Saturday, March 31, 2012

Zang Toi Fall 2012: Glamorous Royal Luxury


Zang Toi is known for his exquisite taste in luxury material, meticulous beadwork and supreme craftsmanship. He's truly established himself as a leader in the luxury fashion world. As always during his show I was sitting on the edge of my seat and gasping with amazement as each look graced the runway. I was completely blown away by his entire collection which featured fabulous coats, tailored suits and dresses in luxury materials like french lace, wool, velvet, cashmere and silk. Zang used a well rounded color palette with ivory, grey, black and ruby. I will always remember his brilliant ruby silk organza princess ball gown with pleated organza, tulle and ribbon ruffled borders (see top photo). The model wearing the gown even stopped to twirl around as if she was a princess walking into Zang Toi's royal court. What I love most about Zang is that he knows how to make women look like modern day royalty which was clearly demonstrated once again in his Fall 2012 collection. 
 
The show ended with a brilliant brush strokes silk organza gstaad ball gown with attached beaded black mini skirt and crystal encrusted one-shoulder trail. During the finale Zang was given a standing ovation fit for a king of the luxury fashion world. 

Check out the Zang Toi:

Christian Siriano Fall 2012: Vampire Chic

Photo credit: Filippo Fior
This season I was lucky to be invited to the Christian Siriano Fall 2012 fashion show for the first time! I’ve always dreamed of seeing his show in person and it was an honor to be there. Inspired by the 1933 horror movie The Vampire Bat, the collection was dark and a bit more subdued than what we’re used to seeing from the ultra-glitzy designer. Nonetheless there were still just enough glamour accents to stay true to his brand’s identity. The collection's color palette was filled with mostly dark colors like red, black and grey. Two of my favorite pieces were the below jacket over long maxi skirt looks. I'm a huge fan of the front slit in the black maxi skirt and could definitively see myself pulling the Angelina Jolie one leg pose in this look! 
Photo credit: Filippo Fior

Check out Christian Siriano's: 

Falguni & Shane Peacock Fall 2012: Rock & Roll Meets Futuristic Glamour


Falguni & Shane delivered another over the top collection this season with a rock & roll meets futuristic glamour vibe.

Amazonian-esque models glided down the runway in exotically structured and cut silhouettes with signature Falguni & Shane Peacock feathers, sequin and prints. Their belief as designers centers around the idea that a dress must make a statement without the help of accessories. 

One of my favorite pieces was the above long suede dress with felt cut and zipper detail. I really loved the front slit as well as the sheer black plunging neckline which shows just enough skin. Collectively edgy with a hint of glamour made this collection one of the most memorable of the season.

Check out Falguni & Shane Peacock:

Mini Photo Shoot for IvoryElephant Jewelry


This weekend I received a fun present from one of my fans all the way from Arkansas. Dorothy Gamble, a jewelry designer personally sent me over a pair of her handmade Peacock earrings from her IvoryElephant handmade jewelry collection. They were very interesting and different from anything I've ever worn. I really value the work of handmade jewelry artisans and I can imagine the time it took her to make these earrings. Along with the earrings came the lovely note you see blow. Thank you so much to Dorothy for sending me this!

Be sure to like IvoryElephant on Facebook to see more of her pieces and send any inquiries.



bebe BLACK Fall 2012: Retro Glam


The bebe Black Fall 2012 collection offered a range of fun retro glam inspired looks. It was filled with classically cut dresses, separates, coats and suits for a sophisticated woman that knows what she wants. Major Fall 2012 trends were present like the use of plaid, velvet and leather.
My favorite look was the below midnight velvet sheath dress with elastic corset inset. Velvet is my favorite material and I really loved the black elastic corset addition to this piece. Who wouldn't like a built in spanx in a dress?
Overall I thought the collection was a major hit for bebe and very central to its core brand identity of catering to stylish and confident women.

