Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala Red Carpet: The Models!!

Posin' Pros...

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Burberry: Victoria's Secret Supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (how much do we just LOVE that "Upper Class"-sounding name of hers?? I have a feeling she didn't grown up in the "Projects" my dear!). She looks radiant, even if a bit wrinkled in this Burberry gown. PS: This is Burberry? Didn't know they were into silk charmeuse! And PPS: That IS a SLIT kids!

Red Bombshell: Brazilian Supermodel Gisele Bundchen in Alexander McQueen. OK, B**ches: SIT DOWN, the Queen has arrived! If I was a girl standing within ten feet of her, I would have run for cover. Trust me ladies, you would not want to be competing with this. How do you say "fabulous" in Portuguese?

Crystal Renn in Zac Posen: Pardon me for asking but, SHE'S supposed to be FULL FIGURED???? She looks like a Runway Size 2 to me. What happened to all the "I want to be the Poster Child for 'Real Women with Curves' stuff"? You can read more about the controversy HERE. Oh well, she still looks SAVAGE in this black silk taffeta Zac Posen . Loving that hair too! One word: WORK!!!!

Valentino with model Natalia Vodianova in Valentino: Pretty and Regal. Her hair and make-up (especially the EYES!) are on-point. Love the red clutch. Yes, Valentino is a bit orange, but hey it is VALENTINO! He gets a pass.

Miranda Kerr in Marchesa: Who got in a fight at a Mexican Girl's Quinceañera? Miranda Kerr did. I know that I have said this before "Models can get away with wearing (Almost) anything!!!" Well: Exhibit A of "Almost" above.

Karolina Kurkova in Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Spring 2011. Question: Is she wearing Guipure Lace Pants?

Answer: Yes. Here's the gown--and matching pants from Gaultier's Spring 2011 "Can Can Couture" Collection (above). It kinda works on me! Let's just be happy she didn't add that feathered headdress (or maybe she should have!).

Elettra Wiedemann in Prabal Gurung. Elettra--in case you didn't know--is Isabella Rossellini's daughter, she's a model, darlings. And wow, is she gorgeous! Not so much for the dress. It's a RUCHED mess if you ask me. I love me some Prabal Gurung; he's one of the most talented US Designers and in Miss Anna Wintour's "Little Black Book" of Faves. But this was a bit of a miss.

Joan Smalls in Tom Ford. Three words: At A Girl. And two more: Slinky and smoldering.

Jessica Stam in Tommy Hilfiger: Next. She's going to the Met Gala not a High School Dance in 1953. I hope she didn't actually pay someone to do her hair that night...Just sayin'.

Hillary Rhoda in Alexander McQueen: Edwardian Dandy Meets Equestrian Diva. I bet she probably could ride a horse in that! Or go Fox Hunting!

Coco Rocha in Alexander McQueen: This has the right amount of "Valley of The Dolls" element (the chiffon gown, the updo hairstyle) which makes me want to be pool side in some fab home in Bel Air in 1967 drinking Martinis and popping pills! Love it.

Chanel Iman in Dolce & Gabbana: Can you say Michelle Obama, size 00?? Prim, proper, almost "Diplomatic". The perfect white lace sheath dress. Chanel looks radiant.

And Last But (Certainly) NOT Least...Miss Naomi Campbell:

In Alexander McQueen. I'm sure up close this gown is a Piece of Work and incredible in fact. And I'm sure on the runway, those layers and layers of sliced chiffon did their magic. But on Naomi, she just looked like a Grecian Goddess Statue...who got stuck in a tornado, unfortunately. On a Positive Note: The hair reminds me of my Mom, Raquel in Caracas Venezuela circa 1975 at the "County Club".

Arizona Muse: NY Fashion Week Fall 2011 Model of The Moment!!

Arizona Madness!

Arizona Muse, YSL Campaign

As I was perusing all the NY Fashion Week fall 2011 Collections--via photos and runway videos--I couldn't help but notice that Model Arizona Muse opened just about EVERY OTHER SHOW!!! I know she was THE model of the moment--or just about, but also seems to be the "IT" runway girl! She opened for:

Derek Lam

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti

Carolina Herrera

And J. Mendel...among others

Girl was making her money this past week walking for all them shows! And the best part about it is that she can actually walk! Sometimes, those FABULOUS editorial girls "ain't so fabulous" when they step out onto the runway.

