Alisha Trimble Fall 2013

"Computer Love" was the theme of Alisha Trimble's NY Fashion Week presentation.  Alisha is a woman after my own heart. She is a media influencer/writer/designer with a background in merchandising from top department stores, (another multi-tasker like me).

She showed her Fall 2013 collection at the Underline gallery in the Meatpacking District.  She displayed sexy lingerie with the purpose of innerwear as outerwear. Crocheted fishnet sweaters topped cute printed bras and bottoms. Some sets had shirred sheer fabrics over lined solids.  Other tops were embroidered with witty phrases or poetry.

 "Computer Love" refers to the modern mating rituals of the digital age.  Singles are courting through their screens from the comfort of their own home.  Alisha's lingerie and their accessories were designed for the woman who wants to look seductive and comfortable when flirting over the internet.
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I still remember the achingly slow AOL chat rooms of the 1990's.  Back then, you only had wit and text to work with.  I can't even imagine what dating today with this kind of fashion arsenal can do for you...

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Community Oscar Party - Pop Chips Giveaway

 Who doesn't love getting dressed up and walking a red carpet?  I teamed up with the community at Hudson View Gardens to host an Academy Awards party.  It started as a small, local event but the planning team turned out to be the A-list of volunteers... We had a lighting designer from major event venues, an event/floral designer, a media company who brought in the step and repeat and red carpet.

Zico Coconut water, Pop Chips and Raw Revolution provided healthy, glamour-friendly treats for all of the guests.  Hudson View Gardens is an amazing community of creatives and professionals.  There are retired TV execs, composers, cinematographers, past awards winners of Coty Awards (fashion design awards before the CFDA), Pulitzer award winners, past Oscar nominees.  Guests at the party included Guests included several fashion peeps and also Ms. Fabulous contributors, Mdivani Monroe and Fab Ritzy. Our Hollywood connection was temporary neighbor Lance Guest. He starred in several films in the 1980's that I remember watching at birthday parties (The Last Starfighter, Halloween 2, Jaws The Revenge...)

I got to work in a little "tribute" to Mdivani, the former senior designer at St. John who worked on special projects and celebrities by posting an old advertisement of Angelina Jolie in his St. John gown as the women's bathroom sign.  He didn't appreciate it as I thought he would.

I wore a Byron Lars wool and sequin brocade dress with a little tulle shrug.  Other guests came in tuxedos, couture, or their Sunday street-style best, (they were my fashion peeps after all).

For food and drink, I have to say, it was rather difficult to come up with a nominated film-inspired menu. I couldn't exactly serve Raisin Bran (Silver Linings Playbook). Serving a "Skyfall" martini was a no-brainer.  I served up some Kool-Aid and asked guests to drink it (in tribute to the cult theme of "The Master"), but no one seemed to get that one. I did serve up some teddy bear decorated cupcakes labelled "Ted's Munchies" and blueberry pie tartlettes for "Life of PI", (Again, I don't think anyone got these references either).

 It was really fun to host a community event that bridges several generations to enjoy a common love of movies.  (It also doesn't hurt to put everyone's attention on a 20 foot screen in high definition.)

Here's the good part for YOU... Want your own swag?  Tell me your favorite Oscar moment or Academy Awards red carpet look in the comments below by March 15, 2013.  I'll pick one at random to win a One Month Supply of Katy Perry's Kettle Corn chips (the ones served at the party).  

Good luck!

Disclosure: Product was provided by Hello La Mode, Pop Chips, Zico, Raw Revolution for this event.

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Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity

A new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened yesterday that features a beautiful mix of artwork, period costume and photographs. Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity is a comprehensive study of the role fashion played in impressionist artist's depiction of modern life.

The mid to late 1880's marked the debut of the department store and ready-to-wear.  Fashion magazines were also becoming more and more popular.  Stylish society wanted to show off and be documented as trendsetters.  The museum shows iconic pieces from fine artists like Monet's Luncheon in the Grass and  Renoir's The Loge.  These are artists that I had always appreciated for impressionism, but I never thought of them in a 'fashion' context.  Seeing this exhibit, I realized (just like today) the depiction of people in the most current fashions was one of the most effective ways to demonstrate the modernity of the times.  