Check out bebe:

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Braided Updo by Antonio Velotta from Barrett's Braid Bar

The second time I came to Barrett's Braid Bar at the GLSEN lounge during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week I was given the most fabulous braided updo. My look that day was inspired by Audrey Hepburn and I wanted an updo that personified her style. 
Antonio Velotta, my incredible stylist from the John Barrett hair salon knew just the type of braid that would suit my look. He told me he was going to do an updo inspired by a recent Bottega Veneta fashion show where the models had their hair in a fancy braided updo. 
I was intently studying his braiding method in the mirror but it's not something I could ever replicate. The level of talent that went into creating my braided updo was just unbelievable! 
Finally after about 20 minutes my braided updo was complete! The front of it looked amazing but the back I was completely blown away by. It was like he was the Michelangelo of hair and my hair was his art creation.  
When I got home that night after almost a 14 hour day of fashion shows and events my hair was surprisingly still in one place. It must have been the special John Barrett hairspray he used that held it up so well for all that time. The whole day I received a million and one compliments about my updo. I was very sad to wash my hair that night as I didn't want to part with my beautifully braided look. Thank you so much again Antonio Velotta for creating this for me!!
As I've mentioned in a previous post the John Barrett salon is located in Bergdorf Goodman on 5th Avenue in NYC and I highly recommend them! 
Their Braid Bar offers a selection of braided looks like undone braids, pigtails, whimsical milkmaid braids, fishtail braided side ponytails and small french braided updo's.

Visit there website for more info:  http://johnbarrett.com

Fishtail Braid by Barrett's Braid Bar

At the GLSEN lounge during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week I was lucky to get my hair done two times at Barrett's Braid Bar. The first time they braided a fishtail for me. The look may appear effortless but my stylist meticulously positioned each strand for the perfect fishtail braid. 

The John Barrett salon is located in Bergdorf Goodman on 5th Avenue in NYC. I highly recommend checking them out if you're looking for quality service. Their Braid Bar offers a selection of braided looks like undone braids, pigtails, whimsical milkmaid braids, fishtail braided side ponytails and small french braided updo's.

Visit there website for more info:  http://johnbarrett.com




Monday, March 26, 2012

GLSEN Lounge Hosted by Elle Magazine

During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week this season I was invited to attend the GLSEN lounge which was hosted by Elle magazine at the Empire Hotel. It was very special for me to come to the lounge as it brought back great memories of filming All On the Line with Joe Zee the Creative Director of Elle magazine a few months prior. 

My first stop at the lounge was the Braid Bar by the famous John Barrett Salon. It was an incredible experience getting my hair done by such talented professionals. I will be writing a detailed post about the final look shortly. 
 
After getting my hair done I stopped by the Motorola station to recharge my phone and test out the latest Motorola products. I ran into Miss J who I've always seen at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week but never had a chance to properly meet until now. She was so fabulous and it was really an honor to finally get a chance to meet her in person!
After meeting Miss J I took a few pictures by the Motorola backdrop which coincidentally matched my outfit. My black sunglasses matched the black background and my red and white outfit matched the Motorola logo colors. I swear I didn't plan it but how ironic! I would make a great candidate for Motorola's next spokesperson, no? 

Lounge amenities were provided by smartwater, Baked by Melissa and popchips. I sampled a few of the Baked by Melissa mini cupcakes which were just beyond delicious! 
 



 
After all the excitement I decided to take a little breather and relax for a bit until my next fashion show in the tents. Below is a shot of what I looked like without my signature black sunglasses. This was probably one of the only photos where I wasn't wearing them that day. 
 

  

Here is my look from the other day of the lounge where I also had my hair done at the John Barret Braid Bar. This time they created a fishtail braid which was so pretty!
 

The lounge was aimed to raise awareness for GLSEN's upcoming National Day of Silence taking place on April 20, 2012 where students across the country take a vow of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools.
 
After taking part in all of the fabulous amenities of the lounge I went over to sketch a message of support for GLSEN's upcoming Day of Silence. Joining me were countless other fashion peers, celebrities and fashion designers. 
When it was finally my turn to draw my message of hope I took a few minutes to think about what this really meant. As I stared at the blank canvas in front of me I envisioned a quote by Winston Churchhill which said "Never, Never, Never Give up." 
If I'm ever discouraged I always remind myself of this quote and it gives me strength to keep pursuing my dreams. My wish is that this message serves the same amount of hope to another person during the GLSEN Day of Silence where I believe these drawings will all be featured. 
 
