In case you faithful Shophounders have been wondering why we haven't been reporting much about the goings on in the tents, well, it's because there isn't much to report. Perhaps it's because the really major shows have yet to take place, or because most of them, (Calvin, Donna, Ralph, Marc, and now Oscar) have abandoned the tents altogether, leaving Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Anna Sui and Dane von Furstenberg as the only heavy hitters left to anchor the entire week. It's a failing of IMG's management of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week that New York's biggest names are no longer interested in the venue, defeating the purpose of the tent complex, and causing buyers and journalists to scramble all over town again to catch shows. Even with one fewer tent, there seems to be some major gaps in the schedule, and the loss of the smallest tent means the loss of up-and-coming talent that creates interest and excitement. We also suspect that many designers are weary of the trade show like atmosphere in Bryant Park, and would prefer to show their collections in an atmosphere where they don't have to compete with so many other companies for their guests' attention. It's those friggin' cars. It just looks like an auto show in there. In all fairness, it feels like IMG has pulled back on some of the more egregious promotional activity, and it feels slightly less seedy this year, but it may be too little too late. Here's a taut, tan and perky Lisa Rinna making a personal appearance for Playtex, only to be upstaged by a visit from...Snoopy. Yeah, it's random like that in there. We hope a major rethinking of the venues will be in order when they finally find a new location for the tents, but we have heard rumors that a rooftop at Port Authority Bus Terminal is under consideration, which would be a surefire way to drive away the top designers who are left. Can you even picture, for instance, the Carolina Herrera show at Port Authority?
Of course, The Shophound been running all over town to catch shows, so we haven't been spending as much time in the tents ourselves. The fine people who represent Peroni noted that we hadn't seen the Peroni boys around the tents, so they let us know that they had hired sets of twins to distribute free lager in the evenings. We were provided with a picture of two sets of charming young lady twins, but we felt that the handsome pair pictured above are far better suited to the target audience at  Fashion Week, dontcha think?
After the jump, we've got some capsule reviews to catch up on the rest of the shows so far

9/5 4 PM 25 West 39th Street ⿢ ANNE BOWEN
Anne Bowen is one of those designers we had heard of for a while, but whose work we couldn't really picture. Now we can. Bowen is a niche eveningwear designer who succeeded best with her cleaner and simpler looks like a crimson satin sheath. Unfortunately, these were fewer and further between sandwiched between too many looks that were too droopy or too skimpy. It didn't help that models were instructed to take double turns up and down the runway like contestants on America's Next Top Model (at one of the few shows that didn't have Nigel Barker in the audience) making the show seem amateurish and drawn out.
SWAG: A split of Rosa Regale sparkling red wine, lip balm and a BR-III hardwood floor brochure. Really.

9/7 12-3 PM 232 W 37th Street ⿢ GEMMA KAHNG
Gemma Kahng's whimsically embellished jackets of the early '90s still stick in our mind. Her work has since gained refinement, but lost none of its fanciful charm. Kahng welcomed guests to her studio for an informal presentation featuring a surprise appearance by Siberian supermodel Irina Pantaeva. Standouts included softly draped party dresses in pastel chiffon and satin.

9/6 6PM The Salon ⿢ TEREXOV
Designer Alexander Terekhov returned to the tents to prove that clean-lined American sportswear can easily come from Moscow. His Terexov collection shined with chemises and evening shirtdresses that had a whiff of late '70s Halston sleekness. Ankle strapped stilettos and shiny clutches expertly carried out the less-is-more theme.