Mena Suvari and RedPlum Love: $30 Shoes at Fashion Week!

The coolest thing we learned at Fashion Week: Even the models wearing them weren't sure whether the shoes they had on were from alice + olivia's Payless line, coming to a store near you this spring, or runway one-offs. That's how well-made and fashion-forward the insanely affordable foot candy is.

Last week, just across the street from the Bryant Park tents where the rest of Mercedes Benz Fashion week was in full swing, alice + olivia designer Stacey Bendet debuted high-end spring '09 apparel pieces plus shoes from her spring Payless line. The scene was a hippy picnic (think models sitting on quilts with hookahs) with fashionistas and celebrities milling and swilling as they admired the incredible pumps, flats and heels.

Typical for Payless capsule collections, the designer showed her affordable wares as proud siblings-rather than red-headed step-children-to her pricier pieces. A pretty impressive move given that price tags on the Saks-bound dresses will likely top $400 but even the most costly of her Payless designs probably won't top $60.

"I remember when she first told me about it," actress Mena Suvari told RedPlum, of Stacey Bendet's collaboration with Payless, as she surveyed the scene."I thought it was a great idea," said the "American Beauty" star, who attended the preview with her fiance, music-producer Simone Sestino, sporting a three-stone stunner on her ring finger. Suvari pronounced the shoes amazing-no surprise as she's a good friend of the designer. But her love of the line started before she befriended Bendet.

"I was shopping at Barney's and saw like, one rack of her pants," said Suvari, who snapped up a pair, and was immediately hooked. Later Bendet saw Suvari out at a restaurant and approached her. The two soon learned they were each fans of the other, and Suvari's been a friend, and cheerleader for the collection, ever since.

The spring alice + olivia for Payless collection reflects a "free love spirit," according to Bendet, including wedges and floral detailing. Expect lots of peep-toes-including the very trendy peep-toe boot, done by Bendet in patent with satin bows and grommets.

You'll have to wait until spring to slide your feet into the gorgeous shoes we spied last week, but the fall line from alice + olivia for Payless is in stores now, along with capsule collections from Lela Rose and Abaete. Like her spring looks, Bendet's fall Payless line is packed with stylish shoes at tough-to-believe prices, so get them before they're gone!

Check back soon for more Fashion Week news you can actually use from RedPlum!

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