New York Fashion Week starts this Friday and all of the fashion world, NYC, and yours truly are atwitter with what designers are going to debut. Will the clean, tailored looks shown last fall influence this season’s collections, and will the colour palette have evolved from the muted whites, greys and blues that dominated the Spring ’08 lines? Only time will tell, but here are a few names to look out for:

Zac Posen , Although he’s showing toward the end of the week, Zac Posen is high up on my list. His dresses have graced the frames of many of Hollywood’s most stylish actresses (the peach gown Gwyneth Paltrow wore still takes my breath away), so it’s impossible to NOT be excited about his new collection.

Phillip Lim , One of the only designers to make supremely high-end clothing for less than the supremely high-end prices, the 3.1 label is always exciting to see even if you aren’t constrained by your budget. His last collection was almost exclusively white, so keep an eye out to see what palette he favours this go-around.

Peter Som , His Spring 2008 line sported a creamy palette and subtle Renaissance detailing that made for delicate pieces suitable for day and night. What period will influence him next? The only thing NOT to look forward to is the 9am show start …

Monique Lhuillier , If you love dresses, you have to love Monique Lhullier. Her collections are always effortlessly elegant, and somehow timeless yet trendy.

Naeem Khan , His last collection was unspeakably glamorous. Look to see what he favours this time around for the fanciest of fancy events you may have cause (and privilege!) to attend.

Ultimately, it’s exciting to see what all of the designers have been putting together since we last saw them in the fall. Whether they dazzle us, set a new trend or even play it safe, half of the fun is in the anticipation of what they are going to do next!

[Image:Flickr]