L.A. Fashion Week: Crispin and Basilio

i was invited to the Crispin and Basilio show at L.A Fashion Week back in october, again, not knowing who the designer was, but since i got the invite, and i was going to be there already, of course i was going to attend!

after interviewing designer Donny Barrios himself with Marta (unfortunately, there's no sound in the video), and hearing from Lori Taylor all about the beauty look, i was excited to see all the completed looks come down the runway.



i didn't end up with such a great seat, in fact i was standing in the back, but i didn't care. the first look came out, and i knew it was going to be a great show!




Donny is so talented, and you will certainly be hearing, and seeing, more from him in the future!

xo

L.A. Fashion Week: Lana Fuchs

i confess, i didn't know who Lana Fuchs was when i was invited to attend her show. i, of course, knew it was an opportunity to learn about another designer that could be brilliant, yet less known.

the turnout for the show was impressive- the line to get in was seriously long, and she was showing in the main tent, so i was excited! before the show, i had the opportunity to meet L.A Laker, Lamar Odom, and even got him to talk on the phone with hubby (huge fan)! more on that later...

the show itself was amazing! Lana's collection blew me away. two ANTM winners, Saleisha and Nicole, walked in the show, and with each look came more oohs, ahhs and applause.



my pictures were ok, but because of the seat i was in, most of the shots are side angles. so needles to say, i didn't take these.




when the finale dress came down the runway, a silk chiffon and organza bridal gown, the crowd, including me, was beyond pleased. the show was a success! as all of the looks came back down the runway, we were on our feet...it was fabulous!



xo

L.A. Fashion Week: Backstge at Crispin and Basilio

Donny Barrios is the genius behind the spring line that is Crispin and Basilio (stay tuned for pics from the amazing collection). of course, he didn't just design the clothing, he came up with the makeup concept as well.

lead makeup artist Lori Taylor helped make his vision a reality by creating the very clean makeup look that was fresh and perfect for spring. the soft and pretty look gave the models perfect skin, a pretty blush on the cheeks, lined eyes and lightly stained lips.

some of the products used:

Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Diffuse

High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15

Fan Brush 22

Smashbox O-Glow

Smashbox O-Gloss

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in Midnight Black

Smashbox Bionic Mascara

Smashbox Blush Rush in Chiffon

hear from Lori Taylor herself as my blogger pal Marta interviewed her right before the show (btw, i'm holding the camera!)

xo

L.A. Fashion Week: Lauren Conrad

yes, i know, fashion week was a month and a half ago, but i still have more to share! i admit, some things got lost in my draft folder, and with everything that comes my way each day, i temporarily forgot. to be honest, i'm surprised i remember a tenth of the things i have to do each day on top of the regular stuff i have to get done...

so moving on...





Lauren Conrad presented her spring collection in the main tent of Smashbox Studios. to the delight of many, her show was "surprisingly good". i, though confirmed as a guest, did not get into the show because it had been overbooked, and by over booked i mean, like 600 people overbooked.

so...

i scrambled after the show to ask whoever was coming out to give me their take on the show. you know already that i was able to talk to Michelle Stafford and her goddaughter, Paris, but i also got positive (and quick) answers from Giuliana Rancic (E! News) as well as Holly Madison (The Girls Next Door). Kim Whitley (College Road Trip), it turned out had never been to a fashion show before, but she loved it!




as you can see from these photos (the collection was a total of 41 looks), it's a collection true to Lauren Conrad: simplistic and feminine with pieces that look good on their own, but could be dressed up as well. she also used more prints and used fabrics other than cotton jersey, so clearly she's growing as a designer.

i like this collection, though i still think her current holiday collection is a bit better. in any case, she's on the right track.

hopefully, i'll get in to the fall '09 show! stay tuned...

xo
photos: zimbio.com

Spotted at L.A. Fashion Week: Michelle Stafford

Michelle Stafford is the Emmy-award winning actress who portrays Phyllis on the soap, The Young & the Restless, and has appeared on many other television shows.

i was fortunate enough to have met Ms. Stafford coming out of the Lauren Conrad show at L.A Fashion Week, and she, along with her goddaughter, Paris, was gracious enough to share with me her thoughts on the show (btw, i was confirmed to see the show, but i unfortunately didn't get in because of an overbooked guest list).

she had many great things to say about Lauren's spring line, siting that it was very youthful and perfect for someone like Paris, who loved the floral prints and hair accessories. they both agreed that it was a beautiful collection and very wearable (stay tuned for pics of the collection!).

Michelle and Paris

a few days later i was given the opportunity to ask Michelle some informal questions about her own personal style, and her beauty must-haves and secrets!

read on...

first of all, thank you Michelle for taking the time to answer my questions! would you tell me (and my readers), what trends you are loving most for fall?

Michelle Stafford: the skinny belt.


when it comes to style, how would you describe the "look" you go for on a daily basis?

MS: natural with a touch of sex.


how do you think you and your Y & R character, Phyllis, differ in terms of style? how are you the same?

MS: i actually don't think we differ that much in style, although the real tight fitting stuff isn't always the way i go.


who, or what, are some of your favorite designers/clothing lines?

MS: John Galliano (always), Christian Lacroix and Narciso Rodriguez.


your skin is amazing! what is your skincare routine?

MS: thank you. i wash it three times a day and put on a lot of moisturizer. i also take omega-3 fatty acids-- those are amazing for your skin.


if you could only use three products for the rest of your life, which ones would you choose?

MS: shampoo & conditioner, moisturizer, under eye cream.


do you have any beauty secrets? would you share them with us?

MS: every morning (first thing upon rising) i have 8 ounces of hot water with the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. it does what coffee does but without the caffeine.


thank you Michelle!

be sure to watch Michelle on The Young and the Restless weekdays on cbs. check your local listings.

xo

Backstage at Eco-Ganik

Ecoganik was one of my favorite shows at L.A. Fashion week, and the makeup for the show complimented the clothing perfectly.

makeup artist Lori Taylor made sure the look was very organic-looking by keeping the skin fresh and natural. she gave the eyes a bit of shimmer to the lids and the inner corners, and also added false black wispies to the top lashes and brown wispies to the bottom lashes. this helped to give the eye a bright-eyed femininity. the lips were made glossy with both peach and pink shades.

here's what was used:

Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15

Single Eyeshadow in Champagne on the lids and Oyster in the inner corners

Cream Eyeliner in Midnight Brown,
Bionic Mascara
Brow Tech

Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion to highlight the cheekbones and also a bit was added to the tearducts to make the eyes "really glowy and beautiful"

Bronze Lights in Sunkissed Matte to give a peach-y tone to the cheeks while adding a contour.

Lip Enhancing Gloss in Afterglow and Beauty.

xo

L.A. Fashion Week: Eco-Ganik

Eco-Ganik was one of the shows i was able to attend during my time in LA. i, thankfully, had a second row seat, so i was able to capture the fabulous collection by designer Hoda Mallone.








Hoda's desire was to create a line that was still fashionable while being "green". all of the fabrics are eco-friendly, and because of this, special care had to be taken when dying and the cutting fabric.





this is Hoda Mallone's first runway collection. believe it or not, she has only been seriously designing for about a year. she says if she weren't in fashion, she would be doing something in law.





Hoda Mallone

overall, this is a very sophisticated and smart line that will appeal to every fashionista. i was really impressed, and trust me, my pictures don't do the clothes any justice!

xo
all models photos taken by me :)
Hoda Malone photo: Giovanni Giannoni