We're sure many of you are swept up with Fashion Week happenings, but there's a pop-up to consider. Eponymous boutique OAK is hosting the limited edition designs of the hottest names in independent fashion for an event they're calling "Bondage" to celebrate their newest brick and mortar opening on Bond Street. For a few special days you can pick up designs by Vena Cava, Form, LD Tuttle, Complex Geometries, and Unconditional (see left for a complete list) all of which play with the notion of bondage from various conceptual perspectives. What's more, one of your editors has a side project with designer Stephanie Draves we once editorialized called boyfriend, and these designs will be included in the project. OAK is busy photographing the designer offerings this morning so, even if you're not in New York, you can buy them online later in the week. We'll keep you posted, and if you're in New York, be sure to stop by Bond Street for the opening reception. Meanwhile, some just-delivered fall goodies from the store, below. Update: See below for photo leaks of the limited edition items!

We're a little excited for the weekend to be here and thought we'd just get this out of the way. We're going to suggest you take tomorrow off completely. We know, we know--you have to 'work', but hear us out. First of all, if you're anything like us you've been working all summer, writing/reading/dreaming about going away from behind your desk. That, if you ask us, is not okay. Especially with the insanity of fashion week quickly approaching. We're going to need to be well-rested because we're going to have to absorb a lot of information (and champagne) and someone along the line will snap and scream in our faces or do something else completely unladylike and declasse. These are things you need to prepare for. To that end, if in New York, we've got you covered. Today marks the start of a nice little sample sale with brands like Form, Jenny Yuen, Whistle & Flute, and Fremont. The sample sale includes silk jersey dresses that were 600 and now hover around 100 and it's in Nolita of all places (170 Elizabeth Street). So, get up late, go there at noon when it opens, and grab lunch in the neighborhood thereafter. Later on, you know, that whole bicoastal Opening Ceremony Olympics party gets underway. The Friday night party is private (cough, cough, 8808NYC@openingceremony.us) and it goes from 7-10. After that, grab a bottle of wine, a kick ball, and some friends and go to the park. Parks at night are what summer is all about. Especially when you're wearing something you just got at an end-of-season sample sale and it's all in celebration of the Olympics.

Okay folks, we are officially drenched in sweat and feeling rather inhibited by the large quantities of sparkling things we consumed at dinner last night. But from something sweaty and gross comes something beautiful, right? Right. Just like butterflies...

Last night we attended what was marketed by our marketing friend as a 'business meeting' which, to our surprise, meant twenty-five of our friends, a lot of warm rolls, and about a million bottles of Lambrusco (it still gives you red teeth, but it tastes like champagne!). That said between the reps, buyers, designers, writers, and pr folks, everyone just about chugged their wine and laughed nervously about how, um, tired they were. The moral of the story is that everyone is really overworked and kind of cracking up under the heat and pressure and recession. But there was still a good spirit in the air. It might just be the nature of New York and fashion at large, in the end.

Moving on...

Today we watched this because we were reading our network partner, The Coveted, who posted on Grace Jones and it inspired a You Tube adventure in the lady's honor. It will blow your mind so you might want to watch after you read the whole post (anyway, it's at the bottom). By the way, reading The Coveted is what we do when we're tired from the sparkling things--there's something really comforting about her whole 'brand', you should try it out.

On Monday we're headed to Capsule so please stay tuned for that. Capsule is a trade show that happens in New York and Paris and it's known to bring up some of the best contemporary menswear around. Menswear has had a revival in New York and we're really excited to see what everyone has cooked up for the season. We covered the Fall 08 show, you can read about that here (Sorry the pictures are gone. That is one long story). After the second day of Capsule there's an OAK/Julian Red/Orthodox/DFA party and if you're in town you should come. The party really goes until 4am (but a flyer never says that) and there's some floating commas but we're pretty sure that's because the person who made the flyer was at the dinner last night.

Miami swim week has kicked off so we'll get you some photo galleries this weekend and early in the week. In other good news, Frock opened a store in Park Slope and, wanting to write a post that wasn't too NY-centric, we found this kind of cool site and, most importantly, these pants (top left).

Kathy Horn wrote an interesting piece on the Halston situation today. She stirs up some ideas of why that whole thing just isn't working out. Maybe Georgina Chapman will be the next creative director? Good point.

Oh, by the way. Recession much? Photo editorials like this and this are taking over fashion right now.

Well, happy Friday ladies and gents. We've all kinds of swim and trade show things happening next week. Have yourself a wonderful weekend. Until then...

Another week, another round of sample sales and cocktail parties. We have to say, the atmosphere in New York this week feels a bit on the serious side, but there are bound to be moments when a twenty minute break is needed. Hop on the train and check these happenings for a little alone time.

Monday: Maxx New York is having a sample sale today. Get a new summer handbag for up to 60% off. Try to find the quilted hobo, or something like that, because these bags have never been our favorites. That's what sample sales are for though, eh? Sale at 385 Fifth Avenue, runs through Thursday.

Tuesday: The DVF sample sale starts today with current season looks, including those featured in our DVF X Bloggers photo shoot, marked up to 75% off. Part of the Coutorture team hit up the sale this afternoon (press day) and gave us the scoop on what to expect. Apparently the selection is top-notch, and the prices hovering between 75 and 100 dollars. For right-now DVF, we say that's more than worth the money. Sale at 260 Fifth Avenue, runs all week.

Wednesday: There's a King Stampede party tonight at 40 Thompson. If you don't know the brand, don't worry. Expect a bunch of skater gents and ALife types. This is probably the only time you'll see women wearing hoodies with heels other than at the felafel place circa 3am. Flyer, top left.

Thursday:Rebecca Taylor's sample sale ends today (starts Tuesday). Better get girly before it's too late. We hear it's going to be about 50-60% off which will most likely turn even the loveliest fashion rose into a raging sample sale maniac. Sale at 145 West 18th Street. See the collection here.

Friday: If you need something to romp around Manhattan in over the weekend (and we mean one of those weekends where you live in a variation of the same outfit from Friday through Sunday night) then hit up Opening Ceremony's ongoing 'Super Scary Sale' which, by this time, apparently will include Alexander Wang and Jeremy Scott for 30-60% off.

Perhaps your Memorial Day Weekend was totally chilled out and you're ready for some fashion happenings in New York this week. Perhaps you're just hell-bent on cultivating the perfect summer wardrobe. Whatever the case may be, we know of a few things going on that you might not want to miss.

Tuesday: We happen to know that the kids at Ethan James Group are running their sample sale through the week as they are receiving new merchandise daily. That means amazing clothing from the likes of Imitation by Imitation of Christ and Hyden Yoo. We've also been told there is a plethora of size 37 shoes that are driving the not-size 37 clerks crazy. This sample sale is not to miss.

Wednesday: Norma Kamali is sample sale happy with items marked down to between $10-$100 dollars. Picked up clothing marked-down from all of Kamali's collections, including the Everlast and Spiegel lines.

Thursday: The News is having a sample sale today. Set a day-date and bring your urban dandy to score Spring clothing from Cheap Monday's (how cheap can they be?) and Band of Outsiders. It's one of the only ways to see your new gent in his underwear by mid-afternoon.

Friday: Treat yourself to something special today. Check out the Yves Saint Laurent Fall 08 collection with model presentation from 1-4pm. It will get you uptown in time to watch the movie and will keep your fashion sensibilities nice and conservative for the weekend. Long live the smoking jacket, YSL's Fall 08 blew us out of the water.