Arizona Muse, UK Vogue, February 2011

This used to be the norm back in the 90's and early 21st century but now, these models do Double Duty (editorial & catwalk) and do both well! Congrats to Miss Arizona--I, for one, am a big fan! Maybe one of these days she can model for my NIKOLAKI Collections...Now, get on that transatlantic flight and head over to Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks darling!

Donatella Versace on The View's Fashion Friday!!

La Diva Donatella

This morning on ABC's "The View" (I'm sick with a BAD head cold so I was at home watching!), I tuned in and guess who appeared before my eyes: La Diva Donatella!

It was "Fashion Friday" (the show is actually taped on Wednesdays, I hear), a segment where every Fridays The View's fabulous ladies "introduce" a Fashion Designer to America, and for today's segment it was none other than Miss Donatella Versace. She looked bellisima in a conservative (for her!) black sheath dress and sky-high nude stiletto pumps.

She showed four of her favorite looks from her Fall 2010 Collection:

This royal blue and black wool coat with leather accents, leather skinny pants and patent leather purse...

This orange wool and fur mini A-line coat-dress...

This turquoise silk georgette and mirror-leather detailed gown...

Donatella and the House of Versace PR Office pulled out all the stops for this brief 5 minute segment: She did not just get four models from a local NYC agency, she had four of the TOP TOP Models of the moment, all done perfectly in runway-ready make-up and perfectly center-parted straightened hair. You KNOW that all cost a pretty penny! And Donatella paid for all of it for sure. One of the models at "The View" was in fact 16 year old Wichita Kansas-native Lindsey Wixson, who is Donatella's current fave and a MAJAH model of the Moment. Lindsey wore this:

Silver chain-and-leather strapless mini-dress

All in all, Donatella was very charming and quite funny, especially when "The View's" co-host Sherri Shepherd asked her what she though of Maya Rudolph's HILARIOUS Homage to her on Saturday Night Live...Donatella revealed that she once called Maya and, "I gave her some suggestions on how to do me better. Because I told her, I don't drink. Take off that jewelry because it is too fake, I only wear real. And I don't tell people to "Get Out" I have other people do that. " LOVE HER!!!

Click Below to Watch Donatella on "The View" commenting on Maya Rudolph's Uncanny Impression:

Also, click below for Donatella and the House of Versace being featured in one of my most favorite shows on the Sundance Channel. The series is called The Day Before and the show follows designers such as Versace, DVF and Alexander Wang 24 hours prior to their Fashion Show. It is not to be missed for all Fashionistas!!

Miss Universes Brook Lee and Justine Pasek at NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Runway Show at Style Week Orange County...and more!!!

Crowning Couture...

Muses and Designers: Justine Pasek, Miss Universe 2001, Nick Verreos, Rita Verreos, David Paul and Brook Lee, Miss Universe 1997, Style Week OC, NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Fashion Show

As promised...I have more photos from our fabulous debut NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Runway Show at Style Week Orange County. In the previous post, I highlighted photos from the collection. Now, it's all about my special guests and some "Backstage Photos" including close-ups of the Make-Up and Hair plus trying to capture the madness of it all....

Our Hawaiian Beauty: NIKOLAKI Designers David Paul and Nick Verroes share the runway stage with Brook Lee, Miss Universe 1997 in NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Silk Zibeline strapless cocktail dress

David Paul (my NIKOLAKI Co-Designer and partner-in-crime) and I were ECSTATIC when we found out that two of the most GORGEOUS women in the Universe were attending our show: Brook Lee Miss Universe 1997 (and the last Miss USA to get that crown kiddies!) and just-as-beautiful from Panama, Justine Pasek, Miss Universe 2002. Brook wore one of our NIKOLAKI silk Zibeline pleated cascade cocktail dresses just for the occasion.

