Nick Appearance Minute: My Recap of Fashion's Night Out at Lord & Taylor in NYC!!

Nick Appearance Minute: My Recap of Fashion's Night Out at Lord & Taylor in NYC!!

FNO Fab!

XOXO, Nick Verreos: Nick Verreos signing autographs at Lord & taylor's Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

Last week, as you may know, I was in NYC for various Project Runway/NY Fashion Week/Fashion's Night Out (FNO) events, activities and parties. In one of my recent posts here on my nickverreos.com blog, I gave a fun (or at least I thought it was fun!) RECAP of the Project Runway 10th Anniversary Party at Lord & Taylor to celebrate ten seasons (Oh Lord, I feel like a Project Runway Grandpa!) of the show. It was a very VIP event and a great Reunion of past contestants/designers---but without the DRAMA and stress of those sometimes not-so-nice televised Project Runway Reunions (Yeay!).

Make It Work FNO: Lord & Taylor Fashion's Night Out Celebrates Project Runway 10th Anniversary

The following evening on Fashion's Night Out Thursday, I was invited by the Weinstein Company--Co-Producers of Project Runway--to be part of the Lord & Taylor Fashion's Night Out Project Runway event.

Nick Verreos with Lord & Taylor President Bonnie Brooks--Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

The store was having many, many different events and celebrities that night--including the one-and-only Miss Kim Kardashian who was there autographing her new fragrance, as well as my new best friend, Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi, who was doing a Meet-and-Greet autograph session for her new activewear line.

The Dress Address: Project Runway 10th Anniversary Dress Collection at Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Flagship

So, in addition to all that, Lord & Taylor thought it would be fun to have it's FNO shoppers get to meet various Project Runway Designers and SHOP the exclusive ten-piece Project Runway Dress Collection--one of which included MY fabulous design (Hello!!).

Nick Verreos Dress design for the Project Runway Dress Collection at Lord & Taylor

Since my dress was a cobalt blue color, I also decided to give COLOR, in terms of my outfit for the night bringing out my favorite (and only) teal blue blazer, striped bow tie and purple pocket handkerchief.



The Event:

I'm a Big Fan: Nick Verreos--Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

From the very moment I stepped into the 2nd floor--where the Project Runway FNO event was happening--it was a sea of people--all fans of Project Runway--lots of young girls, their mommies (love the mommies!), fashionista boys, and anything in between! It was just THE CUTEST!! So many people---kept coming up to me "OMG! You were my FAVORITE...I really LOVED your Barbie dress!" and so on...it was very endearing to say the least.

Oooh I see a Crown: Nick Verreos spots a beauty pageant fan in the audience--Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

For the next four + hours, I NEVER stopped posing for photos, signing t-shirts, bags...it was madness...and I LOVED IT! I was schvitzing (as you can imagine) and at one point, I had my own personal forehead wiper--this lovely Project Runway fan (a mommie, of course) who made sure I was "semi-matte" throughout it all. Thank you darling!

Queen For a Day: Nick Verreos with "Jr. Teen Miss New York American Coed" --she was SOOOO CUTE!!! She even pretended to crown me! I'm sure there are photos or video of that somewhere...Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

Season 10 Designers Get all Arts and Crafty at Lord & Taylor:

Markers + T-shirts = Make It Work: Nathan Paul and Alicia Hardesty (foreground) --designers/contestants of Season 10 Project Runway creating original t-shirts for Fashion's Night Out 2012 customers at Lord & Taylor

While I was on the 2nd floor spending many hours taking photos, signing autographs and DISHING on Project Runway with fans...this season's designers were on another floor of the expansive Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Flagship, creating original t-shirts for the FNO customers. My NIKOLAKI design partner--David Paul--was kind enough to take a break from taking pics of me--to go see what else was happening and got some fun shots:

What Would You Like Me To Draw: (Left to right) Lantie Foster, Alicia Hardesty and Nathan Paul, designers/contestants of Season 10 Project Runway making original t-shirts for the Lord & Taylor Fashion's Night Out 2012 crowd

Fuzzy T: Season 10 designer/contestant Kooan Kosuke--Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

Now, back to the 2nd Floor and some fun Project Runway Alumn Photos:

