For the first time in years, there’s genuine excitement about the runway season because of changes at some famous houses. But all the excitement is over there, in Europe. New York is just the waiting room for the main events: potentially fresh visions from new designers at Chanel, Dior, Loewe, and Versace, to mention the source of some of the excitement. And that’s a lousy position for New York designers to be in, especially when you consider the historical influence of American fashion — from sportswear through hip-hop.

What brought this unfortunate pickle to mind was last night’s Ralph Lauren show, held at the company’s Madison Avenue headquarters, a relatively cozy setup with white-canvas-covered yacht seating, a giant urn of white flowers, and a sprinkling of celebrities, including

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