Lil' Kim (far left) applauds Alex Wek at Friday's Chris Aire fashion show

Incurring what we hope will be far less fatigue and impractical shoe-related agony than what's in store for our more sartorially- focused brethren, we'll be covering the media maelstrom stirred up in NYC this Fashion Week. This means posts straight from the Spring 2007 runways and related events, all with our patented Fishbowl focus on the media folks who fan the flames.

Though this year marked his debut show the Bryant Park tents (in place of the over-the-top events he staged for the past two years at the New York Public Library and Gotham Hall), jewelry designer Chris Aire didn't disappoint by delivering a straight-up runway show. His 10pm event (which did hew to the Bryant Park tradition of beginning an hour late), was more mini-concert than clothing directive: Before a single catwalker set foot on the runway, Cee-Lo (half of Gnarls Barkley) took the stage to perform summer staple, "Crazy." Then, the show, whose marquee-name models included Aire regular Tyson Beckford, as well a strongly-applauded runway return from Alek Wek). Capping off the festivities was a repeat performance by Mos Def, who also performed for Aire last year, — only this time he capped the show with a mournful rap about post-hurricane New Orleans.

Aire's front row included Lil' Kim (post-prison and lil' once more), Power 105's DJ Clue (below, right) — who barely looked up from his Sidekick, despite the procession of models decked out in little more than Aire's explosively blingy jewelry — and a slew of athletes you're more than welcome to ID for us. (Yes, it's a dodge, but it's called "Fashion Week" people, not "know stuff about sports week." While that may ring as something of a departure, the convergence of Fashion Week and the vacation taken by this blog's main editor means you're in for more where that came from. But hold tight, sports fans -- we'll sweep up our gossipy reporting ribbons, shelve the shoe references and have the champagne empties shoved under the sofa by the time he returns.)