Elle, Betsey Johnson and Alexis Bledel Kick Off Fashion Week in Its New Home

Stars are filing in to Lincoln Center! We catch up with the fashionistas and designers...

Giddyap! Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is officially up and running, and, well, so is Betsey Johnson for that matter.

We caught up with the fireball of energy designer this morning at Fashion Week's new home in Lincoln Center as she was bouncing from the Elle Fashion Next Runway Show to meet up with those folks over at Project Runway.

Betsey told us that her week so far has been "amazingly great. Very exciting, very Go, team, go! It's really fun to work with your people and make this happen."

As for those iconic—and claustrophobic—tents that have become synonymous with the couture-filled event? Eh, who needs 'em? Johnson says she "loves" Lincoln Center.

"I'm in heaven," the 68-year-old eccentric designer reveals.

Also in the house? Katia Winter losing her Fashion Week virginity.

"It's a new scene for me, and I'm taking it all in," Winter tells us. "I'm looking forward to seeing Vivienne Tam. I met her yesterday, and she's a lovely woman."

The Swedish actress will star in 2011's The Killing Game, along with Kellan Lutz, Nina Dobrev and Samuel L. Jackson.

"It's an action thriller. Samuel L. Jackson and I are running this illegal organization. It's kind of a modern day gladiator game but using humans. [Jackson] was amazing. He's such a cool guy. He's very chill and relaxed."

Perhaps some of those low-key cool vibes rubbed off on Katia, because the Fashion Week newbie chatted in the front row with Alexis Bledel like a pro.

Speaking of the Gilmore Girl, what does she think about her former fast-talking onscreen mom Lauren Graham's hit show Parenthood? We bet she loves it, but the almost 29-year-old kept mum this morning.

Did someone forget to stop by Luke's Diner for their morning cup of joe?

Still, Alexis didn't need to say much because her killer red pumps did the talking for her. Only we know that Elle magazine contributor Annie Ladino styled her, and those aaahmazing shoes? They're Vero Cuoio. Alexis popped those babies off so we could peek at the label. She couldn't pronounce the name, but hey, neither could we.

Steal a glimpse into what's coming down the runway later this week:

Deborah Lloyd, creative director at Kate Spade, spills that tomorrow morning's show will have "lots of color."

"It's the year of color, so absolutely bright and bold, sort of '50s into '60s silhouette. A lot of fun, feminine and flirty. I think the inspiration comes from films. Whether it's a mix of Dirty Dancing, which is a film about the '50s made in the '80s, or it's Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club, it's quite an eclectic mix of decades, but a lot of fun."

Betsey Johnson's designs will make their Lincoln Center debut this Monday.

"I like it. It's got a big range. From navy nautical to powder puffy and pretty and poufy. It's either skintight or very poufy," she dishes.

Bring on that signature cartwheel, Betsey!