NEW YORK, Sep 5, 2012/ — Officially, New York Fashion Week does not start until tomorrow. Unofficially, it starts today and the Degen presentation is my first show of the season. Collaborating with Converse shoes, which meant that all the models wore Converse and the shoes were properly paired with an outfit, the Degen Spring /Summer 2013 collection had a bit of whimsy, a bit of sporty, and there was a big splash of retro. Reminiscent of Walter Van Beirendonck of the famed Belgian Five, the knits were more artistic than wearable. And this is a breath of fresh air