NICK APPEARANCES....FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016--Photo Recap!

NICK APPEARANCES....FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016--Photo Recap!

Open House Fun: Nick Verreos at the January 2016 FIDM San Diego Open House

This past weekend, I had the honor of making an "appearance" at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM San Diego Campus, for their Open House. As the College's Official Spokesperson, I travel to all of the school's campuses from time to time, doing special visits and giving special lectures; this was one such occasion.

FIDM San Diego Nick: Nick Verreos, FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016

The FIDM Open House is a way for high school (as well as post-graduate) students thinking about going into the fashion industry to get a chance to meet Alumni, Instructors, Graduates, and check out the campuses of course. This is always one of my favorite parts of being a FIDM Spokesperson; I get to meet-and-greet all the people with the same "Passion For Fashion" that I have.



Here is my BLOG PHOTO RECAP of last Saturday's fun day:

Lecture in Session: FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016, Nick Verreos Appearance

"Get The Coffee!": Nick Verreos at the FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016 Appearance

All Smiles: Group photo with attendees of my Special Appearance at FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016

Post-Appearance Meet & Greet Pics:

Posin' Fun Part 1: Nick Verreos with attendess at FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016

Posin' Fun Part 2: Nick Verreos with attendess at FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016

Posin' Fun Part 3: Nick Verreos with attendess at FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016

Masked Muses: Nick Verreos posing in front of the fabulous "Masked Muses" designs from FIDM Alumnus Paul Hernandez--FIDM San Diego Open House January 2016

NV Beautiful: During my visit to the FIDM San Diego campus, I almost fainted when I saw the beautiful Christina Haynes, a FIDM Student Advisor wearing one of my very own NV Nick Verreos dresses she got from EVINE Live TV Shopping Network! #LoveHer

Bye FIDM San Diego!! I had a FABULOUS time! Can't wait to come back XOXO

Nick Appearance Minute: FIDM Los Angeles Fall 2012 Open House--The Recap!

Nick Appearance Minute: FIDM Los Angeles Fall 2012 Open House--The Recap!

An Alumni Panel, Fashion School Take-Away's and a

Mom-and-Dad Walk Off

Work It:  Nick Verreos doing the Runway---FIDM Los Angeles Fall 2012 Open House

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of MC'ing the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM Fall 2012 Open House, held at the Downtown LA campus of FIDM, my alma mater and the fashion college I am the Official Spokesperson of.

It was a rainy Saturday morning/early afternoon in LA (I know! Rain in Los Angeles? What is going on??!!) but that did not keep a TON (about 800 people!) from attending this great event. I was scheduled to host two sessions of fun panel discussion with other FIDM Alumni (graduates of the college).

The audiences at these panel discussions are usually high school students--mainly juniors and seniors--as well as post-grad attendees interested in a career on Fashion Design, Textile Design, Graphic Design, Apparel Manufacturing, Product Development, Visual Merchandising, and all the other related majors FIDM has to offer.



Here are some photos from the FIDM LA Fall 2012 Open House:

Textile Design--FIDM Los Angeles--FIDM Fall 2012 Open House

Graphic Design--FIDM Los Angeles--FIDM Fall 2012 Open House

Fashion Design, Footwear Design, Film & TV Costume and Theater Design--FIDM Los Angeles--FIDM Fall 2012 Open House

FIDM Panel Fab: (left to right) Cynthia Rodriguez, Meagan Randolph, Nick Verreos, Chase Vance amnd Daniel Musto, FIDM LA Fall Open House 2012

Finally, it was time for the Alumni Panel Discussion which I was MC'ing. The FIDM Alumni panel included Cynthia Rodriguez, Global Merchandising Manager at "Too Faced Cosmetics"; Chase Vance, a former student of mine who is currently in the IMPD/International Manufacturing and Product Development program; Meagan Randolph, who is an Allocator in the Footwear Department at Guess corporate offices; and Daniel Musto, On-Camera Wardrobe Stylist and Costume Designer for NBC's "Fashion Star" and "Ready For Love" Reality TV shows.

After brief "hello's" to the audience, I began with an impromptu "Mom-and-Dad" FIDM Open House Runway/Walk-Off --where I picked parents from the audience to do a runway walk. First, I did my "Nick Runway Walk" as a brief lesson and then, they followed. It was a big hit.

