Happy One Year Anniversary!

Last April I decided to start my own blog by after many years of writing for other publications. It’s been an incredible first year filled with unforgettable experiences and opportunities. I truly couldn't have done it without your readership and support. 

To celebrate my one year anniversary I would like to include you in a special blog post. Please email alina@thestylesocialite.com a photo of yourself holding a piece of paper where you can tell me what you think about my blog. Please submit all entries by May 31st.

Thank you so much again for all your support. I look forward to sharing more exciting stories with you this year! 


xoxo 
The Style Socialite

Yumi Katsura Couture Cocktail Party

En route to the Empire Hotel

Last weekend I attended the Yumi Katsura Couture cocktail party on top of the Empire Hotel in New York. The event was held to celebrate their latest collections featuring the legendary Yumi Katsura, Simone Carvalli and their newest designer Victor Harper. The designer herself reached out to me via Facebook to invite me to attend. It was such an honor to get such a personal invite! As you can see from the above photo I wore a textured white dress with a sheer bright orange piece over it. I paired the look with a statement necklace and black wedge boots.

I was especially excited that the party was at the Empire Hotel rooftop as it reminded me of all the wonderful events I attended there during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. There is something so magically about this spot in New York as it feels as if you're on top of the world as you look down at the beautiful city below.

The event featured lovely models wearing Yumi Katsura Couture dresses. My favorite was the below pink plunging neckline dress. 

Norma Ishak F/W 2012: Feather and Fur Adorned Luxury Accessories

Designer Valerie Mouawad recently contacted me to introduce her new Fall/Winter 2012 collection for her luxury accessories company Norma Ishak. I'm always excited to learn about new brands and especially ones that I would personally wear and recommend which would certainly be the case for Norma Ishak. Their new collection is full of the two things that I love most in fashion which are feathers and fur! In fact the below knit cape with feathers reminds me of a recent Black Swan inspired look that I wore this season to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. Another one of my favorite pieces was the above shoulder cut cape with blue feathers on top. What I love most about this look is its GEF factor (grabs attention, exudes luxury and fits nicely to the body.) 

I was curious to learn more about the brand and the new Fall/Winter 2012 collection so I emailed Valerie a few questions. Check out what she had to say! 

Tell me about Norma Ishak?   

Norma Ishak is a luxury accessory line that celebrates the individual style and personality of the contemporary woman. 

Collecting rare and luxurious yarn from around the world is a passion that I acquired from my mother Norma. Together, we transform the yarn into unique pieces of wearable art. We continue to regularly present eye-catching ranges of truly unique luxury knitwear made with only the finest fabrics, beads and feathers in the world. Today, as always, I personally design and inspect each piece in my high quality, fashion-forward collections.

What was your inspiration for the F/W 2012 collection? 

My inspiration for my latest collection came from images I come across or structures and objects in my environment, but mostly I am inspired by yarn, color, and the act of knitting. So, my designs often utilize simple stockinet and garter stitch, showcasing beautiful yarns. I always love to use unexpected material in my items, from feather, fur, Swarovski crystals, pearls, Beads...Over the past 30 years, my mom has built an incredible collection of rare yarns from across the globe. Today, many of my scarves from these vintage one-of-a-kind yarns from her personal collection.   

Tell me about the type of woman that you see wearing Norma Ishak?

  

The perfect client for NORMA ISHAK scarves would be a woman who is sophisticated, unique, exclusive, beautiful, and eludes creativity. She would be a professional woman, housewife, mother or sister that wants to be outstanding and has appreciation for fine quality. She will want to add a touch of art, a touch of warmth, a touch of color to her wardrobe in order to show her creativity and power as a woman.

Where can we buy your pieces?

www.NormaIshak.com

Check out Norma Ishak's

Facebook page

Twitter

Les Envers: Italian Stain-Proof Handbags

I received an email all the way from Italy from Italian designer Sara Turatello who designs unique stain-proof handbags for her brand Les Envers. Her new Spring 2012 collection features a selection of totes, satchels and clutches. Aside from the great design I was particularly excited about the stain-proof material as I personally always manage to spill something on my bags!

Here is a very brief interview with Sara to give you an idea about the new collection.  

1. Can you tell me more about Les Envers?
I'm Sara Turatello, an Italian fashion designer. After studying at the Istituto Marangoni in Milan (where I created the name of brand for my first collections for the school). I began my career at Vivienne Westwood and then to Giorgio Armani, then I decided to continue my work career with different factory to grow up and learn to develop the product from the ideal project to process until the final achievement so my dreams come true: from the design phase of the process till the pack final.

