BRYANT PARK, THE SALON, 1:15 P.M.—Moments before the Duckie Brown autumn/winter 2008 show began, a few stragglers found their seats, bass-heavy trance blared.

Seat F-25 (male, effeminate, floor-length alpaca sweater, glasses): “Oh, my god! I didn’t see you there!”

Seat F-28 (male, euro-butch, fur-trimmed puff-parka, gleaming ponytail): “Ja?”

Seat F-25: “I said! I didn’t! See you there!”  read more »

"They need to get women’s stuff, c’mon guys!” said a dejected Lauren Ezersky, host of the Style Network show Behind the Velvet Ropes and Fashion Week gadfly, as a crowd was seated in the Salon at Bryant Park to see menswear label Duckie Brown. “I don’t even have a boyfriend I can steal it from!”

Ms. Ezersky had officially been relegated to the fourth row for this particular show, but managed to slip into a front row seat next to devoted dandy Patrick McDonald, in head-to-toe navy Paul Smith topped with a navy velvet fedora.

“I’m cluckin’ for the duckin’,” Mr. McDonald said.

The seats filled, the lights dimmed, and pasty male models strutted down the runway wearing preppy duds: wide leg khaki shorts with cropped khaki blazer, long tunic-style white collar shirts, gold lame t-shirts, sweatshirts and tanks. Less eccentric than expected.  read more »