This sign greeted everyone who found the cemetery behind Second Avenue

Last Saturday, the sun peeked out in Manhattan and it seemed that only one “cool” pocket existed in the entire city, Brooklyn included. At the Marble Cemetery in the East Village, artists, writers, and performers like Rene Ricard, Terence Koh, Jonas Mekas, Sabrina Gilbert, John Giorno, and Anne Waldman, to name a few, read original work about the world we live in. Painter Francesco Clemente, photographer Sante D’Orazio, artist Nat Lowman, and designer Cynthia Rowley sat and absorbed the words and energy. It could have been a secret meeting surrounding anger at the Vietnam War, but instead in present day, the speakers decried war, big oil, corporate interests destroying the environment, and Sarah Palin.

Stefan Bondell, who organized the smart event, painted the backdrop of a cement slab that could have been polluted by spilled oil drops. Meanwhile, green grass and surrounding trees embraced us. The weather both cool and sunny prevailed for a beautiful afternoon and the program assured us that intelligent life still exists. (In the video below, writer/painter Rene Ricards reads… sings.)

It’s funny when you compare the aesthetic between Paris and NYC. Now that the Paris shows are in full force this week in the City of Lights, I’ve corresponded with Zac Posen who just showed (to top European reviews) for the first time there.  Zac, in this exclusive video shot in NYC (captured for Hudson above) takes some jibes by Kimora Lee Simmons, acting annoyed that she’s not a sample size. “I’m an eight!” she says, contrary to what appears to be a much more voluptuous frame. But it also calls to mind the difference between the public style consciousness between Paris and NYC.

Here in the States, with the advent of reality celebs like the Kardashians, a fuller frame seems more acceptable whereas in Paris, long and lithe still remains the most coveted. Zac sent word that he took in Galliano’s show and Yohji Yamamoto. He refers to both collections as full of “desire and confidence.” Yohji — the prince of architectural black — dedicated his latest collection to rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Galliano went with longer lengths of silk tulle and empire cuts, recalling the Twenties. He overlapped these with nifty mid-length trench coats, which I’d like to add would be ‘tres chic’ with Hudson jeans. Ooh la la!

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Zac Posen showed his collection for the first time in Paris yesterday

Zac Posen could be considered the quintessential New York artistic boy comes of age. He turns thirty next month and on the 30th of this month, he showed his collection for the first time in Paris, at the Westin, the traditional enclave for Yves St. Laurent. Full of Moulin Rouge sexy glam, he seemed to take a page from Toulouse Lautrec, with so much strut and feathers. Personally, I’d love to pair one of his feather embellished jackets with some skinny Hudson black jeans for the perfect New York Parisian cocktail.

Hudson viewed his ZSpoke show here in NYC from the front row and then, Posen paired with London graphic artist Daisy Devilleneuve. Daisy often collaborates with Top Shop, designing “cartoon hipsters” for their windows as well as tee shirts and tennis shoes. Check out the graphics below on one of the Zspoke looks to get an idea: also a fun color pattern to pair with Hudson bell bottoms come Spring.

Check out an exclusive video shot for Hudson coming on Tuesday where Zac spoofs size with Kimora Lee Simmons. Despite his current continental flare — Zac’s boyfriend is French stylist Christopher Niquet — Zac remains a cheeky bugger… must have been those few years he spent at Central St. Martins!

Fun graphic pattern for Zspoke, Daisy Devilleneuve’s influence: Daisy’s actual drawings below