 

Les Envers it's me. Les Envers loves, dreams, creates, hates, destroy, flies, both falls and rises, flies, and dreams realized, creates, destroys and recreates, re-creates , destroys and flies, loves, hates and creates...Les Envers is everything is the opposite of everything.

2. What was your inspiration for the new Les Envers Spring/Summer 2012 collection?

I thought that many times the fabric bags are not purchased because I can not take advantage of the winter due to bad weather and rain, so I thought of a waterproof fabric... The hand painted? I thought that the nail polish in cosmetics is now a super trend, why not recreate the same thing in accessories paint not nails, but the bags... I love nail polish! The spots are inside and the anti-stain is outside.. the opposite of everything!

The collection is developed in different models with a wide and sophisticated color palette:
-Leather with stitching and contrasting colors (Line "Les Contrastes")
-Fabric "stain" (waterproof to each liquid) with contrasting leather
(Line "Les Infinitins")
-Fabric "stain" hand-painted giving the effect of nail polish with
contrasting leather (Line "Les Vichy")


Here is a video of the fabric with stain-proof technology. This is a waterproof fabric specially treated to resist any liquid. 

Check out Les Envers:

• Website 
• Facebook
• Twitter

Lolly Luxury Scarf Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Karla for winning a luxury Lolly scarf from my giveaway! Each name as well as additionally entries for liking my page on Facebook and following me on Twitter were set with a number. I used the random.org generator and the lucky number was 7 for Karla!

I will be doing more fun giveaways on my blog in the future. Stay tuned!  

Tsemaye Binitie A/W 2012: Timeless Elegance

Timeless Elegance comes to mind when first taking a look at the new Tsemaye Binitie Autumn/Winter 2012 collection. I've been privy to know this fabulous designer through my work in fashion and can honestly say he's one of my favorites. His design aesthetic, especially in his new collection is filled with fine tailoring and luxury fabrics that accentuate a women's body quite elegantly. 

I caught up with Tsemaye for a mini interview about his new collection.  

What was your inspiration for the Autumn/Winter 2012 collection? 

The Collection is called ’28 Faubourg Saint Honore’. The name comes from the old address of couturier Alix Gres whose work served as the starting point while I was researching for the development of the collection. This season the girl is a little darker and tougher. I looked at the contrast between masculine and feminine, hard and soft, sheer and opaque, black and white, applying and cutting away.

Describe the type of woman that you see wearing Tsemaye Binitie?

The Tsemaye Binitie woman is the everyday woman, a modern icon of strength, beauty and glamour.

Look Book shots

What kind of materials did you use to create the new collection?

A central focus within the collection features multi-panelled pieces with great emphasis put on mixing fabrics, textures and silhouettes with a nod to American Varsity sportswear. Working with a fabric developer in Los Angeles Tsemaye created a unique embellishment technique using hand cut vinyl pieces. Laser cutting and pleating details were applied to fabrics ranging from distressed leather to washed silks, high tech stretch twill, silk organza and fur. Wanting to give a very tightly edited range of dresses and separates, the collection features only four colours - white ,black ,nude and purple. 

Where can we buy your pieces?

You can buy from the end of April on www.thenandnowshop.com

Check out Tsemaye Binitie's:

• Website
• Facebook page
• Twitter

Restoration Hardware Cocktail Party

I recently attended the Restoration Hardware cocktail party to celebrate their new Spring 2012 collections. Restoration Hardware is one of the fastest growing and most innovative luxury brands in the home furnishings marketplace. The event was also to benefit ACRIA, The AIDS Community Research Initiative of America. ACRIA is a leading organization dedicated to HIV research and education. It is supported by prominent communities in the fashion, art, media and design industries.

Tinsley Mortimer and I at the Restoration Hardware Cocktail Party

I was very lucky to mingle among some of the most fabulous people of New York society like socialite Tinsley Mortimer, designer Rebecca Minkoff and editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar Glenda Bailey. There were many beautiful people also in attendance to match the decor which included chrystal chandeliers adorned with candles. 

The evening featured a live performance by British soul-pop singer Edei, fresh Cipriani bellinis and music by DJ Michael Smith.

I adored listening to the lovely Edei who I’m sure will be a growing sensation in the U.S. Her voice was so angelic and I really loved the whole Greek Goddess ensemble she was wearing. 

Lolly Luxury Scarf Giveaway!

I’m so excited to announce that I have partnered with Lolly Clothing for a luxury scarf giveaway! I'm a huge fan of my Lolly scarf as you can see from the recent Lolly scarf mini photo shoot I did and now you have a chance to win one! 

As a reader of my blog you can win the above Lolly Gauze Fringe Scarf ($64.00 value) just in time for Spring/Summer. Click here to see more details about this luxury scarf. 

