A New Generation: Aaron Brown Debuts New Music and Fashion Line In Hollywood

 Aaron Brown, son of musician George Brown who played in the legendary 70s funk band KOOL and the Gang debuted his music and fashion taste at an intimate party at the Poet's Road Gallery on Hollywood blvd this weekend. The multi-hyphenate creator hosted a party to celebrate the launch of his new single "What Are We" along with a fashion show and red carpet to raise money for LA fire victims. 

The event drew influencers in the music, fashion, food, and entertainment space bringing together cultural icons to raise money for a good cause. The night included food, signature cocktails, and merch from the Aaron Brown collection. 

The night started off with the fashion show, where young models and Aaron's friends showed off the Gen Z styles with a twist of 70s flair on the runway. All the styles were available to purchase and all proceeds went to raise money for victims of the LA fires. The stylish and unique looks adorned with lyrics from Aaron's music were a big hit and many pieces sold out after the show. 

The night continued with Aaron's performance. He and his band gave a great performance debuting his unique musical style. The show was professional with a hint of homemade flair to it that made the crowd feel like we were jamming at a house party while a also getting a taste of the up and coming talent. Aaron's music was fresh and the lyrics felt very Gen Z while some of the musical styling had influences from his father's funk career. I can't wait to see what's next for this up and coming artist! Check out my full red carpet interview with Aaron on the red carpet on IG to see more! 

Celebrities Attend the Ecovvear Fashion Show in Malibu

On Saturday celebrities and influencers came out to Malibu to support the Ecovvear fashion show held at the historic Marwan estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The exciting event was hosted by the International Justice Alliance and featured speakers and celebrities who spoke out about important social issues. Actress and influencer Dara Renee hosted the fashion show and spoke about the importance of using fashion to make a statement. The show featured designs from India, and a special collection called the "Walk for Freedom" in support of reforms for wrongful convictions which was a featured topic at the event. The show held poolside at the beautiful Marwan estate was a hit with the crowd and featured a variety of looks that were all ethically designed and conscious of the environment. I spoke to some of the celebrities in attendance on the red carpet about the importance of sustainable fashion including Caitlin O'Connor, Dara Renee, Paris Bravo, Addison Brian, and more! Check out the video below to see their red carpet looks featuring vintage fashion! 

 

Skating in Style at OC Fashion Week 2021

This year, I headed to OC fashion week which took place in Orange County the second week of July. I attended a very unique fashion show which was the perfect way to get back out and celebrate the return of fashion events after the pandemic. On July 6th I headed over to the fountain valley skating rink for a fashion show that was literally on wheels! Models for the Delyx Swimwear collection skated down the runway at the Studio54 show. The brightly colored collection fit right in with the colorful lights and retro vibes of the skating rink. The Fountain Valley Skating team also gave an amazing roller skating performance for guests of the show. 

The swimsuits were perfect for summer and featured several different accessories as well including oversized hats and straw bags. The collection included one pieces as well as two piece sets in vibrant prints and neon colors. 

There were also several sponsors at the show and guests could discover beauty and health services offered throughout the OC such as EM Sculpt which was giving guests a free sample of their exclusive treatments during the event. There were also eyelash extensions, and the Dana Point Infrared Sauna... Guests received exclusive discounts for future services as well. 

The best part of the night was after the fashion show ended the event turned into a skate party! Guests were allowed to rent skates and skate on the roller rink. Whether an expert skater or just trying it out for the first time everyone had a great time listening to music and skating! It really felt like we went back in time and was the perfect way to de-stress after all the craziness of fashion week! 

What I wore to the Jonathan Marc Stein Fashion Show + Copy my Look with this Tutorial!

 I had such a great time dressing up and getting out again to attend the Jonathan Marc Stein Fashion Show in LA last month. I decided to go with this retro look inspired by 60s fashion and needed some makeup to match.

 I was in a rush to leave and didn't want to spend a ton of time on winged eyeliner. Luckily I had the Cleopatra Cat Eye stamp by Lyda beauty! This little tool has saved the day for me so many times. I love how easy it is to use and how it makes the perfect retro cat eye look simple to achieve! Check out the video below for my tutorial on how to wear their green ink color this spring and summer! 

Getting Glam for the first time in a year! My Exclusive Interview with Gretchen Rossi

 She shares her take on fashion, updates on family and more! Watch the full interview in the video below. You can read more about this exclusive fashion event here

Closing Night of LAFW at the Petersen Automotive Museum

This year LAFW held their Spring/Summer 2019 showcase at the Petersen Automotive museum. I attended closing night to see their all star lineup of designers including Irina Malchuk, Irish Latina, Nor, and Bohemian Society. The runway was on the second floor of the msueum and models walked down the catwalk with the amazing vintage cars and specialty models from brands like Porsche, Ford, and Infiniti in the background. I headed to the lounge where there were so many high fashion photo ops and fun displays.

