It was high noon at the Highline Stages, where the theatrically-minded Jen Kao wedded Asian influences with the romance and bravado of the Wild West.

PHOTOS: JEN KAO

Against a backdrop of rolling clouds — and across a Navajo-looking carpet custom-made for the show — models worked dresses draped in dipdyed fringe and lace, often topped with a bolo, or silver-tipped collar.

A pair of floor-length chiffon skirts, done in demure pleats, lent an ease to the edgier elements of the show, which captivated the crowd by their mere narrative suggestion.

No wonder the up-and-coming designer has the attention of whimsical performers like M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj, who donned a pair of Kao’s graffiti-covered boots last April.