NEW YORK (AP) — Celebrities? Check. Over-the-top fashion? Check. Unlimited expense accounts? Well, not so much.New York Fashion Week kicked off Friday with a few concessions to the economic downturn, but for the well-heeled crowd and even better-heeled models, it was mostly fashion as usual.Top fashion editors including Anna Wintour jammed into a packed show for Jason Wu, the young designer who was little known before he designed first lady Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown and the dress she wears on the March cover of Vogue.”The fact that Michelle Obama is wearing Jason Wu makes him hotter than hot,” said Suze Yalof Schwartz, Glamour magazine’s fashion editor at large. “I’ve never been to his show before, but it was the only show I wasn’t going to miss this season.”Mrs. Obama was a no-show, but her impact was clear. Retailers also stopped by the showroom of Obama’s favorite Chicago designer, Maria Pinto. And other top designers cited the Obamas as a source of inspiration and optimism as they prepared their fall collections.”It’s not fair to pin the hopes of the whole industry on one woman, but she has proven she can fuel excitement and optimism, just like her husband,” said Constance White, style director for eBay.There were signs of the sour economy, though not as many as some had anticipated. Monique Lhuillier and Carmen Marc Valvo were skipping their usual runway shows for smaller presentations outside the tents of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Some fashion editors grumbled about hailing taxis instead of hopping in their usual town cars.But there was no lack of glitz. The Heart Truth show to raise awareness about heart disease had plenty of star-power from the likes of Hilary Duff and “90210” stars Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling. Later in the day, Lindsay Lohan watched girlfriend Samantha Ronson deejay at her sister Charlotte’s show.And after several somber seasons, the fashion crowd was ready to embrace something that, for their industry, Mrs. Obama embodied: hope.”There’s a fine line to what’s respectful to what’s going on in the world and being inspiring,” said designer Rachel Roy. “I chose to focus on strength.”—Contact The Daily Reveille’s entertainment staff at [email protected]