Work The Khakis: One of our Runway Models just happened to be the father of Daniel Musto (seen in photo above)--an FIDM graduate and very successful Hollywood Stylist---who was also one of the FIDM Fall 2012 Open House Alumni Panel guests.

Nick Verreos with some of my "FIDM LA Fall Open House 2012" Runway Walk-Off participants--FIDM Los Angeles

 Nick Verreos Hosts FIDM LA Fall 2012 Open House

As I stated in the beginning of this post, I had the pleasure of MC'ing two Alumni Panel Discussion at this FIDM Fall 2012 Open House with the aforementioned panelists and they both went great! Each former FIDM Graduate spoke of their experience at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and gave suggestions and "take away's" to the audience of students and parents on how they got the most out of the college and things they learned that still carries them on to this day in their careers. After the Panel Discussion, I had the pleasure of signing autographs as well as taking many photos with lots of the attendees--Here are some:

 Nick Verreos and FIDM LA Fall Open House 2012 attendee

Nick Verereos with FIDM Fall Open House 2012 attendees

I had a grtreat time talking to all the attendees--students and especially the mommies and dads who were came up to me and Thanked Me for the "Nick Advice" I gave. Thanks to EVERYONE who attended this fun-and-fabulous--and yes, very informative (I hope!) FIDM Open House!

Nick TV Minute: NBC-LA TV Emmy Awards 2012, FIDM Scholarship Store Red Carpet Finds, and Much More!

Nick TV Minute: NBC-LA TV Emmy Awards 2012, FIDM Scholarship Store Red Carpet Finds, and Much More!

Emmy TV Minute:

Today in Fashion Fab: (Left to right) Carl Bell (Weathercaster for the weekend editions for "Today In LA NBC"), "Today In LA Weekend" Anchors Ted Chen, Michelle Valles, and Nick Verreos

Last weekend was Emmy Awards time and as it has become a tradition, I was asked to go to visit my NBC-LA friends as the Fashion and Museum Spokesperson for the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM--to give my "Nick Two Cents" on what I thought the "Red Carpet Trends for the Emmys 2012" would be before the actual Emmy Awards and then I returned the day after to give my Emmys Fashion Round Up.

Speaking of the Emmy Awards and Costumes and FIDM--just so you know--the winning designs for this year's Emmy Awards "Outstanding Costumes for a Series" was HBO's "Game of Thrones" (above photo) and yes...

They are featured at this year's "6th Annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design" Exhibition at FIDM Museum & Galleries. And don't forget, they are open (Tuesday through Saturday) until October 20th and best of all, it's FREE. Go check it out (if you haven't!).

Now, let's discuss my predictions: last Saturday prior to the Emmy Awards 2012 Live Telecast, I went on NBC-LA Channel 4 "Today in LA" weekend news program with anchors Ted Chen and Michelle Valles to discuss what I thought would be the Red Carpet Trends using gowns from my very own NIKOLAKI Collection. I mentioned "The High Low Hem":

 NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul "high-low hem" gowns

And that came true in various forms, including the black Zac Posen gown "Mad Men" actress January Jones wore:

I also talked about COLOR--particularly corals, reds, etc. being a possible big trend--and lo and behold, they were:

Left to right: (my example) NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul coral colored gown and Ginnifer Goodwin in a Monique Lhullier coral and nude gown (also High-Low Hem BTW!)

Finally, I told Ted and Michelle on NBC-LA "Today in LA" weekend show that full-on sequins would be a presence on Emmy Awards 2012 red carpet...and it was:

Left to right: (my example) NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul, and Sofia Vergara in Zuhair Murad all-over sequin gown

NBC-LA News Anchors Chuck Henry, Colleen Williams and Fashion Designer FIDM Spokesperson Nick Verreos

On Monday after the Emmy Awards, I had the pleasure of being invited back to the NBC-LA Burbank Studios to discuss my "Top Picks" and those styles that well, were great but "Needed Improvement!". For the NBC-LA Channel 4 5 o'clock News, I joined my FAVORITE Anchors Colleen Williams and Chuck Henry. In case you were wondering, my Best Dressed was...

Heidi Klum in seafoam green Alexandre Vauthier silk chiffon double-slit gown. Perfect Miss Heidi.

To finish off my NBC-LA appearances over the weekend, I also shot a fun TV segment with Ted Chen showing "How to Dress for Red Carpet Events" on less than $100, featuring looks from the wonderful FIDM Scholarship Store, located in Downtown LA, street level at FIDM LA Campus.