Entry Rules:

• Leave a comment with your name and email address 
• For additional entries you can also:

1. 1. Like my page on Facebook

       2. Follow me on Twitter

(Total of 3 entries if you do all three options!)

The giveaway is open until Sunday April 8, 2012. Winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via e-mail, so be sure to leave your e-mail address in the comment section and let me know if you liked my page on Facebook and followed me on Twitter for an additional entry. GOOD LUCK! 

Lolly Scarf Mini Photo Shoot

I received a Silk Pashmina Scarf from Lolly Clothing last week and I couldn't be more in love with it! The gorgeous splatter wash was done by hand (no two pieces look alike) and its set in the perfect shade of burnt mustard. Of course I couldn't resist doing a mini photo shoot with my fabulous new accessory. I decided to pair the scarf with cat eye sunnies, ornate white blouse, black shorts and wedge boots. 

The scarf was ultra light and could be styled in different ways as you can see from my photos. 

As a reader of my blog you can receive 15% off any Lolly clothing item if you enter code LOLLY-BLOG-8275990 when you check out. 

It got a little cold during my mini shoot so I decided to use my Lolly scarf as a shawl as you can see from the below picture! 

ABOUT LOLLY

LA-based Lolly Clothing (http://www.lolly-clothing.com) – is a fresh new brand that has the fashion industry buzzing with excitement.  Lolly Clothing takes you from casual to chic in a breeze and from day to evening with no effort at all. Their collection is teeming with easy basics which embody artisanal and textile patterns.  Lolly Clothing’s dip-dyed Spring 2012 scarves and silk pashmina’s are a must for anyone who craves the hottest Hollywood looks worn by such fashion maven’s as Gwyenth Paltrow, Gisele Bundchen, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Jessica Parker and many more!

Lolly’s one-of-a kind line of clothing and scarves are designed with precision in-house, with an innovative layering dye process, giving each item their own unique individual look.  Each of their prints is inspired by natural and rich origins from around the globe. These scarves are suitable for just about anyone, from young hip fashionistas and working moms to those on-the-go jet setters.

Thank you so much to Lolly Clothing for sending me their fabulous Silk Pashmina Scarf. It's going to be my must wear accessory this Spring/Summer!  

Be sure to check out the Lolly Clothing:

• Website
• Facebook page
• Twitter

Black Cat Eye Sunnies Meet White Fur Cat

Before my mini-photo shoot with my Lolly Scarf I took a few shots with my cat Precious just for fun. My cat has never been a very good model but when enticed with treats she stayed for a few pictures. I gave her a few while taking the photos which is why she's making such funny faces! 

Click here to check out another fun photo-op I did with Miss Precious when I wore my red fur jacket.  

ModaRévisé Cocktail Party and Interview With Designer Stella Chang!

I attended the ModaRévisé Handbag cocktail party to preview the new handbag line and meet designer Stella Chang. The event was held at her showroom in New York and featured bags from her ModaRévisé collection as well as from Chocolate Handbags which are also designed by Stella. 

What I loved most about her designs is how original they were. It's all too common to find bags that all look alike but Stella's designs just stood out. I had a chance to interview the lovely designer to learn more about her ModaRévisé Handbag collection. 

Can you tell me about your collection? 

Our collection is called ModaRévisé and it’s a luxury line. We use genuine leather. We actually create our own leather and custom dye it. For ModaRévisé we mainly do bags that have a visual story inspired by some sort of artist like Georgia O'keeffe. We have a collection called a Black Iris collection which is inspired by her painting the Black Iris. We used an origami technique on leather so it’s very unique. Another line we have for Moda is jewelry pieces that are detachable so you can wear separately as a necklace or charm bracelet. We brought this to New York last year and we were actually selected by Swarovski Crystal as 1of 35 emerging brands. 

Black Iris Without Black Collection

Satchel

What is the inspiration behind your handbags?

It’s mostly artistic influences like Georgia O'keeffe. I came from an illustration background. At NYU I used to do children’s illustration so what I would do is go into the art world and find a color, pattern or illustration and create from that.  Like my Georgina Collection which is actually my hand illustration that was re-printed. It was inspired by the movie The Duchess.

Georgiana Tote

When did you start ModaRévisé?

I’m started ModaRévisé in 2010 but I have been in the industry for 9 years now. I used to work for United Bamboo and I also worked for Malini Murjani. She sells her stuff at Saks 5th avenue and used to be the Isabella Fiore Artistic Director.

What kind of woman do you see wearing your collection?