Alumn Party: (Left to right) Nick Verreos, Uli Hezner (Season 3 Finalist), Mondo
Guerra (Season 8 Finalist, Season 1 All Stars Winner), Gordana
Gehlhausen (Season 6), and Valerie Mayen (Season 8)--Lord & Taylor
Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012event

Black vs. Prints: Nick Verreos with (Left to right) Bert Keeter (Season 9) and Gordana Gehlhausen (Season 6 and Season 1 All Stars)--Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

Season 2 Divas: Nick Verreos with Season 2 Winner--the WONDERFUL Chloe Dao: It was so much fun to see Miss Chloe. I just LOVE her--Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

 

Fifth Avenue Sidewalk Posing: Project Runway Season 2 Winner Chloe Dao and Nick Verreos

Because I just couldn't get enough of her, after the Lord & Taylor FNO event, we actually went to Pastis Restaurant in the Meatpacking District and had cocktails and a very very delicious dinner!

Bedazzled: Nick Verreos with JS Collections/JS Group Designer Henry Picado (in charge of our "Project Runway Dress Collection", to my right) with his design team, stylist and beautiful fit model (far left)--Lord & Taylor Project Runway Fashion's Night Out 2012 event

Oh and Look!! An FNO customer (yes, another Project Runway fan/mommie!) actually put on my 10th Anniversary Project Runway Collection Dress and modeled it:

Mykonos Blue Diva: Nick Verreos with customer wearing his"Nick Verreos Dress Design" from the Project Runway 10th Anniversary Dress Collection--available exclusively at Lord & Taylor

Family Chic: My NIKOLAKI design--and life partner--David Paul and I invited his half-sister--Andrea Paul (who happens to live in NYC and attend NYU) to come and enjoy the Lord & Tayor Fashion's Night Out festivities and support my appearance--Needless to say she had a BLAST! We were very happy to see her (and she looked so cute in her chic and very Marc Jacobs Spring 2013 pixie hair cut and styling!).



It was a fun Project Runway Fashion's Night Out event and I was happy to be part of it and more importantly--very happy to have met each and every on of the mommies, gorgeous girls and fab fashionista boys--who took the time to come to the 2nd Floor and get a little piece of "Project Runway". Just the fact that you even wanted to take a pic with me...well, "done and done" as they say. Thank You!!!

How to dress like Olivia Palermo:

How to dress like Olivia Palermo:

 Olive and Black

A very common color combination that Olivia relies on is olive green and black together. Olive green is a subtle incorporation of the recent military trend and acts as a hue that compliments black but still adds depth. Where as black and red or black and blue are common color combinations, olive and black is a more understated trend. Olivia uses these colors to create a neutral yet polished look. To dress like Olivia, finding a good pair of olive green skinnies or a top to wear with the black pieces you already own would be a great start.

 Vests with the Fur

I am not one to promote the abuse of animals, but fur seems to be a large component of Olivia's style. She has an assortment of fur vests that she throws on to elevate her outfit and add an element of luxury to her look. The fur also gives her looks texture and draw in visual interest. The vest becomes the focal point so she keeps the rest of the outfit simple. Finding a vintage fur vest would be a perfect step in Olivia's style direction. And there are plenty of faux fur alternatives to achieve the same level of chic without harming animals.

 Katherine Hepburn

In a world dominated by in-your-face sexuality, its a breath of fresh air to see well covered, yet still chic looks like these. Olivia opts for the subtle sensuality of Katherine Hepburn's menswear inspired style. Like the fashion icon herself, Olivia wears wide legged trousers and loose blousy tops with understated polished ease. Its all about oversized pieces that are tailored to hang perfectly. To try this look for yourself, I would recommend finding a quality vintage woman's suit and getting it taken in to fit your body perfectly.

 Little Black Dress

This classic standby cannot be ignored. Olivia knows the power of a versatile piece like the LBD. She knows she can rely on a simple black frock with a few special accessories to look ready for any occasion. Olivia tends to opt for black dresses with short hemlines to show off her thin legs and long sleeves to balance out and cover up on top. She also seeks out LBDs with a little something different such as a leather texture or sequin panels. To take a cue from Olivia find that black dress you've always relied on and think of a few new different ways you can style it.

