I was very much looking forward to kicking off my Friday night in fashion at the sleek invite-only party for Issac Mizrahi in honor of his first collection for Liz Claiborne.

So were my two friends L and M. L loves fashion and fantasizes about quitting law school to be a stylist. For the soiree she had styled the adorable M in a pewter mini-dress with studded shoulders and nude patterned tights.

Models were stationed throughout the Ivy Room sporting looks from the collection. The garments were temperate, but retained a certain crispness and quality. The wide-leg trouser suits, gray print dresses and full skirts, demurely hitting below the knee, were certainly appealing. A checker-print gray trench was immaculate and the pink party dresses were perfectly on trend. Same old Liz, I thought, only slightly more playful.

Midway through the evening Mizrahi and CS’s Graham Kostic took to the stage for a light interview. Afterwards, Mizrahi posed for photos and mingled with guests, including my two friends.

Excited to meet the iconic Mizrahi, L boldly started the conversation by asking, “Should I quit law-school to be a stylist?” She demonstrated her prowess with a sweeping gesture towards M, explaining that she had orchestrated her friend’s look.

Mizrahi’s response was a polite and PC, “If fashion makes you less bored than law, you should do it.”

L persisted, rephrasing her question, “No, really, what do you think of the look I styled?”

Pushed, he replied with a feeble, “It’s nice.”

Strangely enough, that’s about how I’d sum up his Liz Claiborne line. (Kari Skaflen)

Isaac Mizrahi’s line for Liz Claiborne is available at Macy’s and, in the suburbs, at Carson’s.