Chris Benz's SS12 collection. Photo: Imaxtree

Three very different designers hosted three very different presentations this week:  Thom Browne invited editors to the New York Public Library while Chris Benz held court at Lincoln Center and the Lake and the Stars fittingly showed their hip swim and lingerie collection downtown at Milk Studios. Through the New York Public Library’s marble hallways and staircases we went to catch Thom Browne’s twenties-themed action.  After being corralled behind velvet ropes we watched girls pose as household items. One, for example, was inside a birdcage resembling a cockatoo in a sheer white feathered dress while two others stood at attention, playing curtains to an invisible window. Another emerged in Browne’s signature avant-preppy clothes, fixing herself a drink as friends began piling into the room accompanied by human bouquets and extra-long cigarette holders gossiping (we guess) about suspended kilts and diagonally draped fringe dresses.

One last twist? A jacket made of rubber ducky jacquard. Chris Benz has also never been one for straightforward fashion (hot pink hair!), so we weren’t shocked to learn his spring collection drew inspiration from Warholian transsexual superstar, Candy Darling. “I started thinking about this collection during that string of super hot days in New York when everyone was dying and going a little crazy, so I started thinking about the craziest New Yorkers on record,” he explained. Benz envisioned his larger-than-life muse on outings to Coney Island, represented by “disparate color blocking,” artificial candy green sequins, and some incredible pairs of printed sneakers that spurred adoring reactions from the crowd’s most heel-prone members.

Thom Browne's SS12 collection. Photo: Imaxtree

Nikki Dekker of The Lake & Stars explained their new swimwear line to us, “People kept asking if they could wear our lingerie into the water, so this just seemed like a natural progression.” The design duo showed their latest collection at Milk Sunday night—also introducing a jewelry collaboration with friends and fellow presenters, Anndra Neen.  The two teamed up when, “we took a trip with Anndra to Mexico City and traveled around together.” The Southwest was evident in the collection’s sunset and brick color scheme—oftentimes accessorized with their travel-companions’ specially-created large scale plate necklaces and miniaudiere evening bags. Now all that’s left is clothes, but with lingerie like this who’d want to get dressed?

Click here to see all of the spring collections!