With Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week less than one week away, preparations are in full swing. Show producers, sponsors, designers, members of the press, models and fashion followers from around the world will convene in New York City as the Fall 2009 Collections are presented. This season’s line up includes a number of established favorites alongside emerging designers, who come together to let the fashion world know what they are up to.

“I believe Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will bring some positive energy and activity to the industry,” said Senior Vice President of IMG Fashion, Fern Mallis. “It’s the creativity that we now need to celebrate more than ever. Our schedule is full and despite the constant focus of the economy, we will be back to business…almost as usual.”

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicks off with the 7th edition of The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection 2009 and is followed by  Yigal Azrou?l, this season’s Mercedes-Benz Presents designer, Duckie Brown, Charlotte Ronson, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Nicole Miller, THISDAY/Arise Magazine: African Fashion Collective 2009, Academy of Art University, Venexiana, Lacoste, Georges Chakra, Andy & Debb, ADAM, Barbie™ Runway Show, Verrier, Monarchy Collection, Lela Rose, Mara Hoffman, Nicholas K, Sergio Davila, Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Thuy, Diane Von Furstenberg, Akiko Ogawa., Erin Fetherston, Miss Sixty, E.Y. Wada, Farah Angsana, Carolina Herrera, Carlos Miele, Tracy Reese, Tony Cohen, Terexov, William Rast, Cynthia Steffe, Badgley Mischka, Matthew Williamson, Pamella Roland, Diesel Black Gold, Dennis Basso, CHOCHENG, MAX AZRIA, Tibi, Domenico Vacca, Narciso Rodriguez, J. Mendel, Nanette Lepore, Michael Kors, Richard Chai, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Milly by Michelle Smith, Anna Sui, Mackage, Tommy Hilfiger, Brian Reyes, Rebecca Taylor, Ports 1961, Christian Siriano, Custo Barcelona, Zac Posen, Project Runway, Tadashi Shoji and Chado Ralph Rucci. Walter, DKNY, Calvin Klein Men’s Collection, Y-3, Jill Stuart, Donna Karan New York, Yeohlee, Z Zegna, 1909 Victorinox, Calvin Klein Women’s Collection, Leifsdottir and Ralph Lauren are associate members on the official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week calendar with shows off site. Further details and announcements on this event will follow.

The iconic Bryant Park Tents offer three venues this season: the Promenade, the Salon and the Tent. Over the course of 8 days, approximately 100,000 people will pass through the Tents to attend shows, meet and greet, do interviews and see the business of fashion continue from morning to night.

Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is joined by DHL, American Express, M?A?C Cosmetics, Judith Ripka, YKK, W Hotels Worldwide, Havaianas, TRESemmé, Barbie®, The Heart Truth Campaign, VIACTIV®, Peroni, Chambord and Martini Gold Mixers as well as the following media outlets The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily and Getty Images. Each of these sponsors will be providing hospitality, services and amenities to make the hectic week of shows as effortless and pleasurable as possible for all attendees.

In just a few weeks, fashion industry professionals from around the world will convene in the iconic Bryant Park Tents to see the Fall 2009 Collections. Creative new talent will take to the runways at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to showcase fashion’s most inspiring new looks. With a renewed interest in America’s designers, thanks to America’s new First Lady Michelle Obama, all eyes will be watching and reading about the shows. This season will show us how one of the world’s most creative industries and its newest crop of young talent, alongside the more seasoned ones, use the runway to express how to cope in these tough economic times.

The  talented newcomers and first-timers at the tents will be on a schedule that also includes Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenberg, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Zac Posen, Max Azria, Carolina Herrera,  Dennis Basso, Badgley Mischka, Tracy Reese and Tommy Hilfiger among many others, and also includes designers and collections from Brazil, China, Nigeria, Korea, Japan, Russia,  Israel, Spain, France, Italy and Australia?all of whom choose New York City as the place to present their work to the fashion world.

“We are  thrilled to bring together some of the best designers both domestic and foreign,” said Fern Mallis, Senior Vice President of IMG Fashion. „We are anxious to see what they will do, what their inspirations have been, and how they would like their customers to dress in this new age of awareness, and values in all aspects of life.  Creative people – the designers, as well as the editors, buyers, art directors, photographers, celebrities and media stars are the ones who will carry us all forward and will make Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week the place to experience, see, photograph, videotape, blog, twitter and tell the world what’s going on.”

This season designers debuting collections in the Tents for the very first time includes THISDAY/Arise Magazine, Georges Chakra, Adam, Barbie’s®, Monarchy Collection, Nicholas K, E.Y. Wada, Farah Angsana, William Rast, Chocheng, Domencio Vacca, Mackage and Christian Siriano. Some of their inspirations are:

THISDAY/Arise Magazine producers of the largest newspapers in Africa, launches ARISE Magazine, a Lifestyle and Fashion Magazine which will celebrate the best out of Africa, from fashion to business. ARISE Magazine will be producing a spectacular fashion show, presenting some of the best African fashion fesigners.

Lebanese native, Georges Chakra will bring his imaginative line reminiscent of the beautiful allure of the woman‚s personality and silhouette to the runway. His mission is to provide innovative and creative collections for self-confident women.

