NEW YORK >> New York Fashion Week kicked off today as New Yorkers braved the first snow storm of the season.

Fashion watchers braved snow banks and slush as they turned out at the more than a dozen shows that began the eight-day event featuring designer’s collections for fall and winter.

Among the highlights:

TADASHI SHOJI EMBRACES LOVE, ’70s YOUTH STYLE

Shoji wasn’t sweating today’s opening day blizzard ahead of his 1960s and early ’70s collection of sensuous velvets and brocades inspired by youth culture.

He lives in Los Angeles, but his team was ready for snowmeggedon. Besides, the Japanese designer said in an interview backstage, all the swirling, white, wet stuff was “pretty, and traffic was so quiet. It’s good.”

Most of his front row guests abandoned the usual high heels for sensible snow boots, ski caps, fur and parkas a plenty.

On the runway, Shoji worked in vibrant forest green, rose reds and splashes of purple. Floor length gowns with keyhole necklines had long bell sleeves, lace insets and velvet ribbon detail.

The message, Shoji said, was simple: love, liberation, unity.

—Leanne Italie, Associated Press

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DESIGUAL GOES BOLD

Desigual presented a collection for bold women who do not shy away from vivid prints and colors today, the first day of New York Fashion Week.

Inspired by the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, the Spanish brand put out a fall-winter line that included military jackets, pants and dresses with animal prints, checkerboards, lots of buttons, transparent skirts and wide belts.

The collection evoked a punk, underground philosophy, said Daniel Perez, the brand’s communications director.

“These were subcultures that would question gender issues and where women would play a relevant role,” he said in a backstage interview. “For example, the collection evokes the attitude of the female cartoonist group behind Wimmen’s Comix. They wanted to write from their feminine perspective because, until then, that was an underworld with a very masculine vision.”

—Claudia Torrens, Associated Press