I am a new fan of portraitist James Tissot whose work depicting society clients resulted in gorgeous paintings of daily life (of the rich).  

As for the fashion in the exhibit, they were broken down into rooms depicting airy white dresses, or mourning dresses in black of elaborate lace.  Soutache embroidery was popular at a time, menswear, corsets, accessories.  Elaborate dresses worn in the evening like premier couturiers, Charles Worth were also displayed.  

This is one of the best exhibits that truly show blend the mix of fine art and fashion together and one you need to check out!  Exhibit ends May 27, 2013.

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Be My Sweetheart: I Heart Nail Art Contest

February is the month of sweethearts!  Whether that is between you and a partner, yourself or your makeup bag... I was asked to create a nail art look for this romantic theme, so I called upon my art school skills to devise a design in miniature.  I chose to use a trio of my favorite colors and pair it with a heart-print Tory Burch dress and spent an afternoon with my girlfriends.

Sally Hansen provided a terrific nail art kit for my palette.  I used a base of Insta-Dri Cinna-snap for a deep oxblood color as my canvas. I used their Nail Art Pens in hot pink and black to create sweet little heart-shaped flowers as my artwork.

To create the look, I first painted my nails with the Cinna-Snap.  The nail polish really does dry in about a minute (yes!).  Then I used the hot pink nail art pen in a small 'V' motion, using the wet tip to slowly fill in the V-shape until it looked like a heart.

For my pinky, I use the hot pink pen to draw an outline of a heart at the tip for something different.

Using the black nail art pen, I drew the stems of the heart flowers to the edge of the nail.  For the pinky, I filled in around the hot pink heart outline to highlight the heart tip.

The beauty of this design is you certainly don't need an art school background to do it.  It is simple enough to do with your left or right hand.  Hearts don't have to be perfect and the stems can be squiggly and look organic.

Are you ready to get creative?  If you are an artiste of the manicure genre, you could win $2000 and be appointed Sally Hansen's brand ambassador.  You just need to share photos of YOUR nail art on their Facebook page, or via Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #iheartnailart. 

Feel the love!

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or Use The Hashtag #iheartnailart on Twitter or Instagram to Share your Looks.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Sally Hansen via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Sally Hansen.

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Favorite Looks from the Oscars

Academy Awards red carpet! For many, the trophies are irrelevant as long as you win here... Here is my round-up of my favorite Oscars fashion.  As always, I start with the most beautifully embellished gowns.  Catherine Zeta-Jones wore Zuhair Murad, who keeps designing strategically laid out beading that really flaunts a woman's curves.  Louis Roe wore one my favorite Monique Lhuillier gowns from the runway.  Zoe Saldana's 3D embellished bodice, I already loved when she presented at the podium, but when the camera panned away and I saw the ombre layered train of her Alexis Mabile dress, I was truly smitten.

Designers dressing for Hollywood often seem to be stymied by curves.  Here are three women who rocked it with their designers anyway.  Oscar-winning Adele looked beautiful in her beaded Jenny Packham.  Jennifer Hudson, with a lot less of her since her previous Academy Awards appearance, wore a sequin embroidered gown by Roberto Cavalli.  Channing Tatum's wife Jenna Dewan brought a whole new level of mommy-chic in an embellished lace gown by Rachel Roy.

I love this severe gold beaded collar on Salma Hayek's Alexander McQueen gown.  Not a fan of Kristen Stewart's red carpet looks generally, but the almost bride-like beaded tulle embellishments of her Reem Acra gown were very pretty.  Nicole Kidman looked like a an evil villainess diva (in a good way) in a sequinned, embroidered L'Wren Scott down.  Sandra Bullock is rockin' it in beaded Elie Saab. 

