INTRODUCING Lily Donaldson, Earnest Sewn jeans and Lure Fishbar.

With the arrival of Fashion Week in New York, a brand-new set of hot names and places will be anointed this week – from the new face on the scene (Donaldson) to the jeans everyone will be wearing (Earnest Sewn) to the restaurant with the most buzz (Lure).

It all got under way yesterday, with shows from established names like Kenneth Cole, DKNY and Perry Ellis, up-and-comers like Duckie Brown and Sass and Bide and the unabashed eccentrics of Heatherette and Imitation of Christ.

And that was just the beginning: Today sees another day of fabulous fashion action, from Liz Lange and Tommy Hilfiger, Nicole Miller and Bill Blass, to name a few.

If it seems like Fashion Week gets bigger and more hectic every year, that’s because it does.

“It is unusually busy this year,” says Fern Mallis, Fashion Week’s scheduler-in-chief.

“I think people are very optimistic. The clothing is very pretty and there’s a feeling, after the convention, that New York can just go from one huge event to another.”

So get ready to face a fashionable fall with our sneak peek at what everyone will be talking about long after the tents have folded.

Hot front-row guest

With the U.S. Open taking place just up the road in Flushing, Glamazons Venus and Serena Williams are both tipped to make an appearance at Fashion Week.

Beyoncé, who’s launching her new fashion line this week, should be in town (with or without boyfriend Jay-Z), while Jack Nicholson will undoubtedly be in the crowd for his daughter Jennifer’s show on Sunday.

Hot ticket

The fight’s already on to secure tickets for the hottest show of the week – Marc by Marc Jacobs on Monday night. Buzz is also building for Tommy Hilfiger’s show tonight, and word is that West Coast dilettante Jeremy Scott – who usually seems more concerned with putting on an odd performance than selling his designs – is actually

going to have some clothes to show on Saturday.

Hot accessory

Marc Jacobs does it again: His witty Louis Vuitton trompe l’oeil bags are the arm candy of the season for editors, celebs and socialites alike. Never fear: Knockoffs will be coming soon to a street corner near you. Hot new editors

British imports Sarah Bailey (second-in-command at Harper’s Bazaar, under Glenda Bailey, no relation) and Nick Sullivan (new fashion director rapidly making his mark at Esquire) are two to look out for.

Hot shoe

Yesterday, in rain-sogged New York, it was all about the waterproof rubber boots. But if the weather improves, expect to see the chunky new jewel-encrusted Prada heels and plenty of generic roundtoed pumps around 42nd Street.

Hot fresh face

Lily Donaldson may be a newcomer to New York Fashion Week, but she’s already walked for fashion powerhouses like Chanel, Missoni and Yves Saint Laurent in Europe. “She’s very now,” says Wayne Sterling, editorial director of models.com. “Lily did virtually every runway between Paris and Milan. She’s a classic beauty – a perfect English rose.” As of press time, she was booked for Oscar de la Renta, Jill Stuart, Esteban Cortazar and Zac Posen.

Hot comeback star

Brazilian beauty Caroline Ribeiro is making her first runway appearance in two years since becoming a new mom. Famous for succeeding Cindy Crawford as the face of Revlon (for a reported $6 million a year), Ribeiro has graced international catwalks and starred in major fashion campaigns like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. At press time, she’d been confirmed for Oscar de la Renta and Michael Kors.

Hot restaurant

Fashionista foodie rule #1: Whatever restaurant Calvin chooses to have his party in is officially the new big thing. Two years ago, he hosted his annual fashion week party at Pop Burger, and, after the last fashion week in February, Calvin anointed La Bottega in the Maritime hotel. This year, Calvin’s party (next Tuesday) will be held at Lure Fishbar (142 Mercer St., corner of Prince), the latest venture from John McDonald (Lever House), with a menu devised by Greg Brainin (chef de cuisine at Jean-Georges). Other places you needn’t bother trying to get a reservation this week (that is, unless you have at least three assistants to do your dirty work) include Soho House, Da Silvano and the Four Seasons.

Hot book

Fashion-types aren’t known for their love of words – but pictures are a whole different matter. The coffee-table must-have of the season is the work of famed celebrity and fashion photographer Patrick McMullan, whose new book “InTents” chronicles a decade of fashion (1993-2003) in the tents at Bryant Park. McMullan’s must-see features exclusive photographs of barely clad models backstage – including a then-unknown Ashton Kutcher – as well as front-row stars like Denzel Washington, Woody Allen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cindy Crawford, Demi Moore and Johnny Depp.

Hot pants

If you want to look hip without looking like you tried too hard, take a tip from the fashion crowd and squeeze yourself into a pair of fitted jeans. The hip new label launching this week is Earnest Sewn. The jeans are handmade in Kentucky and already burning up the butts of celebs like Brad Pitt, Sean Lennon, Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Karolina Kurkova, the Olsen twins and female rock band the Donnas who play the launch party tonight. Also hot in the denim stakes: Yanuk, Paper, Denim, Cloth and (as ever) 7 For all Mankind.

Hottest location

When design house Yeohlee was looking for an original location to stage its New York runway show, it hit on the idea of putting on the performance in a subway station. With the collaboration of the MTA – celebrating its 100th anniversary this year – they somehow managed to wrangle a Times Square subway platform for their show today. Yeohlee will be handing out fans and bottled water to help keep the temperature down.

Hot guy style

Throw those khakis away. The big men’s shows yesterday (Kenneth Cole, Perry Ellis, DKNY) all confirmed the resurgence of tailoring in the men’s market. In other late-breaking guy’s style developments, the suit-no-tie look is working, and next spring, socks will be strictly optional.

Hot lounge

Odea (389 Broome St. at Mulberry), with its sleek, matte-black design, becomes home to the “Vanity Fair Photography Exhibition and Cocktail Hour” all this week. Iconic photographers Annie Leibovitz, David LaChapelle and Mario Testino will be on display, featuring subjects like Brad Pitt, the late Bill Blass, Gwyneth Paltrow and Drew Barrymore. Sponsor Vox vodka will be mixing up a different specialty cocktail for every night of the exhibition.