Last night I was "En La Escena" with Frankie Negron at the Canal Room in NYC. Frankie was debuting his latest album which was --get this--a ROCK album! No one was more surprised than me. I had the pleasure of interviewing Frankie one on one before he took the stage to perform. He confided in me that it took him two years to invent his english sound. He spoke of having a strong salsa fan base but was hoping that his fans would embrace this side of him that he had been yearning to express. This Puerto Rican New Jersey native did not disappoint with a standing room only performance that had everyone bopping their heads in unison. His melodic lyrics and sultry vocals gave the intimate audience a rare view of himself. He seemed almost liberated which is in harmony with the title of his album, Independence Day. Lucky for me, I got to go home with a copy of his new CD and a memory to last me for years to come. =o) Hasta la proxima mi gente! This is Leticia Reyes, special reporter for En La Escena.
DVF by Diane Von Furstenberg. Much anticipated show, Diane became an empire. Fashion Designer Diane von Furstenberg was born in Brussels, Belgium. She studied Economics at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, where she met Austro-Italian Prince Egon von Furstenberg.Diane Von Furstenberg wanted to become a career woman and ...she made it. She has ever since created a brand largely respected. Splitting her time between homes in Connecticut, New York, Paris, and the Bahamas, von Furstenberg is always on the go, gathering inspiration for ventures as eclectic as she is. She is best known for her hallmark: " The knit jersey wrap dress. "
Well known and loved in Greece, fashion designer Vassilios Kostetsos has been a leader in the fashion industry for the past 15 years. He is known for his divine designs. For the 1st time, Vassilios Kostetso showed during New York Fashion week and he has proven that his talent has no boundaries.
In the heart of NYC, on September 13th 2009 at Bryant Park in the Salon, Vassilios Kostetsos presented his much anticipated Spring/Summer 2010 collection themed PHIDIAS, an ancient Greek Sculptor.
The men's and woman's collection was simply beautiful, fresh and very distinct. The women's designs were very much haute couture and perfectly tailored to say the least meanwhile the men's designs were outstandingly sharp yet wearable.
The entire collection was mainly composed of fitted bodices, reminiscing of the proportions of the ancient Greek Statues. The perfect silk forms were very often ornated with sequins, embroideries, semi-precious stones while the strong puffy cap sleeves were a characteristic of the lines of the Greek Kore Statues.
Models strutted down the runway with a clean polishes look. The women had their hair pulled back in a bun with a very natural yet contoured makeup meanwhile the men had their hair parted on the side to accentuate the European feel.
The shapes varied from a short and fitted strapless bodice, to a full-length version flaring out at the hip level, some great structure short jackets with the intense shoulders lines, crispy jackets for men often paired with a scarf and straight-legged pants. The women's pieces were perfect red carpet pieces as they exuded glamor, elegance and freshness. The beauty of the entire line resided in the simplicity of the shapes with attention to details, the combination of fabrics, the appliques and cutouts and the juxtaposition of solid next to or topped with sheer. Though the men's pieces presented nothing new in terms of shapes, the freshness came from the alluring cuts of the jackets and the fresh colors. The whole collection featured a strict color palette consisting of timeless colors such as nude, white, tan, black with some accents of Salmon...colors that played with the theme of the brightness of the sun.
Vassilios has once again proven that his craft can bring men's and women's to their utmost elegance with clean lines, lavish details and rich fabrics. To some, the line was restricted and perhaps very inclined towards the young and thin bodies but to most, the collection was cohesive, fresh and simply dazzling!
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By:
To-Tam & To-Nya Ton-Nu AKA "THE SACHIKA TWINS" Founders/Designers of www.SACHIKA.com
This season she took it to the next level by partnering with Stylecaster to live stream her show. Vivienne Tam was the last show after the much anticipated show of Chado Ralph Rucci on Saturday September 12th. Vivienne Tam chose fun an attractive colors for her Spring 2010: tans, purples, turquoise, greens, yellows using suede, silk and chiffon as her main fabrics. She tastefully chose her colors and the collection definitely breathed 70's and Rock & Roll. Pants were flare legs and she opted for an array of large and colorful butterfly prints light either long or knee-length dresses. Huge fringed-handbags were one of the main accessories and sandals were either flat or very high platforms with straps. The collection which was very young and jovial failed to display originality. It has already been done before and this is expected from a Spring/Summer collection. Fortunately for Vivienne Tam, she has already long established herself and this is only one of many more collections to come. Designer Vivienne Tam is known for her digital savvy - after all, she partnered with HP to create the most stylish computer ever last year, the Digital Clutch!
By:
To-Tam & To-Nya Ton-Nu AKA "THE SACHIKA TWINS" Founders/Designers of www.SACHIKA.com
Chado by Ralph Rucci once again gave a satisfying show...The Fashion Runway beautifully set up like a painting...Ralph Rucci is indeed also a painter and has exhibited his work at 4 solo exibitions over the past 5 years. No wonder why all eyes were ready and anticipating to see the new collection including celebrities such as Martha Stewart, Steve Harvey, Ashlee Stanford & Simpson who were all front row sitting...At the entrance, it was a total chaos, a-listers, celebrities, fans trying to get in, hungry photographers pushing one another to get a good spot...everyone expected an amazing show especially after last season's flawless show. Chado Ralph Rucci is a luxury clothing line designed by Ralph Rucci, the first American designer to receive an invitation to the Paris haute couture shows since Mainbocher. The name of the collection comes from chado, the Japanese tea ceremony noted for its attention to detail, exactitude, sense of austere style, and intensive expertise on the part of the practitioner.