They even had a makeup station where guests could do touch ups to look runway ready and I loved using my new Shiseido lipstick in my favorite fuschia shade that matched my dress perfectly for the night! 
 I loved this garden inspired art by XO Bloom.



I also got to attend with my friend the owner of Rsolute Boutique who came all the way to LA from Alaska! It was so much fun showing her fashion week! The star studded guest list for LA fashion week included Elie Madi who recieved the Moss Adams design award and has designed for A-list celebrities such as JLo, Gwen Stefani and Katy Perry. Former NBA player Kibwe Khari and an America’s Next Top model contestant were also in the front row right next to yours truly!

The first show of the night, Irinia Malchuk kicked things off with a glittery 70s inspired collection. The runway really had a shine to it with these beautiful gowns and fun flirty styles. This pair of lace boots was a crowd favorite and totally unique.

Next, Irish Latina, an eco-friendly brand made of recycled t-shirts kicked things up with an exotic dance performance right on the runway. The models followed strutting down the catwalk in the flouncy and brightly colored designs. Each design had a fun style on the back such as bows or lace up corsets. The collection had a hint of retro style to it as well. I loved all the bright colors and feminine details from this collection.

Then we got a special treat from Nor, a brand from Norway that brought beautiful simple Nordic designs to the runway. My favorite was this simple yet elegant blue dress. The fabric was draped in the middle to form a snowflake pattern and the dress reminded me of something from the Frozen movie!

Finally the show closed with a rockin performance from Bohemian Lifestyle, a fun and loud brand with an artistic flair. The show was also designed to be a story in itself and each model played a character. There were so many interesting things to watch including a model who even skateboarded down the runway! There were also models who took pictures of the audience. The surrealist quality of the show made an artistic statement about the current state of the fashion industry. The reversal of roles from the audience taking pictures to now having the models take pictures of the audience was a reminder about our social media obsessed society. The audience loved it and everyone participated posing and photo bombing the pictures. There was also a set of models coming down the runway posing and shooting like in a photo session. The models looked like they could be acting out the life of a blogger or influencer and made an important statement about the changing fashion marketing trends today. The model and photographer looked like they were almost in their own world and moved seamlessly down the runway changing angels and poses as they walked. There were also several other talented models on the runway including a set of dancers who gave a beautiful performance in matching turquoise dresses that flowed with the dance. 

All in all it was a great show and a fun night with friends and amazing designs!

Check out my OC fashion week coverage for Hollywood Glam Magazine!

Read all about the amazing designers and fun night at the gallery here!

http://www.hollywoodglammagazine.com/2018/10/03/oc-fashion-week-shows-off-california-talent-in-style/

Spanish Style in Valencia: Romeo and Juliet Couture Presents a Special Summer Runway Show

If you are looking for some international summer style inspo check out these runway pics! On July 22, NYC based fashion brand Romeo and Juliet Couture presented a summer fashion show in Valencia Spain on board a riverboat crusie ship. The show features several up and coming models and of course some amazing designs from RJC. Guests enjoyed a night on the water while getting to see the latest styles from New York. The collection featured both evening wear and causal summer looks in bright colors such as turquoise and fun floral patterns. The clothes included girl details such as ruffles and lace as well. The whole night definitely makes me want to take a trip to Spain this summer how about you?

Romeo and Juliet Couture Presents a Fresh Runway Show with Directives West

Check out these fresh spring looks from NYC based fashion label Romeo and Juliet couture. Their fashion show was full of trendy styles while still keeping true to their brand with girly details and feminine silhouettes. My favorite look is this floral skirt and ruffle top which can be worn as a street style outfit or dressed up for a professional spring office outfit. I am also loving the leopard print faux fur on this jacket since animal prints are definitely in this season. The graphic designs in the last look are so in and perfect for making a statement. Can't wait to see what's next from this brand!

Check Out My Article on Sue Wong's Halloween Masquerade for Hollywood Glam Magazine!

http://www.hollywoodglammagazine.com/2016/11/02/avant-garde-magazine-celebrates-halloween-with-style/ 

Exclusive interview with Alex Bolen Executive Director of Oscar de la Renta

                                  Image courtesy http://www.oscardelarenta.com/runway/spring-2017/

On Monday September 12 Oscar de la Renta brightened NYFW with glamorous designs and intricate detailing. The dresses uphold the telltale fit and elegance of Oscar de la Renta; this uniqueness is something easy to see, but harder to define. Today I had the chance to interview Alex Bolen, executive director of Oscar de la Renta, just a few days after the company presented their SS17 collection at NYFW. I was able to ask Alex about the show as well as the announcement of their new co-creative directors. We also talked about his not so traditional route to Executive director of a major fashion house and his advice for young fashion industry hopefuls!