OK, Amy Adams in Oscar de la Renta and Jennifer Lawrence in Dior were just FABULOUS in their over-the-top giant gowns.  Yes, they have no beading, I just have a regressive fantasy about enormous princess gowns.  I even fell more in with J-Law when she fell on her way to receiving her Academy Award, showing us the realities of what wearing a gown that size can do... Even more love for her post-Oscar interview...

Images:: Jason Merritt/Getty Images North America

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Design Contests: Modcloth and Designer for Tomorrow

ModCloth:
Love Modcloth's retro/hipster look?  How would you like to win $500 and have your design produced for them with your name on the label?

Enter their Make the Cut Contest by submitting a sketch by February 25, 2013 based on the rainbow fabric swatch above and their team of stylists will choose the 20 best to be voted on from their Facebook page.  Click here for full details. 


Designer for Tomorrow:
European designers! Want a solo show at Berlin Fashion Week?  How does a full sponsorship that includes a design studio, production of your collecion and more sound?  If you are a recent fashion grad in Europe, enter the Designer for Tomorrow competition before  February 28, 2013.  The awards are hosted by Marc Jacobs.  Judges include editors from Vogue, WWD and InStyle Magazine.  
Click here for more information.

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Joanna Mastroianni Fall 2013

Strong, brave women for the future.  Designer Joanna Mastroianni was inspired by the 1968 cult movie Barbarella for her fall 2013 collection.  Mdivani Monroe and I had the privilege of interviewing Joanna at her studio yesterday to talk about her design process for this season.

She started with metallic fabrics as a nod to the sci-fi theme of the film, and chose soft, liquid fabrics, then moved onto jewel tones.  As much as I enjoyed the show, seeing the pieces up close was even more impressive.  Joanna designs from the smallest detail, like a hand beaded embellishment.  She then gets bigger, works with the fabric and calls upon her background in pattern-making to craft a beautifully fitted dress.  Her process is rare in today's fashion industry, especially in the American market.  

Her pieces are worn by the most fashionable celebs today like Sarah Jessica Parker and Christina Ricci.  However, Joanna finds her muses in iconic women who have made their mark throughout the decades, like Iris Apfel and Lillian Bassman.  It just goes to show you that fantastic style will always be timeless...

Mdivani Monroe, our fantastic video producer interviews Ms. Mastroianni at her design studio discuss how she developed this season's collection: 

See photos of the full collection here.

photos by Mariana Leung

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Theia Fall 2013

Don O'Neill's Fall 2013 collection was inspired by opulence, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Belle Du Jour.  The elegant, coquettish chic that cinema stars like Catherine Deneuve and Audrey Hepburn was translated into pretty day dresses and luxurious gowns.

 Always a realist, gowns had stretch panels for super flattering fit.  There were some beautiful embroideries and richly colored floral prints.  If pre-meditated embellishment is not your thing, Theia was also behind the amazing silver silk gown that Carrie Underwood wore at the Grammy's.  Animated patterns were projected all over the skirt for one of the most memorable fashion moments in Grammy history...  

Collections images Mariana Leung, Carrie Underwood images Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com; Kevork Djansezian/Getty

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Byron Lars Fall 2013

 I have made no secret that Byron is one of my all time favorite designers.  This Fall 2013 collection left me drooling and upset that I would not be able to get my hands on it for my closet for another few months.

Byron was inspired by his fabrics this season, many that he developed himself over the past few seasons.  There was a gorgeous leather-like laminated lace fabric that was made into a fitted dress and sexy jacket.  There were fabric fused neoprene outfits in super bright colors as well as faux leather paillette pieces.  Animal lovers, you will be happy to learn that no actual animal skins were used in this collection.

Byron's clothes look fantastic on ladies with curves as they are seamed, pieced and fitted for the shape of the ultra feminine body.  These are not clothes for the wallflower... They make every woman a diva!

