While many amazing creations made their way down the runways of New York, Milan and Paris (sorry London, better luck next year), I'll leave it to another Fashion File producer to deconstruct the best collections of the season.

But hold up a second; this is far from a cop out blog post.

Instead, I'm going to share what I thought to be the best musical accompaniments to the struts (and tumbles) of our planet's leggiest over the past 4 weeks:

Lykke Li - Tonight (at John Galiano)

It need not be said that John Galliano is the man. No one does over-the-top better than he. And I'm all for it. But I was pleasantly surprised when he chose one of the most subdued tracks of the season to accent his show. Lykke Li was all over the runways this year, but her song "Tonight" only appeared during Galliano's collection.

Ladyhawke - Paris Is Burning (at Chanel, among others)

A popular track in all of the fashion capitals, I can't help but associate Ladyhawke's "Paris Is Burning" with the Chanel show, mostly because, well, the show was staged in Paris. And Paris has burned recently. (So I'm literal. Shoot me.)

The Pipettes - Because It's Not Love (at Charlotte Ronson)

When your sister is a world-class DJ, and your brother produced Amy Winehouse's breakout album, you had better have some killer tunes to compliment your collection. And Charlotte Ronson didn't disappoint. Well, her brother didn't, more accurately, since he served as house DJ. And what goes best with C-Ron's cute clothes? The Pipettes, obvie. Their track "Because It's Not Love" was very on point.

Gerswhin - Rhapsody in Blue (at Marc Jacobs)

Marc Jacobs played it old school. And by that I mean one-room-school-house old school, for his Marc Jacobs show in New York. The suffragettes that dominated his collection sauntered down the catwalk to George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." Not everyone's tip, but honestly, it's one of my favourite songs of all time. So, a special kudos goes out to MJ. Keep 'em guessing, bro.

Natalia Cappuccini - Shopaholic (at Stella McCartney)

Proving she's clearly the hippest mom on the block, Stella McCartney rocked some of the phattest jams of the season. And in an effort to stem the tide of economic despair, she opened her show with Natalia Cappuccini's "Shopaholic" - a decidedly hot track encouraging us all to spend, spend, spend!

Martin Solveig - Everybody (at Christian Dior)

Parisian DJ Martin Solveig is the shit. And his song "Everybody" brought some real street cred to the Christian Dior show. Respect.

Joy Division - Transmission (at Rag and Bone)

We're big fans of Rag and Bone here at Fashion File. And they certainly didn't do themselves a disservice when they chose Joy Division's "Transmission" for their collection. An oldie, but definitely a goodie.

Santogold - You'll Find A Way (at Alexander Wang)

And then there was Alex Wang - New York's fashion darling. He kept it real, with some hip-hop flavour courtesy of Jay-Z and N.E.R.D., but also tapped into another big fave amongst the fashion set, Santogold.

So, if you're like me, and about to be spending hours in the kitchen trying to recreate Nana's stuffing recipe this weekend, rock some of these tunes and you'll feel like you're cooking on a catwalk. Work that apron, girl!

Posted by LUKE

all photos courtesy style.com, Photographer Marcio Madeira
Valentino Spring/Summer 2009 Collection

Posted by SAM

Grace Jones on the cover of Dazed and Confused, November 2008
Photography by Chris Cunningham
Styling Nicola Formichetti
Image from Nicola Formichetti's Blog

Posted by JESSE

Designer Karl Lagerfeld

Designer Karl Lagerfeld with Actor Emma Watson

Designer Karl Lagerfeld with Madame Bernadette Chirac

Show attendee wears Chanel Cruise 2009 shoes

Sonia Rykiel's daughter, Nathalie

Posted by Madeleine Czigler
Photographs by Jillian Babbitt, Paris Bureau

Posted by JILLIAN BABBITT

Posted by JILLIAN BABBITT

Real awesome!

Most people lament the passing of Summer, but for stylistas like myself, it marks the seasonal debut of the best that one's closet has to offer.

I picked up / my parents bought me a pretty stellar trench from New Man in Paris a few years ago, and I still delight in slipping into it every time the heavens open up.

But...

I moved apartments last month, and in the process, lost my umbrella. Quel desastre! I mean, what's a boy to do?

Well, faithful FF readers (hi Mom!), the silver lining to the nimbus clouds overhead is that I get to go shopping for a new one. And, on the off chance that you, too, find yourself stuck in a downpour with nowhere to hide, I thought I'd share with you the best that Google shopping has to offer:

Lets begin with the obvious:

The puppeteers behind our beloved Rihanna decided to capitalize on the success of her hit single, and came out with a not-half-bad line of brollies for FW08:

Courtesy totes-isotoner.com

Running for about $25 a pop, it's a cheap way to avoid the wet look.

If you're looking for an up-market, decidedly feminine parapluie, Jean Paul Gaultier has got you covered (pun very much intended):

Courtesy lovejoys-ltd.co.uk

While you may feel badly about forking over $200 to snatch one up, at least the knowledge that JP used synthetic fur will help to assuage your guilt.

Of course, for the divas out there, nothing is going to beat Pasotti's cheetah-print umbrella:

Courtesy lovejoys-ltd.co.uk

But for yours truly, it's gotta be Burberry. They've been the lions of designer rain wear since poor saps suffered in the soggy Flanders trenches of WW1.

Courtesy burberryusaonline.com

This Shimmer Check Walker umbrella will cost my Visa $350. But hey, who can put a price on feeling beautiful when the weather turns ugly?

