I know I've been posting old stuff lately, but this is too good to overlook. Throbbing techno and gothic minimalism set the stage for Nicola Formichetta's fall showing for Thierry Mugler. The clothing was relatively simple, but the atmosphere made it spectacular. The striking paradox of ornate (pillared runway, ostentatious poses) and simplicistic (sleek ponytails, austere ensembles) meshed seamlessly with Mugler's darkly modern aesthetic. The random appearance of Lady Gaga, surrounded by a halo of red light as she took a drag on her cigarette, was surprising (yet strangely symbolic). So, too, was her ability to strut in ten-inch heels on a slippery surface where even professionals seemed shaky (although I suppose she has a lot of practice from those Alexander McQueen shoes).

Gaga certainly stood out amongst Formichetti's elegant, shadowy wraiths, who glided down the catwalk with willowy arms beckoning amidst arching wood columns. These were no Christian-Dior-clad princesses or buxom Louis Vuitton housewives. Mugler's authoritative women walked with purpose (despite a few stumbles). Yet Formichetti didn't equate power with masculinity. These women owned their sexuality, flaunting pushed-up cleavage in low cut necklines and tight mesh shirts. No other collection so perfectly epitomized the modern-day urban woman - confident, street-savvy, and unapologetic in her femininity. A certain blonde, sailor-mouthed singer would wholeheartedly approve.