Day Two of Fashion Week Brings the Fierceness

If Day Two of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City is any judge, women are going to be mighty happy when it's time to shop for next fall. Collections from a varied group of designers labels, from Cynthia Steffe to Christian Siriano and Nicole Miller, all showed designers presenting some of their strongest, most cohesive collections, something sure to please store buyers and shoppers.

Two standout collections Friday were those from Cynthia Steffe and Christian Siriano.

The Cynthia Steffe label was the essence of young, flirtatious fun. The looks were sweet but never saccharine with fresh takes on classics like skirt suits, shown here with flared mini skirts, and jumper dresses done in leather. Leather was a key fabric here. Berets added to the jaunty vibe.

Christian Siriano, the "Project Runway" winner from the show's fourth season, has been everywhere - a makeup line with Victoria's Secret Beauty, shoes with Payless, a maternity line - Fierce Mamas, and even a fashion phone for LG Group. But his collection on Friday showed that his focus when it comes to fashion remains clear. This is a young man who knows exactly what he's doing and who he's doing it for.

Siriano's collection included several beautiful coats, some in cashmere andwool, others in a black and white chevron wool. But nighttime is truly Siriano's time to shine and he gave his fans plenty of his trademark fierceness. Standout pieces included a day to nighttime smart-looking crocodile embossed zip front jacket, a series of cocktail dresses with dramatic loops and flounces, and a red carpet worthy fuchsia gown.

We also took a look at the "Project Runway" finale taping as well as the celebrity studded Fashion For Relief Haiti runway show organized by supermodel Naomi Campbell. Check back later for more on those hot happenings from Friday.

In the meantime, here's a look at pieces from the Cynthia Steffe and Christian Siriano collections. All photos are courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week:

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CYNTHIA STEFFE

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CHRISTIAN SIRIANO