THE TOAST OF NEW YORK : Mark Eisen Goes Long and Lean

Two days after his New York debut, designer Mark Eisen is in his showroom, chain-smoking Marlboros, gulping cappuccino from a cardboard container and modestly shrugging off praise.

“What took Mark Eisen so long to hit Seventh Avenue?” demanded Women’s Wear Daily, the rag-trade bible.

Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys and Neiman Marcus are among the chichi emporiums showering Eisen with orders. In the next room, a Vogue editor is looking for samples to show boss Anna Wintour, who hailed the designer’s recent show as “a dream come true.”

“People have been amazingly kind and complimentary,” says Eisen, 34, running a hand through a mop of dark, unruly hair that brushes his shoulders. “But the most exciting thing is that I got the opportunity to put across my message of sleek, sexy, modern clothes.”

Being a fashion industry wunderkind offers about as much security as being a wife of Henry VIII. David Cameron, Patricia Clyne and Rebecca Moses were once all designers-of-the-minute--before discontinuing their labels.

But Eisen, who until recently was based in Los Angeles, seems to be on terra firma. He treads the precarious line between being trendy and classic, and sets prices lower than many of his peers--about $250 for a skirt and $600 for a jacket.

His spring collection is an island of serenity in a chaotic sea of contrived ‘70s hippie styles and a sloppy, anti-fashion look being dubbed grunge chic.

“I’m just not a retro person. I prefer to look forward rather than back,” says the designer. “I don’t think these costumey hippie clothes make a woman look pretty. And while I can appreciate them from a design sense, I just don’t see them as flattering.”

Eisen’s silhouette is spare--long and lean--and his fabrics, mostly crepes and jerseys, fall in a sleek, fluid line. He’s partial to slender tunics, long, side-slit skirts, and flowing, sleeveless coats. His bell-bottoms are cut more like easy, flared pants than Carnaby Street retreads, and his midriff-baring tops look more sporty than tarty.

Eisen’s palette emphasizes browns, pale blue and aqua to create what he calls a “feeling of earth, sky and sea.” However, when pressed, he admits this world spectrum has humbler roots: The blue-and-aqua combo comes from the tablecloths at his favorite St. Barth’s hotel.

A year ago, the designer was comfortably nestled in a cottage in Venice Beach and tooled around town in a Jeep. Now, home is a minimally decorated Manhattan high-rise overlooking the East River and taxis are his transport du jour.

“Los Angeles is a fabulous city and I really miss its outdoor space and weather,” Eisen says. “But, as a designer, I always knew I would come to New York. It’s the center of fashion.”

Born in Capetown, South Africa, Eisen wanted to become a designer but, yielding to his father’s wishes, channeled his talents into a career in business. At 18, he headed to California where he briefly studied wine-making before earning a degree in business from USC.

After graduation, he spent a few years designing one-stop auto malls, but, restless and dissatisfied, he decided to pursue his childhood dream.

In 1988, he produced his first tiny collection of elegant denim outfits, which were showcased in Bergdorf’s windows and netted Eisen a nomination for the California Mart’s Rising Star award.

“I learned the business hands-on,” says Eisen, who has no formal design training. “It was something I was passionate to do, so I learned everything step by step, from how to line a jacket to where to find the best fabric resources.”

Eisen slowly expanded his line of “couture denim” to include a broader range of knit and woven sportswear, which attracted a growing legion of fans. His business, begun with a $40,000 investment, is projected to hit $14 million in sales this year.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

“I felt there was a question mark after my name, you know, ‘Who is this Mark Eisen?’ because I wasn’t in New York,” he says. “People kept telling me, ‘If you don’t get on the runway on Seventh Avenue, you’ll lose your momentum.’ So I made up my mind to do it.”

Eisen says he’s not fazed by the pressure.

“My feet are on the ground, my ego is in my back pocket and I’m eager to get on with it,” he says.