Posted by LUKE

Courtesy gofugyourself.com

Courtesy gofugyourself.com

The other side argues that the right jumpsuit, worn the right way, by the right person, is a gutsy fashion manoeuvre, capable of reaping huge fashion props for the wearer. I will confess that I fall into this second camp, based on the following:

Courtesy iamfashion.com

Courtesy Versace

Courtesy gofugyourself.com

So what's the difference? Why does one look like coveralls and another look cool? One looks like the dregs of disco, while another looks smart and sexy?
After long hours spent examining the offenders, I think I've figured it out.

The key to a good jumpsuit is the proof of a waist. Through tailoring or a funky belt, there has to be some shape under that shift, or you end up looking like a house painter:

Courtesy gofugyourself.com

Final Vindication: The S/S09 shows are almost over and it's looking like a real jumpsuit season. Now that we know how to wear one, I say have at it. Besides, who doesn't love an outfit that's a one-stop-shop?

Courtesy style.com

Posted by SAM

First, it was the puppy. Back when Paris and Nicole were merely peripheral members of the celebrity circus (oh how we long for those halcyon days!), PH tried to up her profile by parading around with Tinkerbell. And you know what, it worked. Images of Paris and her puny pooch are forever burned into our memories, no matter how many therapy sessions we pay for.

Courtesy dogs.thefuntimesguide.com

After seeing her press coverage, many other B-list celebs decided they couldn't leave the house without a doggie in tow either - which, in turn, begat the dog purse.

Courtesy www.pursepage.com

Not to be outdone by some bleach-blonde hussies, the A-listers decided they were going to one-up that accessoire-du-jour. Thus began the baby bump trend. Checkmate, Paris.

Courtesy www.wwtdd.com

Courtesy fisherwy.blogspot.com

And that's where we stood until Summer 08. But now, that whole baby thing is played out, too. So what's a girl to do if she's trying to look fashion forward on the red carpet? Well, let's ask Rihanna.

Fashion File: "Hey Rihanna, it's Fashion File."

Rihanna: "Oh hey Fashion File. Love the show!"

FF:"Thanks Ri-ri. You look amazing!"

R:"I know, right? It took me hours to get ready."

FF:"Really? But you're so naturally beautiful. What took so long?"

R:"Well I had to wait forever for my accessory to arrive. Check him out!"

FF:"Him?"

R:"Oh, Patches Magee, there. Nice one, Ri-ri. Where's his Harley? Parked out back, next to a couple of dead bodies?"

Yeah, kinda intense. Rihanna roles with the Hells Angels. Nothing says "don't step on my gown's train" like an organised criminal walking behind you.

But Rihanna isn't the only girl rocking the bodyguard look. After Nuclear Wintour had paint thrown on her by PETA...

Courtesy blogs.nypost.com

...she, too, decided to compliment her outfits with a couple of thuggy Adonises.

Courtesy gastrochic.blogspot.com

In fact, word is that Anna dashed out of Dennis Basso's latest show during New York Fashion Week, with the help of her burly sidekicks, even before the designer had finished taking his bow.

So there you go. If you want to be Vogue-chic, you better get yourself some brawn. Or at least dress up your little brother in Dad's suit, and slap a pair of Ray-bans on his pizza face. It's that, or a dog purse. And trust me, you do NOT want to be rifling through that yucky mess to find your lipstick in a pinch.

Posted by LUKE (with an assist to SAM)

Actor Marion Cotillard

Actor Marion Cotillard with Producer Harvey Weinstein

Dita Von Teese

Actor Emma Watson

Singer Katy Perry

Milla Jovovich

Stephanie Seymour

Make-up Artist Pat McGrath

Model Abbey Lee Kershaw

Model Abbey Lee Kershaw

Model Kim Noorda

Model Stam

Model Tanya D

Model Tanya D

Model Caroline Trentini

Model Caroline Trentini

Model Kasia Struss

Model Denisa Dvorakova

Model Georgina

Model Heidi Mount

Model Natasha Poly

Model Raquel Zimmermann

Posted and photographs by JILLIAN BABBITT

Posted by: JILLIAN BABBITT AND ELIZABETH PANTALEO, Paris Bureau

Catherine McNeil on the cover of Australian Vogue November 2008
Image from Models.com

Posted by JESSE

It's not exactly a state secret that I unabashedly and unironically adore 90210: Original Flavour. It appears that House of Holland head designer Henry Holland shares my zeal for retro teen melodrama - his Spring 2009 collection was entitled "Sex, Lies, and Volleyball", obviously an allusion to The Summer of Deception wherein Brenda Walsh "Dubois" had a French fling with Reeeek, while her boyfriend and best friend were sexin' it up all over The Beverly Hills Beach Club.

Inspiration that springs from popular television shows or movies is nothing out of the ordinary. The muse for Alexander McQueen's Fall 2005 show was Hitchcock's films of the 1960s, including Vertigo and The Man Who Knew Too Much. Rodarte drew inspiration from both Japanese anime and Buffy the Vampire Slayer for its Spring 2007 collection and Michael Kors tipped his hat to the women of Mad Men in his Fall 2008 show.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so one assumes. All the aforementioned collections managed to pay homage to their forbearers in a tasteful, elegant and understated way. I wish the same could be said for House of Holland. To be fair, it's difficult to employ words like 'elegant' and 'understated' when these are your raw materials:

If you were a designer, would you not want to stay far away from a show that thought scrunchies, Lycra spandex and Baja ponchos were the height of couture? I mean seriously, people - Steve Sanders tried to make a sports bro happen. Read that last sentence back to yourself and cry.

But Henry Holland took his lemons and concocted some vile, esophagus-burning lemonade. Some 'highlights' from House of Holland Spring 2009.

Not even Steve Sanders, with his mullet-'fro and proclivity for neon man tanks, would be caught dead in anything this tacky.

Images courtesy of www.style.com
Posted by KATHERINE