The weekend-long Simon Fashion Now event at The Galleria kicked off with a VIP cocktail party and runway show Thursday night. The ice rink was transformed into a luxurious fashionista-friendly zone that could give Lincoln Center a run for its money.

But unlike the New York shows, Simon Fashion Now showcases styles from the current season, with every look from the runway immediately found at stores in the mall.

Saks Fifth Avenue started the show with a bang, presenting several spring men’s and women’s looks unified by the theme “walk on the wild side.”

Next up was Kate Spade, who has clearly placed an emphasis on bright colors and bold prints for spring/summer. The crisp tailoring and versatility made the presentation one of the evening's highlights. I was particularly fond of how relevant the looks are for Houston: Casual enough to be comfortable in the exceedingly hot summer months while still chic enough for a night out.

The Houston outpost of Italian fashion house Missoni was up next, followed by one of my favorites. Billy Reid. I particularly enjoyed the boldness of some of the pieces in the twisted-classic collection, such as a madras patchwork cotton blazer. In the colder months, it’s easy for guys to create a unique look with layering. But as we all know, that’s impossible during Houston summers, and so a few bold pieces are necessary in order to stand out from the crowd.

Fashions from Jimmy Choo, Wolford, Carolina Herrera, Max Mara and Salvatore Ferragamo were also on view. The runway show ended with a slightly lengthier presentation by Neiman Marcus. Gowns from Valentino and other ultra-luxe brands were showcased in addition to more casual offerings for both men and women.

But fashion shows are just as much about the mingling as the clothes themselves, and Simon Fashion Now was no exception. Before the show started, guests noshed on Asian hor’d’oeuvres from Gigi’s Asian Bistro and sipped cocktails. As soon it ended, the crowd headed back to the bar, and shortly thereafter, upstairs to after-parties at Gigi’s and Billy Reid.

Alex Sandlin, store director of the Houston Billy Reid flagship, warned me that the Simon Fashion Now after-party was the store's biggest event of the year. But I didn’t expect to find hundreds of guests packed into an average-sized retail boutique. Less than an hour after the runway show ended, it was difficult to move anywhere inside the store. Regardless, that didn’t stop many guests from taking advantage of a 25% discount on Reid’s spring/summer collection.

Disappointed that you missed out on the fun? Don’t worry: Simon Fashion Now isn’t over yet. Runway shows will take place throughout the evening tonight and over the weekend. And you definitely don’t want to miss Design Wars, a fierce design competition featuring students from The Art Institute of Houston, at 6 p.m., where I am one of the judges.