 Black Tie Event

When men dress up for a special occasion they can always rely on a classic black tuxedo to look sharp and pulled together. Olivia often takes a cue from them and dresses up in tux inspired outfits that look chic and timeless. She takes a feminine twist on the classic suit by wearing black leather skinnies, a girly lace or sequined top underneath, and throwing in some quirky accessories such as a leopard print clutch or heeled duck boots. If you want to immolate this look, be sure to get well tailored pieces that show off your feminine shape and don't overwhelm your frame. Also look for menswear inspired pieces with girly details such as a satin trimmed lapel or dainty buttons.

  Not-Quite-Neutral

Olivia also has a thing about wearing uncommon colors such as mustard yellow, musky beige, or tangerine orange. She wears these shades as if they are neutrals even though they create a unexpected pop of color. Colors such as these seem unappealing or aged when on the hanger, but Olivia wears them in a way that is youthful and fresh. Olivia makes sure to wear these colors in sleek cuts and modern silhouettes. Picking up a frock in a quirky color like these would be a great way to incorporate a little of Olivia's style into your look.

 Bold and Lavish Jewelry

Olivia tends to wear striking, luxurious jewelry. Her fingers always have huge gold rings in elaborate shapes and intricate textures. She frequently has a several detailed gold bangles on her wrists and sometimes wears a gilded gold watch that has a gold face in it. She never wears necklaces unless it is a large statement piece. To start a jewelry collection like Olivia's scour flea markets for quality one of a kind antique rings and bracelets. Invest in a gold watch that will bring an element of style to an everyday look. Skip the dainty chain and pendant necklaces and grab a few bold giant pieces from Forever 21.

Timeless Bags With a Twist

The fashion world can be very focused on status bags and Olivia knows this. She chooses to avoid the obvious trendy labels and instead leans towards classic shapes. The bags she carries always have a lot of structure. She tends to avoid large slouchy types. Because the shape of her bags are so simple, she adds in a little flair by carrying versions in interesting textures. To start dressing like Olivia, grab a simple bag or clutch in a leopard print or croc texture.

Natural Make-up and Healthy Hair

Because Olivia is a fashion risk taker, she keeps her make up as simple and understated. To keep her make up as neutral as possible, she sticks to thin sheer foundation, matte eyeshadows in browns and beiges, coral blush, and creamy natural pink lipstick. To imitate Olivia's look I would advise avoiding cakey concealers or foundations, colored metallic eyeshadows, and any lipstick more than 2 shades deeper than your natural lip color. When applying eye make up, use pencil eye liner to trace the top lash line only, be sure to curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and apply the best thickening volume mascara you can find.

As for Olivia's hair, she's moved past her long blonde typical california girl highlights and now works a much more mature and chic middle-parted brunette just-below-the-shoulder length cut. Her hair has a very multidimensional shade to it and lots of glossy shine. To get hair like her's keep your hair routine light on the products and less on the hot tools. Always rinse your hair with cold water at every wash to seal the strands and use a leave in hair gloss treatment every few weeks. This will help keep your hair's natural shine.

Break All the Rules

I know that this is rather contradictory to have a final rule like this, but fashion is all about pushing the limits. Olivia is always on the cutting edge of fashion and is fearless in the face of daring styles. Be a trend setter, not a trend follower. Most people would think that a purple leopard print dress with a large brown leopard print belt would look like a ridiculous leopard print over-kill. But Olivia makes it work by keeping the accessories simple, the cut of the dress minimal, and wearing it with full confidence. I know my style guides are all about imitating a specific fashionista's look, but to really take after Olivia, you have to branch out and wear whatever the hell you feel like wearing. Be fearless!

To help illustrate a few ways to put together an outfit inspired by Olivia Palermo, I've created a few looks here using the tips that I have mentioned.

VIA :Visual Basic

Miss Universe Ximena Navarette wears Louis Vuitton Spring 2011 to FIFA World Cup Draw in Mexico City

Miss Universe Ximena Navarette wears Louis Vuitton Spring 2011 to FIFA World Cup Draw in Mexico City

High Fashion Universe...

