Fashion Circle a la Joe Zee

I've been enjoying my first few days of summer vacation (that is until summer classes start in 17 days) watching TV shows, documentaries, and movies on Netflix. Most of them have had some sort of fashion theme... Jane by Design - the whole first season, Love and Other Disasters, and my favorite thus far--All on the Line.  

photo: netflix.com

If you've never seen the show or heard of it, here is a little blurb from the show's website:

Creative Director of ELLE Joe Zee, who The New York Times deems, ‘Fashion’s approachable ambassador,’ will come to the rescue of designers in need of a makeover on their business, design or both in what The Huffington Post called a “must-see” show. 

The Huffington Post is not exaggerating, this is a must-see. Joe Zee doesn't just bring his 20+ years of expertise, but he brings his heart. A "fashion person" who really cares about the well-being & success of others is not always easy to come by in such a competitive industry--making Joe Zee and his fabulous show all the more special. 

photo: sundancechannel.com

This post is not just about the entertainment value that All on the Line has no doubt provided, but a particular episode "Gemma Kahng: I Want a Woman to Look a Little Mad Max and a Little Princess." The storyline revolves around the idea the Gemma needs to take a look at who she surrounds herself with and that her support circle may need some changing. Over and over again Joe Zee made the point that the people you surround yourself with are just as important as the business, the design process, and the product itself. 

My favorite fashion star Ronnie....admittedly I was so bored last week I didn't even watch the entire episode. 

I have been blessed to always have amazing supportive and creative people and mentors around me, but that sometimes takes knowing who to share your passions and ideas with (discretion is a must >> a lesson from mom), distancing myself from not so supportive others ....and also being willing to take constructive criticism and learn (= listen & practice)  from my mentors.

And so, just a reminder to never stop putting yourself out there and making new friends and relationships, but rather tread lightly and keep your passions close... and always be willing to learn!

Event: FGI AZ Trend Report

Last night I joined 80+ fashionistas at the the FGI Arizona Trend Report event at Saks Fifth Avenue at Biltmore Fashion Park. 

The evening started with delicious refreshments in the Saks Shoe department (it's kind of like heaven). As the ladies enjoyed their glasses of S. Pellegrino and hors d'oeuvres there was plenty of fashion talk happening with faces from just about every Arizona fashionable locale attending in support of the event, which helped raise money for the Fresh Start Women's Foundation:

Phoenix Fashion Week, Neiman Marcus, Phoenix Art Museum's Costume Institute, The Art Institute of Phoenix, just to name a few.

Attendees showed off their most fashion forward outfits... one of the season's hottest trends, bright pants was a favorite and of course you can never go wrong with animal print!

The cosmetic department was another hot destination.

A highlight of the evening was the opporutnity to hear Susan Berman, CEO of Fresh Start, share the mission of the foundation, which is dedicated to empowering women to transform their lives through engagement and education.

THE FASHION

The young and the stylish, that's what I like to call the students from the The Art Institute of Phoenix.

Among our favorites ( you all looked great!) was Esmirna (pictured above) who looked fab in sheer polka dots and beige pleats. Not to mention the chic Betseyville chain purse. 

The evening concluded with a brief talk from Silvia Bours, a Mexican born designer, who recently showed at Phoenix Fashion Week in October 2011. Her theatrical yet feminine masterpieces have garnered a loyal following and her most recent success includes having several of her designs featured and sold on zappos.com. 

Even with such great success, the 25-year-old designer is incredibly humble and approachable, encouraging others who are interested in the fashion industry to work hard to achieve their dreams. 

With Marie Antoinette-esque hair and fans in hand the models looked amazing in Bours' French inspired dresses. 

The evening concluded with the Trend Report film, which covered all of the hottest trends straight from the runways: emerald, the new three piece suit, jewels, capes and more!

Thank you to Tracy Rasinski, Regional Director and the FGI AZ team for putting together a great event!

For more information about FGI Arizona or to become a member please visit their website: http://arizona.fgi.org/

Don't forget to stop by Saks Fifth Avenue Biltmore for the best fashion has to offer!

Also visit  Heroine Chic for more coverage on this great event!

Childhelp Wings- Up, Up and Away Fashion Show

This past Sunday I had the honor to attend the Childhelp Wings Up, Up and Away Luncheon and Fashion Show and let me tell you, Childhelp founders, Sara O' Meara and Yvonne Fedderson along with their team put together a fabulous event!

First things first, a bit about Childhelp Wings:

Childhelp Wings is a program designed to inspire, empower, engage and equip youth and young adults to join Childhelp in the prevention and treatment of child abuse. Childhelp Wings members strengthen their schools and communities by raising awareness about the issues and types of abuse that affect kids, as well as organize fundraisers that support the lifesaving programs and services that Childhelp provides to those in need.

Childhelp Wings members and supporters attend the luncheon and fashion show annually to raise funds to continue toward their goal of stopping the cycle of abuse and creating a safe and loving world.

photo courtesy of Forward Fashion Diary

Guests who attended the event were given a Microsoft swag bag full of fun stuff, we are talking O.P.I. nail polishes (three to be exact), Vera Wang Love Struck rollerball perfume (I can't tell you how excited I am about this), movie passes, even a gift certificate to Molina Fine Jewelers (and it didn't stop there). I must thank the organizers for making this fashion blogger's day with her very own swag bag.