Gown Sale: FIDM Scholarship Store, Downtown L.A.

Fashionista Jewelry Options: FIDM Scholarship Store, Downtown L.A.

I was so excited to film a special TV segment with NBC-LA's Ted Chen showing how women can dress for their own "Red Carpet" events but not spend thousands and thousands of dollars. The FIDM Scholarship Store is great for that. It has LOTS and LOTS of gowns, cocktail dresses, for under $100 from BRAND name designers--that would work perfectly at events such as the Emmys.

Strapless Girls: Nick Verreos, with models (left to right) Zdenka Sutton, Amanda Fields and Etirsa--FIDM Scholarship Store

Joining me on the NBC-LA "Red Carpet Under $100" segment were three of my favorite models in Southern California including Amanda Fields, Etirsa, and Zdenka Sutton.

Gown Prom Dates: FIDM Spokesperson and Fashion Designer Nick Verreos and NBC-LA's Ted Chen join models Zdenka Sutton, Amanda Fields and Etirsa--FIDM Scholarship Store

We all had so much fun shooting the segment and hopefully (if you watched it), we were helpful in getting the message out there that you don't have to spend $50,000 to look Red Carpet Fab! 

NIKOLAKI Collection Minute: NIKOLAKI Gowns at Beverly Center Fashion's Night Out!

NIKOLAKI Collection Minute: NIKOLAKI Gowns at Beverly Center Fashion's Night Out!

Gown Fantastic:

Red Carpet at Fashion's Night Out 2012 Beverly Center: NIKOLAKI Couture gowns displayed at the FIDM Debut Designer Exhibition, Beverly Center  

Photo Courtesy of Brian Sanderson, FIDM Publications Photography

A little over two weeks ago was Fashion's Night Out all over the US--and the World, on September 6th. If you've been following my travails, travels and this blog, you may remember that on that date, I was in New York City celebrating Fashion's Night Out at the Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Flagship with hundreds of shoppers and "Project Runway" fans who came out to "hang out" with the Project Runway Designers--including moi, of course. I was also there to unveil the dress I designed for the first ever "Project Runway 10th Anniversary Dress Collection".

It was a blast of course, but all the way on the other side of the country--on the West Coast, my dresses were also been exhibited but without me unfortunately--at the exciting "FIDM Debut Designer Exhibition" at the Beverly Center.

Left to right: Lucy Hale, Lisa Love and Kendall Jenner, Fashion's Night Out 2012 Beverly Center Photo Courtesy of Andrew Furnevel Photography

The Beverly Center was the epicenter of LA's FNO events. The night was launched by Vogue West Coast Editor Lisa Love, actress and singer Lucy Hale and reality show lovely Kendall Jenner (of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians"). This happened on September 6 and then from Friday September 7th-Sunday September 9th, the Beverly Center had a special tableaux in the Center Court of Level 6, showing designs from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM Debut Designers.

 Photo Courtesy of Andrew Furnevel Photography

FIDM Debut is the Advanced Fashion design program of the college I attended and graduated from. I was a Debut student--back "in the day" (don't EVEN think about finding out the YEAR!)--and so my Alma Mater asked me if I could lend them some of my NIKOLAKI red carpet creations to be displayed as part of this three-day exhibition--alongside other Debut graduates (some of which I was their instructor!).

The Exhibition: FIDM Debut Designer Exhibition, Beverly Center Fashion's Night Out Weekend

Photo Courtesy of Brian Sanderson, FIDM Publications Photography

The other FIDM Debut Designers that were featured in the exhibition included Brenda Ahamad, Randy Lee Donato, Justin Green, Paul Hernandez, Michael Pinpin, Natalia Romano, Clay Sadler and Valentina Vardanyan. I never got to see the actual display since I was out of town and it came down before I returned to Los Angeles, but luckily, my "friends" at FIDM took these pics here.



Here are a couple more photos of the exhibition:

View from Above: FIDM Debut Designer Exhibition Beverly Center Fashion's Night Out 2012 Weekend

Photo Courtesy of Brian Sanderson, FIDM Publications Photography

FIDM Debut Tableaux: Gowns from FIDM Debut Graduates/Designers, Beverly Center Fashion's Night Out 2012 Weekend

 Photo Courtesy of Brian Sanderson, FIDM Publications Photography