A woman who knows what she wants! A woman who’s not afraid to find something that’s different from what other people are offering. A woman who appreciates art, music, pop culture and who’s not afraid to try something that’s not on the runway.

Victoria Cross Body Barrel Tote

I see that you’re very art inspired. Who are your favorite artists that you draw inspiration from?

New York! I love New York. I love Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and strong women who have a story to tell! 

About ModaRévisé

Founded by artist Stella Chang, ModaRévisé is an independent branding company that designs, develops, and sells fashion accessories & apparel properties. They are dedicated to creating a fashion alternative for women who appreciate high-end fashion, which are affordable, collectable, and timeless beyond seasonal trend.

Product lines consist of genuine leather handbags and small leather accessories, and they're looking to expand to computer accessories and ready-to-wear apparel in the near future.

Each collection will tell a visual story through exploration of unique artistic applications juxtapose to contemporary design motifs. Think origami on leather, silk screening printing, or manga style illustration married to underground fashion elements such as Gothic Lolita, or artistic influence of Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings and more. They strive for creativity and originality in every collection.

The look is feminine, sophisticated, and avant-garde with a twist of quirk and cuteness.

Check out ModaRévisé

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

Motorola Moto Madness Event

I was invited to the Motorola Moto Madness event at Latitude Bar and Grill in NYC to preview some of their fun gadgets. I first connected with Motorola at the GLSEN lounge hosted by Elle magazine during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. One of my favorite products at the Motorola Moto Madness event was the MOTOACTV fitness watch. MOTOACTV is a lightweight, wearable fitness performance tracker and smart music player all in one. How cool?

With the MOTOACTV watch you're able to sync with your PC to download music you want to work out to. You can also track your workouts, set goals and create workout competitions with friends via the MOTO ACTV Web Portal. 

My favorite feature was its ability to track your pace, number of calories burned and miles covered. MOTOACTV uses Motorola AccuSense technology and GPS to ensure measurement accuracy of your performance. Your time, distance, speed, heart rate and calories burned are also measured.

Click here to see more info on the MOTOACTV watch. 

The Motorola event also offered a very creative branded drink menu. My drink of choice was the above ELITE SILVER Sangria. Kudos to the Motorola marketing team for creating these fun branded drink names! 

Masquerade Ball Outfit

A few weeks ago I attended a masquerade ball at Capitale in NYC. There's something so magical about wearing a mask and going to a masquerade party. I tried on at least 10 different masks to wear but the below pink feather mask was the one that came home with me. The pink feathers on the mask reminded me of my black feather dress which I wore to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week the month before. When I tried on the mask with the dress it looked like a perfect combination. I definitely felt like the belle of the masquerade ball that night. I look forward to wearing my pink feather mask again soon and next time I think I'll pair it with a pink sequined gown! 

My Outfits During New York Fashion Week F/W 2012

I take great pleasure in picking out my outfits for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week a few months prior to attending. There is nothing more thrilling to me than going on the hunt for the perfect paparazzi worthy attire. This season I was lucky to find some pretty fabulous pieces to wear. My favorite look was the above red faux fur jacket over an off-white gown. I finished the look with my over-sized sunnies and an updo done by Barrett's Braid Bar. I was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's effortless glamour. It was an honor to see that StyleCaster, one of the top fashion sites featured me as one of their favorite fashion week looks. 

My second favorite outfit to wear was the above black swan inspired look. With every outfit that I wear I try to tell a story. I first bought the feather dress which gave me the idea for a black swan inspired look. The missing piece to complete the look was a long fur vest which I finally found. Together these two pieces created the perfect black swan inspired look. 

Royal blue is one of my favorite colors. There is something about the color that makes you feel like royalty. When I found the above royal blue dress I knew it would be perfect to wear to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Since it was during the winter time I paired the dress with a fuzzy blue sweater, leggings and wedge boots.  I was again inspired by one of my favorite fashion icons Audrey Hepburn for my classic bun.

I'm quite a fan of faux fur as you can probably tell. I first bought the above faux fur vest to wear. The next day I found some really fabulous leather leggings and faux fur boots which matched my vest. Of course, I couldn't resist pairing my completed look with my favorite over-sized sunnies. 

Floppy hats have always been part of my signature style and I always wear at least one during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. This season I found this fabulous floppy hat very last minute. I paired it with a faux fur purple jacket, leather leggings and over-the-knee boots.  

My last look of the season was above dress which I paired with my favorite floppy hat. I'm a huge fan of plugging necklines that go along with a classic dress silhouettes. Chictini.com featured me on their site with the caption "The Style Socialite Alina Fayer brings a level of sophistication to NYFW" for this look. 

Click here to see more photos of the different looks I've worn to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week this season and throughout the years.