Fashion's Night Out

Fashion's Night Out: Naomi and Gisele battle it out on the catwalk (but all eyes are on a pair of Gossip Girls)

It's one of the most highly anticipated fashion moments of the season and with a who's who of the industry turning out for the event, Fashion's Night Out did not fail to disappoint.

But while supers Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bundchen battled it out on the catwalk, all eyes were planted elsewhere - on the glamorous front row as Gossip Girls Leighton Meester and Blake Lively stole the show.

Leighton, 24, wore a cutaway Versus by Versace dress paired with Christian Louboutin shoe-boots. The bold sartorial choice failed to pay off however as she looked out of place next to the more elegant outfits on display.

 Actress Leighton Meester attends Fashion's Night Out: The Show at Lincoln Center



 Actress Blake Lively

Leightom Meester's sartorial statement failed to pay off as electric blue Versace dress lost out to Blake Lively's sunny Marchesa creation at Vogue's Fashion Night Out in New York last night


Unfortunately for Leighton, it was co-star Blake (on-screen frenemy Serena Van der Woodsen) who got the doyenne of U.S Vogue Anna Wintour's approval - and when it comes to fashion - that's the only vote that counts.

Blake looked stunning in a tribal print yellow print minidress with full skirt by Marchesa teamed with Christian Louboutin platforms at the event, which kick starts New York fashion week.

To cement her A-list style status, Blake was strategically placed between Wintour and the editor's other pet favourite - tennis champion Roger Federer - the hottest seat in the house.


Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell demonstrates her fiercest walk on the runway at the Lincoln Centre


Gisele Bundchen


Gisele Bundchen

It's hard to believe stunning model Gisele Bundchen gave birth less than a year ago

Meanwhile, Naomi and Gisele put their best foot forward modelling some of the autumn/winter's hottest trends last night.

Sporting flamboyant dresses and elegant evening gowns, the pair showed off their fiercest walks at the champagne-fueled evening, created by Wintour last year in a bid to lift morale during the recession.

Gisele, 30, looked stunning as she showed off her toned legs - despite having given birth to a baby boy less than a year ago.

Models Naomi Campbell, Alessandra Ambrosio, Karlie Kloss, Chanel Iman, Sasha Pivovarova, Caroline Trentini, Jourdan Dunn, Lara Stone, Lily Donaldson, Coco Rocha, Karolina Kurkova, Adriana Lima, Gisele Bundchen and Angela Lindvall

Naomi, Alessandra Ambrosio, Karlie Kloss, Chanel Iman, Sasha Pivovarova, Caroline Trentini, Jourdan Dunn, Lara Stone, Lily Donaldson, Coco Rocha, Karolina Kurkova, Adriana Lima, Gisele and Angela Lindvall

The world's biggest names in fashion, 150 models, including Naomi, Gisele and Adriana Lima strutted their stuff with tickets costing from $10 to $10,000.

Earlier in the day Leighton tweeted:'I’m so excited!!! Can’t wait for #NYFW. It's a beautiful day for a fashion show!'

But she may have been disappointed not to get the coveted front row seat next.


Leighton sat alone while Blake had the company of fashion's First Lady event organiser
Anna Wintour



Models Alessandra Ambrosio and Gisele Bundchen walk the runway during Fashion's Night Out: The Show at Lincoln Center

Gisele was the first on the complicated in-the-round runway

Blake has won plaudits for her fresh style, and her flowing blonde locks are said to be the most copied in salons, taking over from Jennifer Aniston’s trademark glossy look.

She has said: 'It’s crazy,' says Blake.

'It’s very flattering, it’s weird knowing that because here I was when I was a kid wanting my hair to look like Jennifer Aniston so it’s really weird.

'I had layers and a straight-ish look when I was younger but I was too young to really copy it too much. I’m stunned girls now want to copy me.'

Singer Pharrell


Models

Singer Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes entertained the crowd, left, while the stunning fashion kicked off fashion week nicely



Blake, and Leighton were among a celebrity audience which included Julianne Moore and Serena Williams, along with designers Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schoulder, Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa, and Carolina Herrera.

The Neptunes producer and singer Pharrell Williams serenaded the models, and music used in the show included a mash-up of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York and Alicia Keys' Empire State of Mind (Part II).

But some of the audience, many of whom paid to attend, never saw the supermodels up close.


 Serena Williams


Julianne Moore

Hellcats Ashley Tisdale, The City's Olivia Palermo and fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg

They took off on a bus as part of the finale with Angela Lindvall, Karolina Kurkova, Coco Rocha, Adriana Lima and others without making the full loop.

Even Diane von Furstenberg had to stand from her front-row seat to get a close-up view of them.

Still, there were plenty of models to go around.

Models walk the runway during

The in-the-round runway was constructed outdoors around the fountain

The show was divided into trends deemed by Vogue editors to be the must-haves for the fall. Missy Raider wore a '50s-inspired look — complete with beehive hair — while Alek Wek endured a fur hat on the warm, humid evening to show off Go Global style.

For a recap of the star-studded fashion show, tune in next Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 10p.m., 9p.m. for a prime time special right here on CBS.

Lisa Snowdon


Lisa Snowdon

Lisa Snowdon launches Vogue London's Fashion Night Out, which starts tonight