Chado who is very much inspired by Japanese culture and easthetics kept his designs minimalist and simple yet extremely elegant and rich in textures and details. He is a genius when it comes to construction methods in executing his creations. This season, Ralph has utilized extensively fabric treatments and embroidery techniques that "can be construed as stairways, or ladders, rising up from the hems of garments and literally becoming more refined as they climb " Color palette include mainly black & white,and some accents of pink, yellow and greys using rich and diverse fabrics such as chiffon, silk woven, silk gros and leather. The collection is delectably refreshing by the contrast made between the simplicity of his garments yet complexity of the fabrics and textures that he has himself created. The Silhouettes remained feminine yet classic. There was certainly something magical and mystical about his show...which attracts mainly an older clientele but something tells me Ralph Rucci has maybe convinced a few younger women to wear his impeccable & classic designs. I wouldn't be surprised to see Michelle Obama wearing a Chado dress. The collection was utterly beautiful.
by:
To-Tam & To-Nya Ton-Nu AKA "THE SACHIKA TWINS" Founders/Designers of www.SACHIKA.com
Nicole Miller has become as household name in the Fashion industry. Celebrities, socialites and fashionistas love her style, particularly her dresses. Launched in 1982 by designer Nicole Miller and Bud Konheim (who remain business partners to this day), the label has become a multifaceted fashion institution, with four major lines that range from sportswear separates to red-carpet dresses. Miller’s signatures are her bright prints and patterns (influenced by a variety of cultures and eras), which grew from an early “obsession” with Celtic knots. Beyond the label’s major lines, Miller also designs handbags, eyewear, shoes, lingerie, swimwear, fragrances, beauty products, and two diffusion lines for JCPenney.
This season, Nicole took inspiration for the element of water and ocean for her upcoming collection, she opted for the storm and the boldness of the ocean. Asymetry, geometry, sparkles, metallic, big and bold are descriptive of her edgy collection. There were mashups and slashes — and some noteworthy asymmetrical dresses that had blocks of prints she called “riptide” and “ocean current” placed opposite chunks of black. Miller offered an array of tight shorts and crinkled pants and asymetrical and modern dresses. Most of her outfits seem to focus on the hip and waist area with sashes as the main body part unlike most designers who focused on the shoulders this season. Her color palette consists of mainly black and white with accents of greens and blues. Sitting front row were Jill Hennesy, Ciara, Amerie and Amber Rose (Kanye West's gf) both looking stunning and dressed in black. I must admit her collection did not wow me especially with all the buzz surrounding her brand name...but of course, she can't always please everyone:)
by:
To-Tam & To-Nya Ton-Nu AKA "THE SACHIKA TWINS" Founders/Designers of www.SACHIKA.com
It was simply chaotic in the Meatpacking District yesterday evening. Stores were open until 11-12pm with DJs spinning, drinks served and promotions given away...people were lining up to get in their favorite stores. In the US, American Vogue has joined with NYC & Company, the City of New York, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America to enliven again the consumer spirit that churns the economy and boosts the local industry of America’s fashion capital, New York City. Next only to finance, fashion is the second-largest sector of industry in New York City—the headquarters of more than 800 fashion companies employing 175,000 people and generating $10 billion in total wages. At City Hall’s May 20 press conference to announce Fashion’s Night Out, Vera Wang said, "To put it bluntly, if people don’t shop, people lose their jobs." Please help the retailers! lol
The first evening of New York Fashion Week, Fashion's Night Out is celebrating the retail business to encourage and help retail stores, who have suffered a lot especially in this economy. It seemed to me like most people were there more for the promotions and free drinks/foods lol... rather than shopping. It was a fun night out with friends, definitely Sex and The City style...
At the Diane Von Furstenberg store, a hundred of young women and a few men (boyfriends) were waiting in line to have their photograph taken with Diane in person. She was there signing signing autographs and yes she seemed genuinely nice and pleasant, a warm and kind woman...yet so powerful.
At SCOOP, they were promoting a new lip gloss that plumps the lips yet has HOODIA an active herbal ingredient to cut appetite...now that sounds gross if you ask me. I do not want to starve myself but it seems like most women want to look like Angelina Jolie these days. The lip gloss were going for $20 each and the promotion was if you buy 2 you get the 3rd one free. Who needs 3 of those? lol...At least, Veronica, one of he spokes model of the lip gloss, looked like she was having fun promoting it.
It was definitely a fun night but not sure it was lucrative for the retailers...
Michael Angel kicked-off NY Fashion Week with a strong collection and hell of a statement! It was all bold, colorful, bright, glitzy, geometric and very fun. His silhouettes were mainly concentrated on the torso and most of his dresses were short and playful. Aussie Designer Michael Angel made a collection for modern and independent women. He drew inspiration from strong influential women such as Nancy Cunard and Josephine Baker. Bold prints included abstract florals and faceted gems, and several ensembles featured heavy doses of bling on sleeves, collars, and the best of these, "Swarovski" embellished zippers that were subtle and swank. Loved it! His show definitely left our mouth watery begging for more. His fashions are absolutely entertaining to watch although they wouldn't be to everyone's taste.Earrings were also geometric and bold, natural makeup to balance the boldness. Sexy, Sexy even when the economy is low! :) Why not?
By: To-Tam & To-Nya Ton-Nu AKA "The SACHIKA twins" www.SACHIKA.com
