Because of this, I've also found the time to discover designers whose shows never made it onto my roster before, starting with the Norwegian designer Elise Overland. The main reason the name caught my attention was because the "O" in Overland had a slash through it (which I have chosen to ignore here due to my own typographical incapabilities).

From what I can tell, Overland has been showing at NYFW for 4-5 seasons now, and while her collections have taken off from the same point -- minidress + leather bomber + edgy layering -- fashion's recent love affair with all things balmain and alex wang have taken her collection to a new high (if at the same time leading her to be a little more derivative than usual -- MUST she have chosen the exact same shade of emerald used to make that iconic balmain mini last season?). The feminine frou-frou of yonder years, which made her collection a unique melding of Manhattan pretty and punk, is now way more mainstream. Which is good for shoppers today looking for the rock-chick look at less-than-balmain prices, I suppose. It's looking like leather skinnies are going to be the fashion investment of the season, and her ones look pretty sick. The jewellery is also pretty nifty -- and don't you always think good jewellery in a show is such a sign of a new designer breakthrough? 

Miss Overland's fashion overtures aren't available at any local retailer here, but Funkylala.com offers a decent selection, including a pleated silk and leather dress that renders the rock vibe accessible for the office.