While recession-sensitive designers like Betsey Johnson are bowing out of fashion week, and companies like Obedient Sons & Daughters shuttering completely, a runway show centered around cotton-designed looks resonates as a thrifty solution. At last night's Supima Runway Show at the vaulted Gotham Hall, 21 on-the-up designers showed their pieces in the form of knits, denim and chambray, and superfine shirting. A handful of fashion-savvy judges were on hand, including 30 Rock's Katrina Bowden, and Tim Yap, editor of Sportswear International.

Just in time for Halloween comes a French twist on horror. Fear(s) of the Dark opens this week; it's the collaborative result of six world-renowned artists (think Paris je t’aime but animated and a lot more black), including American artist Charles Burns. He's best known for his massive (and now legendary) graphic novel Black Hole, which took him over 10 years to complete. On a recent trip to New York, I sat down with Burns to talk about his fears, his Philadelphia neighborhood, and the woman who has a heavy hand in his comics.

There was a time in this country when men donned powdered wigs and sweet tights. That trend is returning, but in a 21st-century kind of way. Dudes are starting to dress like chicks -- the progenitors of fashion are encouraging such lifestyle choices. Heads turned this spring when Prada unveiled their Fall 2008 menswear collection in Milan, where they casually featured a short, wavy skirt, paired with knits and trousers. But who would have guessed from that minor move in menswear that similar products would continue popping up, making 2008 the year that men began tastefully embracing their feminine side while not quite yet flirting outright with full-on drag.

One night he was spinning at a club in Florida, and the next he’s meeting Madonna and joining her on tour. So what’s it like to be onstage with the world's most famous woman? I chatted it up with Madonna’s current “Sticky and Sweet” tour DJ, Enferno, as he drops knowledge on his synergy with the “Queen of Pop” that began when he was 13, plus stripper poles and the competitive sport Madge would kick his ass at.

How did you get the gig with Madonna?
The musical director, Kevin Antunes, saw me perform in Orlando at this club called Blue Martini, and apparently it was not too long after he had talked to Madonna, who said, "Hey we want a DJ, but not just a DJ. We want a turntablist, but not just a turntablist, we want somebody that’s cutting edge." That’s basically, from what I understand, what was told to Kevin. So he tracked me down. He wanted me to show a video of what I could do. So you can actually find that video, it’s on my liveremixproject site, and it’s called "Live Remix Project: The Setup," and all I’m doing is I’m explaining what it is that I’m doing, and that’s the video that was sent to her. Not too long after that, I got a phone call saying, "Hey man, you got the gig." It was an amazing moment.

On a recent press junket to New York, I caught up with the Raleigh-based band Annuals as they perused a downtown record store. In desperate need of new music for their playlists before they embark on a national tour with Minus the Bear (one day after their sophomore album, Such Fun, hits shelves October 7), the band revealed some of their favorites, their inspirations, and even followed a staff recommendation or two.

Since their first album quietly dropped in 2006, the Cold War Kids have been steadily popping up on hipsters’ playlist, mainly with their hit anthem “Hang Me Up to Dry.” They’ve played mainstage at the Glastonbury Festival and have been heard on shows like Entourage and Gossip Girl. Their second LP, Loyalty to Loyalty drops on September 23, when they’ll embark on an extensive tour across the US. The band’s lead singer, Nathan Willett took some time to talk about their popularity in the UK, the digital music age, and the philosopher that galvanized their new album.