Nicole Miller

Fashion designer Nicole Miller has been named the recipient of the 2002 Phashion Phest Philadelphia award, given annually by the city in conjunction with the fall extravaganza that celebrates retail fashion in the region. This year, Phashion Phest will take place Sept. 18 at Penn's Landing. The award, in the form of a Waterford crystal bowl, will be presented to the New York designer tonight at a Phashion Phest "Kick-Off Party" at the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia. "I think this is great," Miller said of the honor.

Pop quiz... Come Sunday, when the 12th annual CoreStates USPRO Cycling Championship roars through Manayunk, the hottest selling item at the Nicole Miller designer clothing store on Main Street will be? a) bicycle shorts b) evening gowns c) ties If you guessed shorts, sorry. You're wrong. "What we will end up selling on that day is a lot of ties," said Mary Dougherty, the store's owner. "It's not necessarily one of our best business days. " Dougherty said ties sell best because the crowds that gather at the race usually aren't in the mood for trying on clothes.

Having finally internalized the fact that summer is no longer with us, it's time to get shopping for fall. Phashion Phest Philadelphia is just the ticket. Produced by the Office of the City Representative, this extravaganza takes place tomorrow in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Atop the Bellevue, Broad and Walnut streets. It will feature the fall and winter collections of some of the city's finest retailers. Jones New York, Nicole Miller, Mendelsohn, Ma Jolie, Boyd's, Small's Formalwear, Strawbridge & Clothier, John Wanamaker and the Shops at Liberty Place have banded together to bring us a runway show chock full of stars.

Dawn Dugan isn't a fat-cat contributor, but she's been to a few fund-raisers. She isn't a policy wonk, but she hobnobs with President Clinton and Mayor Rendell. So how did Dugan go from sales clerk at Nicole Miller in Manayunk to the upper reaches of power? She knows how to party. More precisely, she and partner Mary McCarthy know how to throw a good party. A good political party. In case you think this is easy, imagine feeding and entertaining 9,000 people at Penn's Landing during the Presidents' Summit.

This winter's crush on velvet - think sumptuous shrunken blazers, soft leggings, and floor-length gowns - is more than just a cure for the cold. The popularity of the plush pile is a sign that luxury is on the cusp of a comeback. And the ancient fabric's timing couldn't be better. Just like sequins, satin, and fur, nothing says holiday like a velvet dress. This year, however, the smooth-move textile is enjoying a modern twist. "I started seeing people come in October looking for velvet," said Mary K. Dougherty, who this season stocked three styles of velvet Nicole Miller cocktail dresses in her Manayunk and Center City boutiques.

Today's brides continue to turn tradition on its head as weddings carry on their migration from holy grounds to "Holy cow!" Some first-time brides are super-young; others are in their 40s. And more than a few women are - gasp - marrying younger men. A lot younger. So it's no wonder the selection of bridal attire reflects the varied tastes of soon-to-be-marrieds. In addition to the strapless princess options, designers are surprising us with a bevy of irreverent yet sophisticated details: plunging backs, décolletage, shades of champagne, and slinky silhouettes.

As slaves to style saunter around in simpler silhouettes, designers are turning to the foundation of their craft to personalize runway ensembles: Fabric. These days, high-quality corduroys, cashmeres, cottons and furs are key to clothing, much as in the days before the '90s synthetic rage ruled the runways. As feminine looks remain popular, expect Philadelphia favorites Ralph Rucci and Nicole Miller to present collections centered on lush textiles as this week's Fall 2005 fashion shows continue under the Bryant Park tents.

Flanked by models and dressed in a navy-blue suit and green Nicole Miller tie, Mayor Nutter vogued for the cameras Wednesday afternoon and announced the first city-sponsored foray into fashion: The Philadelphia Collection. The 10-day fashion party, which starts Sept. 23 and runs through Oct. 2, features more than 40 free runway presentations, cocktail parties, and trunk shows in boutiques throughout Center City, Germantown, and South Philadelphia. Having already proven his in-the-know status by hosting Sex and the City screenings, Nutter comfortably talked up style, after arriving fashionably late.

Bud Konheim just wants to have fun. For years, he knocked himself out building Nicole Miller's dress business, and where did it get him? Finally, he traded in the work ethic that he learned at his father's and grandfather's knees in the rag trade - and then at Exeter and Dartmouth - and bought into the fun ethic instead. Now he's a big success. Five, 10 years ago Miller was designing zippy little dresses with a sort of cleaned-up thrift-shop feeling. Konheim, the partner who handles the business side while Miller handles the design, called it "couture flea market.

Nicole Miller's ready-to-wear collections have been inspired by trips to Ireland, Haiti, and Peru. So it makes sense that Miller's vintage-inspired wedding gowns are the destination bride's frock of choice. The New York-based designer - with two Philadelphia-area boutiques and a line sold exclusively at J.C. Penney - began designing bridal gowns about a decade ago when clients started to request her runway finale gowns in white. It was no secret for what occasion they were planning to wear them.

