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Christian Siriano fans know from his "Project Runway" days that he has a flair for the dramatic, but what's winning him praise with the sometimes tough-to-please crowd at New York Fashion Week is his sense of his customer. He successfully juggled the two on Thursday. First out on the runway was a buttery caramel-colored safari jacket with slim-fit white trousers -- an appropriately luxe, chic outfit for women of many ages and many climates -- while the finale gown was a bright-red, one-shoulder tulle gown that looked like a walking bed of roses. Every look was paired with crazy platform shoes with cone-shaped heels that will be offered by the mass-market Payless. Leather looks, especially a cognac wing-sleeve jacket and thick belt worn over a strapless organza pleated gown, were a highlight, and so were his modern treatments of metallic tweed, giraffe-print taffeta and snakelike embossing. A red-print cocktail dress with draped sleeves was a pretty, refreshing alternative to the usual little black dress. Asymmetrical flounces -- reminiscent of a pageant sash -- were less contemporary, though. Jessica Simpson took her seat as guest judge at Thursday's "Project Runway" show at New York Fashion Week in a super-short, sparkly silver minidress, but she had nothing on the models, who wore an extraordinary number of hot pants. Ten aspiring designers showed their collections to Simpson, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, although several knew they already didn't make the cut and won't be the Season 8 winner.