haven’t forgiven New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn for her low blow to Mad Men’s glorious Christina Hendricks, when it comes to chronicling the catwalk, she’s typically on point. Read some of her reviews for this week so far, or peruse her Q&A sesh from Style.com on the future of fashion.

Speaking of Style.com, there’s no better site to view looks from each designer post-show. Most models are also attributed, so you can research the statuettes past their freakishly symmetrical gazes and cheekbones. Another excellent resource for model-watchers is Modelina, which features day-in-the-life video diaries of the runway’s most-wanted and exclusive backstage shots. Photographer Craig Arend also documents their impeccable street style on his blog, Altamira.

It’s no secret that professional journalists are now (begrudgingly) sharing their seats with fashion bloggers, and no other has ignited the web more so than 13-year-old Tavi Gevinson (yes, we said 13.) Gevinson, who started her blog, Style Rookie, when she was 11, has since graced a Damien Hirst-designed cover for Pop Magazine and can be found front and center this week for nearly every show. And don’t expect teen-typical multiple exclamation points in her excerpts. Gevinson name drops Marianne Faithfull and author Ellen Raskin's "The Westing Game," and, of the Marc Jacobs show last night, had this to say:

“There was a clear air of foggy nostalgia that drifted throughout the room, clinging to coattails in shades of pale yellow and grey.”

Though, inevitably, the question of a ghost writer has cropped up, we’re still hooked – how many 13-year-olds do you know are rocking blue hair and a bowl cut?

New York Fashion Week ends this Thursday with perhaps the most anticipated show of all: Calvin Klein. Watch a live feed from the catwalk, and be sure you’re taking notes – a model who scores an exclusive here has very big things in store (see: Karlie Kloss, Lyndsey Scott).

Next up, London’s calling, as their fashion week kicks off this Friday. After that, it’s off to Milan and Paris. Keep a few of these bookmarked to follow the scene. Au revoir, Culture Lusters!