Special Events Eat, Sip, Shop Celebrate the holidays with an evening of food, shopping, raffles, wine, fashion shows and more. Dress for Success Philadelphia, 1043 Spring Garden St. $10. 12/1. 5 pm. History in a Heartbeat Learn about the families that lived at the President's House site. Second Bank of the United States/Portrait Gallery, 420 Chestnut St. (Between S. 4th and S. 5th). Santa Is Coming to Franklin Mills. 1455 Franklin Mills Circle. Photo package prices.

This winter's crush on velvet - think sumptuous shrunken blazers, soft leggings, and floor-length gowns - is more than just a cure for the cold. The popularity of the plush pile is a sign that luxury is on the cusp of a comeback. And the ancient fabric's timing couldn't be better. Just like sequins, satin, and fur, nothing says holiday like a velvet dress. This year, however, the smooth-move textile is enjoying a modern twist. "I started seeing people come in October looking for velvet," said Mary K. Dougherty, who this season stocked three styles of velvet Nicole Miller cocktail dresses in her Manayunk and Center City boutiques.

Flanked by models and dressed in a navy-blue suit and green Nicole Miller tie, Mayor Nutter vogued for the cameras Wednesday afternoon and announced the first city-sponsored foray into fashion: The Philadelphia Collection. The 10-day fashion party, which starts Sept. 23 and runs through Oct. 2, features more than 40 free runway presentations, cocktail parties, and trunk shows in boutiques throughout Center City, Germantown, and South Philadelphia. Having already proven his in-the-know status by hosting Sex and the City screenings, Nutter comfortably talked up style, after arriving fashionably late.

The fashion shift at J.C. Penney has been slow, but definitely hasn't gone unnoticed. I started picking up on slight changes two years ago. During my jaunts to the mall, I'd wander into Penneys and undoubtedly I'd walk out with something - a floral dress by Bisou Bisou or a Worthington pencil skirt. I'd randomly mix these pieces into my wardrobe and sure enough someone would comment, "Nice dress. " "Cute top. " Giggling to myself, I'd casually respond, "Girl, I got this from Penneys.

As we creep out of this recession, turn your attention to a new kind of designer. This shrewd businesswoman isn't waiting for Barneys New York to validate her work. Instead, she's opening her own private-label boutique. Not content to farm out work overseas, she manufactures her clothes close to home. And rather than spending money on traditional advertising, she is employing social media and shopping websites. Philadelphia - home to two Fashion Weeks - has its own crop of emerging designers, and they are ungoverned by yesteryear's maxims.

As we creep out of this recession, turn your attention to a new kind of designer. This shrewd businesswoman isn't waiting for Barneys New York to validate her work. Instead, she's opening her own private-label boutique. Not content to farm out work overseas, she manufactures her clothes close to home. And rather than spending money on traditional advertising, she is employing social media and shopping websites. Philadelphia - home to two Fashion Weeks - has its own crop of emerging designers, and they are ungoverned by yesteryear's maxims.

Today's brides continue to turn tradition on its head as weddings carry on their migration from holy grounds to "Holy cow!" Some first-time brides are super-young; others are in their 40s. And more than a few women are - gasp - marrying younger men. A lot younger. So it's no wonder the selection of bridal attire reflects the varied tastes of soon-to-be-marrieds. In addition to the strapless princess options, designers are surprising us with a bevy of irreverent yet sophisticated details: plunging backs, décolletage, shades of champagne, and slinky silhouettes.

Nicole Miller's ready-to-wear collections have been inspired by trips to Ireland, Haiti, and Peru. So it makes sense that Miller's vintage-inspired wedding gowns are the destination bride's frock of choice. The New York-based designer - with two Philadelphia-area boutiques and a line sold exclusively at J.C. Penney - began designing bridal gowns about a decade ago when clients started to request her runway finale gowns in white. It was no secret for what occasion they were planning to wear them.

Imagine having Vogue editor-at-large Andr? Leon Talley compliment your style. Then imagine you're an aspiring designer at the University of the Arts. Sort of like sitting on top of the world, eh? Well, that's how five University of the Arts students felt Thursday at the Four Seasons in Center City when Talley, the gregarious friend of Oprah, Oscar and Obama, picked them out of a standing-room-only crowd to praise their personal style. "Fashion may not be the most important thing in life, but it definitely helps you get through it," he said.

As slaves to style saunter around in simpler silhouettes, designers are turning to the foundation of their craft to personalize runway ensembles: Fabric. These days, high-quality corduroys, cashmeres, cottons and furs are key to clothing, much as in the days before the '90s synthetic rage ruled the runways. As feminine looks remain popular, expect Philadelphia favorites Ralph Rucci and Nicole Miller to present collections centered on lush textiles as this week's Fall 2005 fashion shows continue under the Bryant Park tents.