Sister Love: David Paul and Nick Verreos pose with Rita Verreos--in NIKOLAKI black & white printed plunging neckline dress, Style Week Orange County NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Runway Show

My mother is originally from Panama so she was SO excited to meet the gorgeous Justine Pasek. I was more than happy to see them--as well as my mom, and my sister, Rita Verreos and my niece Casia, who all flew from San Antonio Texas just for our show! Also, it was great to see David's entire family who drive up from San Diego just for the show. Speaking of beauty queens, my sister was a former Miss Venezuela 1988 Contestant and a contestant on Survivor: Fiji. Yep, she can eat bugs AND can do that "pageant pose"...

Backstage DISH:

Our exciting NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Fashion Show, as you may know, took place at the Irvine Spectrum Center, with the gorgeous Ferris Wheel as a backdrop (above). And like with every fashion show, the real exciting stuff is all backstage!

Model Holly Ridings showing the make-up for NIKOLAKI Spring 2011

We asked the Make-Up Artists to give DRAMA: Strong eyes, light pink lips; very Robert Palmer Girls thank you very much. After seen some of our models, I even went back to the make-up artists and asked for MORE!!!

We wanted the hair to be slicked-back, side-parted chignons: The best hairstyle to show off our gowns and sexy cocktail dresses. Again, one of my favorite models, Holly Ridings (above) shows off that perfect chignon. Even with all the craziness backstage, I somehow got some of our fabulous models to stop, pose and take a photo! I made sure their dresses were ON, before I captured these photos:

Backstage Divas: Models Lauren Gish and Carla Salomao in NIKOLAKI Spring 2011, Style Week Orange County

Hands On The Hips: Model Mercedes Cornet strikes a pose in NIKOLAKI Spring 2011, Style Week Orange County

Triple NIKOLAKI Threat: Models Eugena Washington, Saleisha Stowers and Lauren Gish, backstage, in NIKOLAKI Spring 2011, Style Week Orange County

I made sure the zippers were zipped, the hang-tape was hidden and that the dresses were on correctly. Thank Goodness David was back there with me. Without him and his fastidious Eagle-Eye, some of our gowns would have been on backwards (dressers can only do so much, bless their hearts!)

Zip It Up: David Paul zips up model Zdenka, backstage NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Fashion Show, Style Week Orange County

It all turned out great and we were very happy with the results. And the models loved our gowns and dresses and felt like FABULOUS Goddesses in them. Right Before they went out onto the runway, I gave them one advice: Be Beautiful!!! OK , I told them more...

Le Mariage: NIKOLAKI Designers David Paul and Nick Verreos pose with their final look, Sarah Deanna in the final NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Wedding Gown

I also said: "You Are Gorgeous!", "Work It!", and "Go out there and make EVERY woman jealous and EVERY man want you!". Yep, that's about it. They smiled and went on their runway merry way....

Click Below for a quick video of the beginning of our NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Runway Show:

Brazilian Model Scouting: Looking for the Next Blond, Fair-Skinned Supermodel

Why Can't the Next Naomi Campbell Come From Brazil?Gisele Bundchen

Gisele Bundchen, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Caroline Trentini, all gorgeous Supermodels from Brazil, and all, well, Caucasian. There is a recent NY Times article that explores the "how" and the "why". The South American nation, according to all the latest reliable population and ethnic-makeup statistics, seems to be a pretty racially "mixed" nation: 55% White (Portuguese, German, Italian) , 44% Mixed (White and Black), 1% Japanese, Arab, Amerindian. So why aren't all the latest models coming from that country necessary reflecting this? The article tries to explore the topic.The article, titled "Off Runway Brazilian Beauty Goes Beyond Blond" follows a model scout in search of the next tall, blond, fair-skinned beauty from the State of Rio Grande Do Sul (Brazil's most Southernmost state colonized years ago by a predominance of Germans and Italians) to grace the NY, Paris and Milan catwalks. It's a really fascinating article that tries to ask why a country like Brazil--as one top Sao Paulo fashion consultant laments--can't find the next Naomi Campbell...Read it HERE.

Click Below to Watch a "Behind The Scenes" Video of the Model Scout in Rio Grande Do Sul:

Nick Recap: Season 7 Project Runway: Burlap Couture!