After I was invited to do a mini photo-shoot with my finished sketch in a private photo studio. The photographer was so fun to work with and knew exactly the kind of picture he wanted to take.  

After a few shots the final picture came out really great! It was nice seeing my photo featured among many other drawings of hope and support on the GLSEN lounge Facebook page.  
For more information about GLSEN visit www.glsen.org

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Di MODOLO: Timeless Luxury Jewelry

I had a chance to check out the new Di MODOLO luxury jewelry collection in the Plaza Hotel during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Each piece was a perfect representation of timeless luxury as I could imagine passing down this kind of jewelry from generation to generation. Their celebrity clientele includes Catherine Zeta Jones and Téa Leoni.

Di MODOLO originally made their mark in 18k Gold and Diamond jewelry with the spirited Triadra collection and now they just launched their newest inspiration the Triadra Argento.

The collection is comprised of finely crafted jewels in precious Sterling Silver, beautifully adorned with Pearls, Onyx, Gem Stones, and Diamonds.

Check out Di MODOLO's

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Christina Makowsky Spring 2012 Collection

Designer Christina Makowsky and I at her Spring 2012 trunk show in the Plaza Hotel 
I had the privilege of attending Christina Makowsky’s Spring 2012 trunk show at the Plaza Hotel during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. I’ve known about her work for a little over a year now and I’m a huge fan. I first learned about her through watching my guilty TV pleasure the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Lisa Vanderpump one of the real housewives of the show would frequently mention Christina Makowsky. I really loved her work and decided to reach out and feature her as a designer of the day for a fashion site I was writing for at the time. Christina and I have been connected through social media ever since. 

Fast forward to a month ago I was going through my fashion week invites and was delighted to find an exclusive invitation to the Christina Makowsky Spring 2012 trunk show at the Plaza Hotel. 

That day my schedule was packed with back to back shows but I was determined to go meet her in person and see her Spring 2012 collection. I only had an hour in between my next show at the tents so I quickly ran out of Lincoln Center and hailed a cab to the Plaza Hotel. 

Walking into the Plaza Hotel was an adventure in itself. The hotel was so beautiful inside that I literally had to stop myself from looking around. 

Finally I found the right suite where the trunk show was held. It was such a pleasure to finally meet Christina in person. She was so nice and personally showed me her gorgeous Spring 2012 collection. 



Christina Makowsky's Spring 2012 collection featured lovely dresses and jackets in luxury materials like lace and chiffon. 

She's really known for using gorgeous lace material in her designs like the below Open Shoulder Lace Dress with Beaded Trim. 

 

The collection also had matching separates to seamlessly take a look from day to night like the below Pink Slashed Frayed High Neck Dress and Slashed Frayed Swing Duster. These were two of my favorite pieces.  

 


Be sure to also become a fan on Facebook and follow Twitter

Black Swan Inspired Hairstyle by TRESemme

Every season at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week you can get your hair done by the super talented TRESemme stylists. I've had my hair done countless times but this time was one of the best! It was a hectic morning preparing for a day full of shows so I didn't have time to do anything with my hair aside from straightening it. That day I wore a black faux fur vest over a feather dress. I was going for the Black Swan inspired look but the only thing that was missing to the complete the ensemble was the hair! After attending my first fashion show of the day I went over to the TREsemme hair salon inside the tent to get my hair done. The TRESemme hairstylist was so sweet and knew exactly the the type of hairstyle that would complete my Black Swan inspired look. 
 




After about 40 minutes of styling my look was complete! I couldn't believe how amazing my hair looked. It was as if a work of art was created with my hair. 

At the end of the night it was a bittersweet moment to wash my hair but the memory of my day wearing this Black Swan inspired look will last with me forever. 
 

Thank you so much to the amazing TRESemme hairstylist for all the handwork they put into creating this masterpiece! Below you can see a full shot of my Black Swan inspired look complete with the Black Swan inspired hairstyle.