Two women are talking after seeing Zac Posen's spring 2003 collection in New York City. "Did you love the show?"
"I did. Did you think it was amazing?"
"I did. Did you get chills?"
"I did."
Fashion insiders are not famous for their critical rigor, but even in this industry, people haven't seen the kind of hyper hype that surrounds the 21-year-old Posen in a long time.
Posen has put together three seasons' worth of feminine, flirty, busily constructed clothes. He did this while still living withhis parents and drawing a $15-a-day allowance. And yet all fashion indices point to...