At Fashion Week, it’s celebrities and the ’70s

NEW YORK — Fashion Week has gone A-list, in a very big way. Tom Ford’s hush-hush cocktail party was actually the debut of his women’s clothing line, with outfits modeled by none other than Beyoncé and Julianne Moore. Meanwhile, Tommy Hilfiger toasted a quarter century of preppiness Sunday with a party at the Metropolitan Opera House that was extravagant even by Fashion Week standards. Those begging the door staff to let them in missed the opportunity to air kiss “Mad Men’’ actress Christina Hendricks and “Sex and the City’’ actor Jason Lewis. Across town, Victoria Beckham hosted an intimate presentation of her dress line. Here are a few of the fashionable highlights from the runways.

Thakoon

The young designer Thakoon Panichgul — who has been greatly helped by support from first lady Michelle Obama and a low-key magazine editor named Anna Wintour — confirmed that white is the official color of summer 2011 by showing a series of seemingly simple, pale dresses. But these dresses, pants, and shorts were deceiving. With their sophisticated construction, they were actually modern feats of fashion magic. The second half of his show found the designer playing with gauzy, flowing dresses that looked lighter than champagne.

Max Azria

It was difficult at times to determine if this was a Max Azria show or a Calvin Klein tribute. The clothes were as soothing as the ethereal music. The models virtually glided down the catwalk in (you guessed it) pale frocks in colors of mist, milky peach, and pale mint (already emerging as spring 2011’s big color). One could note that some of these dresses had the appearance of comfortable sleepwear, but Azria added enough interesting details — asymmetrical hemlines and geometric cutouts — to keep the proceedings from growing drowsy.

Rebecca Taylor

Taylor added herself to the ranks of designers drawing from the 1970s for spring 2011 with voile shirts, midi skirts, and faded denim flares. She relied a bit too heavily on a pompom print, but other prints, such as python and cherry dot chiffon, confirmed that Taylor is designing for a young woman who wants to look as if she’s not trying very hard — but secretly she’s obsessing over the smallest details. These are clothes for the modern hippie chick.

Diane von Furstenberg

It was hard to pay attention to the clothes with Anderson Cooper and Sarah Jessica Parker sitting nearby, but the always reliable DVF was able to divert eyes back to the runway with a series of prints used in jumpsuits and silk jersey dresses. The theme of von Furstenberg’s show was the goddess (inspired by Isadora Duncan) and many of her stunners had an Art Deco feel about them, particularly a Grecian wave-print dress and a series of hooded wrap dresses. It was playful, powerful, and injected a nice shot of color into the week’s mostly austere shows.

Derek Lam

Who can turn the world on with her smile? Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? The answer is many of the models walking Derek Lam’s show, attired in Mary Richards-style denim leisure suits. To be fair, these were fun updates on the iconic 1970s look. Lam also showed a series of fresh white dresses and separates that were slightly less indebted to the disco era. His trench coats and skirts — with hemlines falling below the knee — were smart basics, and the unadorned evening dresses would flatter nearly any woman.

Tracy Reese

There was a distinct 1974 California feel to the clothes that Tracy Reese sent down the runway yesterday afternoon: think Lauren Hutton making the rounds at the Malibu party circuit. Crochet ponchos, floppy hats, and flowy maxi dresses rounded out her ode to the 1970s. But Reese also broke out of the decade with smart, modern evening dresses that combined romance with sophistication.

Carolina Herrera

Despite the distraction of Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley sporting shorts (!) in the front row, Herrera’s show was quite refined and proper. Wearing exaggerated hats that would leave the ladies at the Kentucky Derby drooling with envy, Herrera’s collection was literally blooming with flowers on frocks in shades of poppy and geranium. At times, these ensembles said “Ladies who lunch’’ a little too loudly, but they were (mostly) saved by sexy silhouettes.

Y-3

Blue lipstick? Half-shirts on male models? Designer Yohji Yamamoto took the sportswear line in a slightly darker and decidedly sexier direction for spring/summer 2011 by making street clothes rather than athletic clothing. What was missing, however, was Y-3’s usual wearability, which makes these pieces such a hit with jocks who enjoy fashion. Oversized harem pants for women moved clumsily, and there were more than a few snickers in the audience when male models appeared wearing shirts that tie at the navel. There were some fine basics, but not enough to make up for the collection’s shortcomings.