Happy days are here again!? And other runway news.

Well, from the sound of it, things are looking up: The recession's over, say the experts! Sales are up at Saks and Nordstrom, and expected to be even better for Christmas!

The good cheer was evident at last month's Paris shows, where the colors were bright, the skirts flirty, and we were blown away by this highly unusual trend: the fashion world's famously scowling runway models were smiling — let me repeat that, SMILING! — at, from left, Chanel, Sonia Rykiel, and Stella McCartney.

Of the latter's upbeat show, WWD wrote about Natalia Vodianova's smile,

"it telegraphed Stella McCartney’s optimistic spring message as obviously as Trey Speegle’s huge paint-by-numbers mural of the Arc de Triomphe emblazoned with a giant YES."

Oh, we did spot a few clothing trends, too, including white-on-white outfits; bra tops (an improvement over no bras, we suppose); bloomers; and Rodarte-style wrapping, to name a few. The full round-up from New York, London, Milan, and Paris will be available later this month in our Ready-to-Wear Report — now printed on recycled paper, or even eco-friendlier as a PDF!

Photos via WWD

Wool and the Gang (Paris)

For designers and retailers, the inherent problem with the do-it-yourself trend is, what do you sell? Well, Paris-based Wool and the Gang has come up with an ingenious solution: these ultramodern knit-it-yourself kits, which come with needles, instructions, and luscious Peruvian wool yarns to be made into scarves, hats, or legwarmers in the season's hottest colors: for this fall, that's gray, teal, and purple, if you were wondering. For summer, there are vests, tanks, and boho shoulder bags in Pima cotton. Each kit also comes with a pair of pun-tastic patches so customers can customize their hand-knit pieces — and advertise for Wool and the Gang, of course — in '80s high style.

Tillmann Lauterbach (Paris)

Born in Germany, raised in Spain, schooled in Switzerland, the former bank trainee-cum-model Tillmann Lauterbach is another of the multifaceted, international generation of young designers coming out of the legendary ESMOD in Paris. Draped loosely around the body, his women's collection brings to mind a sportier Rick Owens, with more color and less leather, while his boxy menswear harks to Raf Simons gone grunge. With their asymmetry, colorblocking, and surprising fabric mixes, Lauterbach's clothes make imperfection an art. 

Rad Hourani (Paris)

Think Iceberg meets Akris with a touch of Gareth Pugh, and you'll have a picture of Jordan-born designer Rad Hourani's Fall 2008 collection. With its head-to-toe monochrome looks in a dramatic black-and-red palette, its severe construction, high hemlines, lavish use of leather, and tough future-Kabuki attitude, his androgynous women's line places the doe-eyed 25-year-old among the vanguard of current designers. Flitting constantly back and forth between Europe and North America, Hourani declares, "Paris inspires me with its art and New York gives me the drive." Make it so.

Dice Kayek (Paris)

With a surfeit of confidence, designer Ece Ege celebrated her 1994 graduation from ESMOD by immediately launching her own line, Dice Kayek. Her boldness shows equally in her clothes, sharply constructed evening pieces in a largely black-and-white palate that evoke past, present and future in their vintage references and streamlined construction. Designed for a strong woman, the pieces fuse feminine silks and embroideries with severe tailoring and structure.

Burfitt (Paris)

Swedish-born fashion illustrator Lovisa Burfitt was in a Paris nightclub, wearing a shirt from her defunct Stockholm-based line, when a buyer demanded to know where she, too, could pick up the illustrated tee. From there, Burfitt grew into a cult-fave line of illustrated tees and formalwear, its dark mood and almost-awkward silhouettes screaming Scandinavian, yet with a showy quality that fits perfectly into the current cabaret/circus craze. For the current collection, Burfitt started with a Victorian inspiration, featuring murky colors, corsets, and dark-washed denim.

Via WWD.com

Es Orchestres (Paris)

With its tuxedo-inspired pieces complemented by draped silk skirts and cocktail dresses, Sadaharu Hoshino's Spring 2008 collection looks like a downtown version of a gala party. Slim cutaway jackets and vests give an Edwardian feel to the menswear-inspired pieces, while silk bubble skirts add flashes of jewel-tone color. A graduate of Japan's prestigious Bunka Fashion College, Hoshino studied under Alexander McQueen and studied at Institut Francais de la Mode before launching a guerrilla collection in 2003.

Kris van Assche (Paris)

Already renowned for his tailored menswear, Hedi Slimane protegé van Assche was named to replace his mentor at Dior Homme. In his spare time, he's also launched a womenswear line, now in its third season of loose, comfortable separates, which for Spring 2008 come in black and white paired with searingly bright red and yellow. The simplicity of his white peasant skirts, crisp blouses, drop-waist T-shirt dresses belie the exacting attention to detail.

Requiem (Paris)

Designers Raffaele Borriello and Julien Desselle blend space-age materials with couture techniques for their vintage-meets-future womenswear line, Requiem, which presented quietly for three seasons before launching its first Paris runway show for SS08. With their soft draping alternating with precision pleating techniques, the collection's day-into-evening looks have provoked a frenzy of rave reviews.

American Vintage (Paris)

Refined, feminine basics are the mainstay of Michael Azoulay's three-year-old womenswear line, inspired by the designer's travels to the US and other exotic realms. American Vintage produces ultra-simple, casual woven and knit pieces in natural fibers -- oversized tees, long boyish shorts, button-down jersey dresses in soft colors seem to be mainstays of their customer's suitcase-ready wardrobe.

Maje (Paris)

Started by designer Judith Milgrom, this 10-year-old line has already spread its reach from France to Spain, China, and the United States, and from womenswear into coordinating girls' clothes, and will launch an accessories line for F/W 2008. Beloved of French actresses, with Brigitte Bardot as the label's muse, Maje makes feminine garments that are easy, chic, and very French, in natural fabrics with eyelet and ruffle details.