Cornell Grad Adam Lippes, who began his career at Ralph Lauren,  has an  uncanny ability to combine sophistication with simplicity. This season, he continues to pursue his desire “to fuse fashion with the perfect white tee.”

In celebration of Barbie’s® unparalleled fashion heritage, this season 50 world-renowned fashion designers will come together for the first time ever and showcase real-size, Barbie®-inspired looks. In this monumental fashion celebration – that only Barbie® could host ˆ designers will celebrate the past, present and future of fashion, as inspired by Barbie® doll, first launched in 1959 as the “Teenage Fashion Model.”  (To be webcast live on Barbie.com on February 14, 2009)

Eric Kim”s Monarchy Collection broadens its spectrum in combining an edgy fashionable look with his heritage of a cool California style. Having made his mark on the West Coast with hard work and talent, Kim  is bringing it cross country to the streets of the East Coast.

Nicholas K is a brother & sister duo, Nicholas and Christopher Kunz. Winners in 2007 of the Sportswear International Award for Best Fashion, this family team brings a much anticipated presence to Bryant Park.

E.Y. Wada, the line from the New York based couple Eunyoung Song and Shuji Wade will bring its artistic ready to wear style to the  Tents.  Having honed their skills at reputable design houses, Song at DKNY and Wade at Marc Jacobs and Zac Posen, their distinctive  looks can be summed up by “We don’t look at art or movies, we look at people on the street.”

Indonesian born Farah Angsana, blends fantasy and reality to make women beautiful and glamorous  and designs haute couture and high-end eveningwear.

William Rast, a Los Angeles based clothing company founded by Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala is best known for its premium jeans. For the first time William Rast will bring the combination of his authentic southern heritage and contemporary Hollywood to the Tents.

CHOCHENG a New York City’s Parsons School of Design alum  and  Golden Thimble Award  winner has been cited “the new master of red carpet glamour”.  He inherited his love of fashion from his grandmother Betty Charnuis Yan.  Domenico Vacca, a celebrity favorite, on the red carpet for several years will bring his classic elegance and keen eye  for detail to the tents this season for the first time.

Mackage, launched by longtime friends Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan design, one of the most prestigious outerwear brands in North America. Their unique style is reflected in their philosophy, “when the weather calls for layering, a coat isn’t just a part of an outfit-it becomes the outfit itself.”

Christian Siriano, the  ”fiercest” and  youngest  winner ever of Season Four’s Project Runway will bring his energetic personality  and clothes to the catwalks of Bryant Park. Since winning Project Runway, he has designed for PUMA, Payless and  had his first collection  on Bluefly.com.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicks off with the 7th edition of The Heart Truth‚s Red Dress Collection 2009 and is followed by  Yigal Azrou?l, this season’s Mercedes-Benz Presents designer, Duckie Brown, Charlotte Ronson, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Nicole Miller, THISDAY/Arise Magazine: African Fashion Collective 2009, Academy of Art University, Venexiana, Lacoste, Georges Chakra, Andy & Debb, ADAM, Barbie? Runway Show, Verrier, Monarchy, Lela Rose, Mara Hoffman, Nicholas K, Sergio Davila, Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Thuy, Diane Von Furstenberg, Akiko Ogawa., Erin Fetherston, Miss Sixty, E.Y. Wada, Farah Angsana, Carolina Herrera, Carlos Miele, Tracy Reese, Tony Cohen, Terexov, William Rast, Cynthia Steffe, Badgley Mischka, Matthew Williamson, Pamella Roland, Diesel Black Gold, Dennis Basso, CHOCHENG, MAX AZRIA, Tibi, Domenico Vacca, J. Mendel, Nanette Lepore, Michael Kors, Richard Chai, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Milly by Michelle Smith, Anna Sui, Mackage, Tommy Hilfiger, Brian Reyes, Rebecca Taylor, Ports 1961, Christian Siriano, Custo Barcelona, Zac Posen, Project Runway, Tadashi Shoji and Chado Ralph Rucci. Walter, DKNY, Calvin Klein Men‚s Collection, Y-3, Jill Stuart, Donna Karan New York, Yeohlee, Z Zegna, 1909 Victorinox, Calvin Klein Women’s Collection, Leifsdottir and Ralph Lauren are associate members on the official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week calendar with shows off-site. Further details and announcements on this event will follow.

The iconic Bryant Park Tents offer three venues this season: the Promenade, the Salon and the Tent. Over the course of 8 days, approximately 100,000 people will pass through the Tents to attend shows, meet and greet, do interviews, and see the business of fashion continue to be done from morning to night.

Title sponsor Mercedes-Benz is joined by DHL, American Express, M?A?C Cosmetics, Judith Ripka, YKK, W Hotels Worldwide, Havaianas, TRESemmé, Barbie®, The Heart Truth Campaign, VIACTIV®, Peroni, Chambord and Martini Gold Mixers as well as the following media outlets The New York Times, Women‚s Wear Daily and Getty Images. Each of these sponsors will be providing hospitality, services and amenities to make the hectic week of shows as effortless and pleasurable as possible for all attendees.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2009 Collections will be held February 13-20, 2009.