New York Fashion Week gets bigger each season as more organizations feed off the intense media spotlight to showcase their style events before a global audience.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the main attraction, will showcase nearly 100 designer collections for spring and summer 2009 for eight days beginning Friday. It kicks off with a 9 a.m. show by Australian designer Michael Angel at Bryant Park, the hub of activity in midtown Manhattan.

Although the IMG fashion-organized event at the Bryant Park tents will be the focus of attention, numerous unrelated fashion events elsewhere are expected to attract audiences.

STYLE360, presented by LIVEStyle Entertainment and HFM U.S., will showcase six designers and two cutting-edge stores -- Dash and Caravan -- representing the East and West coasts at the Metropolitan Pavilion from Sept. 7-10. Nigel Barker, Russell Simmons, Khloe Kardashian and Taryn Manning are among confirmed celebrity guests.

The 14th annual Gen Art "Fresh Faces in Fashion" show, presented by BlackBerry and T-Mobile, is Thursday at the Manhattan Center. The lineup features emerging womenswear brands JF & Son, Ideeen, Sariah, Lialia, Richard Ruiz and Chree; menswear designers Hyden Yoo and Philip Sparks; and accessories designers Antoinette Lee Designs, Deka Ray, Heutchy and TNC Studio.

Fashion Indie Week Brooklyn is upping the ante of its annual presentation by incorporating 6,000 feet of "runway" space on the Brooklyn Bridge for its "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" show tomorrow, which kicks off the Sept. 3-10 event.

Nolcha Fashion Week presenters will showcase more than 50 emerging American and international designers Sept. 8-12 at the Prince George ballroom in Manhattan. Coca Cola and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce are among sponsors of the event, which includes "Profile NY," a Sept. 11 show featuring new looks by 35 designers from the United Kingdom.

While most designers stage painstakingly organized runway shows at the Bryant Park tents, some opt for showroom appointments or "walk-throughs" that allow leisurely, informal, up-close perusal of collections.

Veterans such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Ralph Lauren and Vera Wang will be showing once again. Alongside them will be presentations by newcomers from the United States and countries such as Brazil, China, Russia, Spain, Israel and Australia.

Some of the new names premiering this season are Mr. Angel, Charlotte Ronson, Vietnam-born Thuy Diep, Peruvian native Sergio Davila and leading Chinese designer Zheng Luo.

The "Project Runway" show, featuring finalists from the popular Bravo network reality-show design competition, will be taped the morning of Sept. 12. Alumni Malan Breton and Zulema Griffin will continue their streaks of Fashion Week presentations since competing on the show, Breton on Sept. 11 at the tents and Griffin at 9 a.m. Thursday online on YouTube (key words Zulema Spring '09).

Also debuting via the Internet is red-carpet fave Marc Bouwer, who launches his "Goddesses by the Pool" spring line at noon Sept. 8 and promises a colorful, retro-futuristic collection inspired by '70s supermodel and sex symbol Verushka.

Donna Karan will celebrate the 20th anniversary of her DKNY brand at a Bryant Park show Sunday.

Several other major players are missing from the roster, among them Kenneth Cole, Oscar de la Renta and Baby Phat. But it's not unusual for designers to announce something at the last minute.

The September shows always mean the debut of new swimwear lines. Rosa Cha is showing new looks for next spring and summer, as well as Gottex, an industry leader in chic and dramatic swimwear and accessories. Exotic locales such as Ibiza, Saint Tropez, Mykonos and Porto Cervo inspired Gottex designer Gideon Oberson.

"For me, design for the beach is no different than dressing for a night out," he said. "My client is able to go from poolside straight to cocktails and dinner by simply adding a breathtaking pareo or skirt to complete her ensemble."

Accessories, in fact, are becoming a bigger part of the fashion week mix. The Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Footwear Manufacturers Association are back for the second consecutive season with their "I Love Italian Shoes" exhibit in the tents the entire week.

Also back for a second season is Elaine Turner of Houston, who will host previews of her handbag and shoe lines at her Manhattan showroom. She said her aesthetic for spring is lighthearted, destination-focused colors, prints and materials ranging from Greco-Roman sandals and raffia-covered wedges to bags that incorporate '70s-inspired prints and patent-trimmed basketweaves.

The accessories sector is booming because of consumer concerns about the economy and the ease of buying a shoe or purse to update a look, she said in an interview with the Post-Gazette.

"Women are looking for a reason to buy," she said. "If you show them something bold, especially if it's priced right and she loves the color and print, it's nothing for her. That's really the beauty of accessories and why everybody is getting into them. It's like a candy store for women. There's not that emotional baggage with it. It's not a real deep process for her."

Yigal Azrouel wants one word to come to mind Friday when he debuts his 30-piece collection of womenswear in neutral, muted, washed-out colors and prints.

"Live."

"I've incorporated new fabrics and new silhouettes," he told the Post-Gazette. "There is more texture and attention to detail, which make the garments more special. My new collection is about the idea of lived-in luxury and aged elegance. These are garments that feel as though they have history and a story."