The Oscar de la Renta SS17 collection debuted at the Morgan Library and Museum to an audience filled with the traditional fashion heavyweights as well as bloggers, influencers, and celebrities on Monday. I asked Alex how he thought social media has influenced their show in recent years. He explained that, while the collection itself wasn't necessarily influenced, the way they look at the room and the types of photographers and diversified types of media professionals they invite has definitely changed. Currently their shows include digital media reporters and bloggers, as well as the typical media representatives.  According to Alex, the company is cognizant of the power of social media and is always looking for intelligent ways to tell the world who they are. They believe it is important to know how other people perceive the brand and they adapt their message to each different platform.

Oscar de la Renta announced new co-creative directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia. I asked about the direction of the new creators and Alex expressed his excitement to see them take on this role. He knows them both extremely well and told me that they had worked closely alongside Oscar for many years. He said that while he likes to think he is a good business person, they were the dreamers.  He said that, while he doesn't know what this transition is going to look like yet, he is very excited to see how they will interpret Oscar's designs for their younger and more contemporary customer as well as their core customer. I am very excited to see what they will have in store for their younger customers!

After talking about all the new and exciting changes at the company I asked Alex if there was anything he felt that Oscar de la Renta had stayed true to over the years and today. He told me what Oscar himself used to say when asked about his inspiration for his current collection. Oscar de la Renta said that his inspiration was always to make women look and feel great with his designs. According to Alex this is something that the fashion house is sticking by.

Another thing that Alex believes is unique to the company and that they have stayed true to over the years is the company culture. Alex described that Oscar de la Renta ran his design studio so that anyone could express their opinion. According to Alex, while it's not a democracy, at Oscar de la Renta if you want to be an expert in something you can come to the company and do that with hard work and dedication. He also said that it is still a family owned business at its core and that even though not everyone is related many people have spent 30 or more years with the company and many had worked closely with Oscar for that time. They want to keep that spirit in the company.

Finally I asked Alex about his background in fashion and what his advice would be to someone looking to get into the industry. He explained that he came to Oscar de la Renta about 15 years ago from a background in finance.  He transitioned to the company since his wife Eliza is Oscar's daughter-in-law and has worked at the company for many years. He said that he believes there is no traditional career path in the fashion industry. He referenced Oscar de la Renta's background as an architectural student in Madrid who got into fashion after taking a job sketching to earn extra money. Oscar then got hired on at the design house as an entry level worker with a small job. Even though it was a small job Oscar became very good at it and was able to move up from there. That lesson is something he brought with him to his own design house and that the company still believes in today. Alex gave the example of Laura Kim who started out as an intern and quickly became a resident expert on buttons and trims. While seemingly a small part of the design process this important piece allowed Laura to work closely with Oscar and learn about his design process which will be valuable in her new position. Alex's advice is that if you are passionate about something no matter how small, you can make yourself indispensable and get noticed.

Oscar de la Renta has continued to honor the great designers legacy at the company and on the runway and I’m looking forward to seeing what they have in store for us next season!

The internship files Day 5

My bags in the fashion show at Factory Direct

Today was a crazy day at FBI. This morning I helped prepare for the back to back seminars they had going for LA textile week. As I walked int he building this morning the place was already buzzing and people were browsing the textile displays in the lobby. When I tried to go up the escalator a guard stopped me and asked me for a badge. During LA textile week the building adds extra  security. Well being an intern, I didn't have a badge so, I had to explain at the front desk where I work. Ahh, the life of an intern. Next I had to head over to the factory direct tradeshow across the street at the NewMart building. I was in charge of manning the FBI booth at the tradeshow as well as helping with the fashion show they were sponsoring at 4;30. I quickly rushed over to get the booth all set up since FBI was short staffed and, I was the only one there. It was really fun to introduce the company to people and I ended up getting a few people to sign up on the email list as well! I also helped out with planning the fashion show and, got to show my original line of Sierra Clair accessories at the end of the show. I also got to mingle with the attendees of the show including the tradeshow organizer David. He also plays beach volleyball and it turns out we know some of the same people. While getting ready for the fashion show Parris the show coordinator did a photo shoot of my totes and t shirts on the models. I also helped time the show and directed the models when they should walk which was a great experience for me because I learned about the timing of a fashion show and the rhythm of the catwalk. Then at the end I had a few models show my bags and I even got to walk out on the runway at the end as a professional designer. I stayed for the after party to network and the showroom owner I met through FBI a few months ago got to see my bags on the runway and he really liked them. So all my hard work really paid off. Today was a long but great day! Check back to see what I'm up to tomorrow at the booth for Design Options at the LA textile show in the California Market Center.