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Zang Toi Fall 2013

The glamour of Imperial Russia was Zang Toi's muse for Fall 2013.  Think Anna Karenina, Princess Anastasia, opulent czarinas... The most luxurious fabrics were used, like silk velvet, fox fur, shearling or Loro Piana cashmere.  Jeweled embroidery embellished the borders of dresses and shawls.  Even a basic tee is given the luxe treatment with hand beading.    Zang had always wanted to visit the Soviet Union, and finally got his chance last Thanksgiving.  He fell in love with Peterhof palace and patterns in his fabrics were inspired by the various rooms.  A cocoon-like coat at the beginning of the show was a tribute to the Faberge egg.

Zang Toi is adored by his guests, celebrities, his staff and even the grumpy photo pit.  Why?  He has the rare ability to make everyone around him feel like royalty.  His fashion collection does that every season, while reaching for inspiration from all over the globe.    This show has always been a highlight for everyone going to Mercedes-Benz fashion week and this one was no exception!

Click for the full collection: 

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Carolina Herrera Fall 2013

She's the Duchess of NY Fashion Week.  Carolina Herrera brings elegance and luxury to the prestige set.  Her Fall 2013 collection brought many shades of grey, brown, red and blue to the runway.  Fur wraps and impeccably tailored jackets enveloped ladies who were destined to lunch.  

Beautifully rendered daywear evolved into long, more colorful gowns perfect for the next charity gala.  The shoe of choice was clearly a two-toned strappy sandal in multiple colors to match the clothes.  I can't imagine a misstep in this collection, which screams American class.  

Click to see the full collection:

photos by David TW Leung

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Catherine Malandrino Fall 2013

It takes a damn good designer to pull me out of the comfort of Lincoln Center tents and drag me downtown in the cold.  Catherine Malandrino's Fall 2013 collection was presented in a gallery in the far west side of Chelsea on a frigid Sunday.  

 The collection was inspired by the French Art Deco line of Ruhlmann. If I walked into a wardrobe with nothing more than her clothes, I would want for nothing.  The dark palette for fall fits the city lifestyle perfectly.  There are no basic garments, as geometric embellishments, draped details and flattering cuts made each look shop-worthy.

There weren't a lot of handbags, but the totes on hand were textured and decorated to fit in with the collection.  No dainty clutches here.  A modern woman needs a bag that carries everything her lifestyle demands... Phone, notepad, iPad, makeup, water, umbrella...

See the full collection here.

photos by Mariana Leung

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NY FASHION WEEK: Mara Hoffman Fall 2013

I love a designer who stays true to her spirit animal... Mara Hoffman had her signature prints with a tribal touch for Fall 2013.  Instead of a dark and somber palette that her colleagues liked to use this season, she threw in tons of neon pop color.  I guess she decided the frigid weather of NYC was not going to dictate her palette.

  Fall 2013 was inspired by "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves".  She imagined a caravan of mystics with prints containing a kaleidoscope of elephants and peacocks.  Embroidered motifs were features with leopard beading trickster motifs.  

 Mara Hoffman manages to strike the perfect balance between West Coast cool casual and urban sophistication.  The boots on the runway were a perfect example.  They had a vague cowboy boot silhouette, but the cosmopolitan metallic cap toe details for city streets.  

Click here for the full collection:

photos by David TW Leung

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NY FASHION WEEK: Anna Sui Fall 2013

Why do the models of an Anna Sui fashion show always look like they walked out of a Wes Anderson movie?  It's that quirky, bohemian chic.  This season, Ms. Sui seems to run out of NYC flea markets and shopped at the Paris ones.  The soundtrack to the show was 1960's inspired French pop.

The mixed geometric patterns and crafty-looking knits looked adorable.  The palette of coordinating brights and more subdued shades worked really well. While I often think much of Anna Sui's collections are immature, I grudgingly admit I would love to wear a lot of the looks on this season's runway. Perhaps I'm regressing. 

The over sized cross pendant necklace was the jewelry of choice.  The boxy handbags looked like the purses of my grandmother, except with a modern update of colorful fabrics.  Shoes had the same crafty look with a mix of coordinating colors that worked back to the clothing ensembles.

Until I become queen of my own Moonrise Kingdom, I'll be content with shopping off this runway...

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