Homage to Lucille Ball's Burlap DressEthel and Lucy Couture: The Iconic "I Love Lucy" Burlap Dresses

This week's episode of Project Runway involved the old adage of "She's so beautiful she'd even look good in a potato sack". Before we can say "Upstate New York", the 15 designers are whisked away to the country (I can only imagine that 4:30 AM wake-up call, followed by getting in a production van and spending the next two hours sleeping next to someone you don't want to be next to).Suddenly, they are all wearing Wellies (were they all asked to make sure to pack some before they left their hometowns?) and Tim Gunn commands them to make that aforementioned adage true: Make a look out of burlap for their respective models...and make it cute. Cute enough that they could wear them to an "industry" party and be noticed for the right reasons.
Right there on the farm was a "Mood Farm" outpost, filled with lots of burlap and trim for the designers to use.Back at the Parsons Workroom, the designers got to work. Lots of dyeing, draping and burlap-tearing later, they were off to the runway. Supermodel of all Supermodels, 5'7" tall (short for models, she is quick to admit) Lauren Hutton is awaiting, Sharpie in hand, next to Miss Nina, Michael and Heidi of course.

The Runway:
In general, as Heidi noted, this was a GREAT Challenge. Most of the results came out-- surprisingly--kind of good! (who knew? High-fives to the producers!). Last week's winner, Emilio Sosa--and exempted from elimination... did a modern take on the sheath dress: Fitted, chic and rather Narciso Rodriguez-meets-Carolina Herrera-esque. Loved it.
Also, one of my favorites was Amy Sarabi's creation:The dip-dye petal handkerchief skirt was fabulous and the cowl top section, draped to perfection. It was polished, modern and very feminine. I thought she should have won. However, the winner was...Scarf-happy Jay Nicolas Sario and this deep-V neck cocktail number with a full fluttery skirt. I just didn't understand what the judges saw in this, but as one who has been in that seat before, I am well aware of the you-need-to-be-five-feet-away to REALLY see the "incredible" work that is in that dress.

What Models Want:
Now, I need to take a moment to explain to some of these designers what MODELS actually wear to "industry" parties/red carpet/events:Lily Aldridge, 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show After Party Pink CarpetMarisa Miller, 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show After Party Pink Carpet

Models like it SHORT, TIGHT, and if it has Herve Leger written on the label, the better (they know a $5,000 mini-dress when they see it!). With that in mind, I think Mila Hermanovski actually nailed it with her design:But that neckline gaping was awkward and showed bad pattern and fitting skill. All I wanted to do was pinch about 1 1/2" off that neckline and fix it. Just a note kiddies: That open-gape WASN'T supposed to be there! Take my Elements of Fit class at FIDM and you'll find out. Now, someone who just doesn't realize what models want to wear to an industry event is:Seth Aaron Henderson. Really Seth? The first thing that I said was: "This is SO Fashion School Graduate Fashion Show!" And not in a good way. Too contrived. A model would NEVER wear this to an industry mixer. I don't care what your model told you Seth Aaron. She lied.Another look a model would NEVER wear was poor Jesse LeNoir's. My designer friend who watched the episode with me remarked: "He may have Matinee-Idol looks but his design aesthetic is questionable at best" Baggy pants and an ill-fitting vest? Is she gardening or riding a horse? Not so much.
Model's Got Back:What is with the bad back's? Oh Miss Ping Wu. I really thought she would be gone. But then I realized that she would be "good TV" for at least one or two episodes. Her look was one of the worst. And that bootie-shot didn't help. Do we need to get Ping a new form? Ping: I have a suggestion: Take LOTS of measurements next time, especially the natural waist to high-hip to low-hip to knee. Just saying.
Speaking of backs: Poor Pamela Ptak. As a fellow Instructor, I had high hopes for her--and I could just see her helping all those other kids with their lackluster pattern making skills while the cameras weren't rolling (like I did back in my season). However, she transformed her vision of a burlap sack dress into a semi-HOOCHIE mini dress. I liked how she dyed the fabric to look like washed denim but the overall look was still reminiscent of a dress that one of the cast members from "Bad Girls Club" would think is cute. As a result, it was Instructor Pamela's time to go.
See you next time kiddies. Don't forget to pack your Wellies!