Ximena Vuitton: Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarette in Louis Vuitton Spring 2011

A couple of weeks ago, the beautiful Ximena (or Jimena in some circles) Navarette, the current Miss Universe (from Mexico), traveled to her home country to announce the FIFA U-17 World Cup Draw at the Sala Nezahualcoyotl (that's a mouthful darlings!) in Mexico City. For this special appearance, Ximena wore not Tadashi , and not Sherri Hill (the official Miss Universe sponsor), but...(wait for it), Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs! She even tweeted about it, thanking the Louis Vuitton Mexico City Boutique for the dress (borrowed, I am assuming).

The cotton printed dress--Look # 26 (above photo)--was from the Louis Vuitton Spring 2011 Collection, retailing for thousands. I think it's great when you see a Miss Universe--or any beauty pageant contestant--for that matter-- wearing actual FASHION!! With a Capital "F".

She Smiles: Ximena Navarette, Miss Universe 2010, FIFA U-17 World Cup Draw Mexico City

The dress itself featured a very PLUNGING neckline, shoulder-covering details and it's length--a very NOW, below-the-knee--or "tea-Length" as they say.

Pretty With The Suits: Ximena Navarette Miss Universe 2010, FIFA World Cup Draw Mexico City

I also love that she wore the same shoes as on the runway model. Very Good Ximena--or maybe it was the Louis Vuitton Mexico Style Team. I'm sure they were the ones who were like "Um, Ximena, you're going to wear this with this...no questions asked...". It's good to listen to the professionals darling...
Felicitaciones!

Americans in Paris...VOUELLE

Americans in Paris...VOUELLE

Just as a wedding begins a union of 2 people, a wedding was also the reason that these 2 expats met and began a shoe business known as VOUELLE. Melissa Regan (de Vogele) and Michelle Boor teamed up in Paris after the former had a miserable experience with the selection and ultimate decision of wedding shoes. Besides the dress, well maybe and the groom, shoes remain an essential and integral part of one’s wedding day.

Well, that was 2008, and within the 2 short years of being in business, these 2 have created the burgeoning brand (VOUELLE) which is already available at 66 in Paris, Galleries Lafayette, The Wynn in Las Vegas and Harvey Nich’s as Edina from Absolutely Fabulous would say. The look of the shoes might echo better known brands such as Roger Vivier, Walter Steiger and even Jimmy Choo, but these are not “me too” styles, these are exclusively designed for and by VOUELLE. One can only draw the references when they are all shown together in a shoe salon. VOUELLE is in good company with these prestige brands and the handmade VOUELLE shoes are a welcomed addition to the couture shoe market as these existing brands shoes tend to be far more costly and seem to be on every foot as if they were from H & M.

Quality will always reign supreme, no matter what business one owns, when you cater to the top tier of international retailers. To assure the high standard, these ladies were fortunate enough to enlist the help of Alain Mancini, who is heir to shoe royalty, Rene Mancini. In shoe terms, he is “an old shoe dog” if there ever was one and I am not referring to age.

Please make sure that you visit the website www.vouelle.com as well as on Facebook and have a tease of the beauty and COMFORT that is available…..without giving up one ounce of fashion glamour.

Don’t forget to look for me on Facebook as well as The Examiner

Viva V-MODA

Viva V-MODA

There is an interesting partnership that is made up of a fashion designer and a music producer/performer, and together they have forged a company that yields merchandise as varied as ear pods and dresses. The common thread is music.

Val Kolton is the musical half of the duo who has devoted himself to the brand and its varied products while Terri King has dressed everyone from the Rolling Stones to Nine Inch Nails. Both bring their rock mentality to the products and both provide an undeniably distinctive look, whether it is a hat, ear buds or dress.

The apparel collection which is for both for men and women suggests that rocker look without being too over the top, meaning you don’t have to be a rocker to look like one. The men’s collection is punctuated with wonderful white shirts and T shirts worn on their own or with terrifically fitted jackets with zap details as well as an exaggerated fit. The ladies scream sexy by what the clothes suggest and not reveal – leather inserts, slash details and corsetry work in dresses and tops. Make no mistake that these clothes draw attention to their owners and certainly turn you into the rocker you are or the rocker you ‘wannabe.”

A word of thanks to MAO pr for allowing me to make use of their clients for these columns and do not forget to catch the entire V-MODA look and philosophy on their web site V-MODA.com and as always you can keep up with me on Facebook