Before the show started I also had the great pleasure to meet the the Childhelp founders, fondly called "Sara & Yvonne" by all as if they were one person. Having spoken to them briefly, the fondness that Childhelp members and nonmembers alike express toward these ladies is completely understandable--they are kind, welcoming, and I dare not forget adorable! What these two ladies have done for children who have been victims of abuse is truly outstanding.

As if the morning had not already been beyond what I had expected, I was introduced to the mistress of ceremonies, actress Bailee madison. Fellow fashion blogger Angela, of Fashion Forward Diary, and I spent a few minutes chatting with Bailee about Childhelp, fashion, and of course her upcoming film.

Bailee was wearing an adorable tiered dress from Un Deux Trois 

At 12, Bailee is well spoken and has an obvious love for helping others expressing that one of her favorite parts of  the Childhelp program is that kids who are victims of abuse can be placed into new homes. And of course after meeting Sara & Yvonne she couldn't wait to get involved with the organization. Excited to be one of the MCs (Tara Hitchcock was also an MC for the event), Bailee gushed about how beautiful all of the models looked and that she was looking forward to seeing the clothes on the runway. When asked about her favorite clothing she exclaimed, "I love anything vintage!"

Her infectious personality and a maturity beyond her years are just a couple of the reasons this young lady has already made a name for herself in the industry, having starred in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark with Katie Holmes, playing a young Snow White in the TV show Once Upon A Time, and her role as Harper Simmons in the upcoming film Parental Guidance, with Billy Crystal and Bette Midler. This will be Bailee's first time playing a tween character and the only thing she was really worried about was learning how to be flirtatious, which according to her was "very interesting." 

Bailee and Tara did a great job as co-MCs as the models sported clothing from Urban Kidz, Savvy Boutique, Etcetera, and jewelry from Stella & Dot. 

If you would like more information about getting involved with Childhelp please visit their website:

www.childhelp.org

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

Event- Runway For A Cause

Thursday night I met up with a few blogger friends, with the hubby in tow, to check out the 2nd annual Rioux Leroux: Runway For A Cause fashion show at The Duce in downtown Phoenix. The show produced and directed by Anthony Leroux & Nelson Hawks showed several local designers.


I'm always up for supporting local fashion and talent, but I will say I was slightly disappointed by the end of the evening. After several swimsuit lines and a T-shirt line a good portion of the people left, leaving the final designers with only a small audience to admire their hard work. In my opinion the lineup could have been better varied or perhaps even cut down to half the number of designers. 
Nonetheless the models gave it their all and so.... here they are:


*Note click on the photos to see full size*

Pottymouf was definitely on the punk/rock/alternative side of the spectrum: a lot of destroyed looks, studded denim, creepy font. 

Jeremy Andrews had destroyed looks as well, there was also a lot of fringe tassel shoulder embellishment. Hoodies and a collared sleeveless shirt entered the picture toward the end leaving me a little confused.

Mabella Chic showed several dresses and skirts, perhaps for a night out with the girls or a dinner date.

Jennvi Dizon Couture had an array of ballerina and princess inspired dresses. 

Black Russian Label showed several of the looks seen at Phoenix Fashion Week: bright yellows and blues, florals. Tribal was a key influence in the styling department.

Model friends of mine, Jewel Byrd and Diana Hughes both walked for BRL. {they are sisters}

Mfon, another local model, getting her makeup done for the BRL show.

Dustin Hoyman of Indie Stitch and Matt Yoder

The DJ

This is my celeb paparazzi skills in action ... Frankie Muniz yawning! hehe

Fashion That Cares - Kate Spade

I think that most would agree that people often view fashion as vain, selfish, frivolous, silly and well, any synonym of the above words.  As a matter of fact there were many times I talked myself out of pursuing a career in the industry for fear that others would think this way about me or even worse maybe I would actually become vain and selfish. Anna Wintour, editor in chief of American Vogue, alludes to this sentiment in The Septemeber Issue {movie}, "Just because you like to put on a beautiful Carolina Herrera dress or a pair of J Brand blue jeans instead of something basic from K-Mart it doesn't mean that you're a dumb person."

Helping others and giving back is a very important part of my life, on any level, whether it be helping out my community, my neighbor, or even the world. I can thank my mom and husband, who thoroughly convinced me that I could use fashion to help others, for the reason I decided to continue pursuing a career in fashion. 

I think I would add to Ms. Wintour's statement that not only are "fashion people" not dumb but they do in fact care about people outside the world of September issues, Fashion Week, and sample sales. 

So, I have decided to dedicate a post, as often as necessary, to Fashion That Cares. This is a topic very close to my heart and I feel that giving back is something that deserves to be honored. 

Kate Spade New York and Women for Women

The idea behind this partnership is to provide women in war-torn countries with training and fair wage employment by allowing these women to use traditional handcrafts in conjunction the design of Kate Spade New York. Currently the brand is working with women in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Rwanda among other countries.

The hand crafted items are sold in Kate Spade stores and online. Each time a piece is bought from the 'hand in hand' collection the demand for products increase, therefore allowing Kate Spade to hire and train more women. 

The reason I really wanted to share this partnership with you is because I admire that Women for Women and Kate Spade don't just provide necessities, but train these women to become skilled workers enabling them to be successful on their own...a liberation in its own right.

The 'hand in hand' collection has become one of my favorite parts of shopping at Kate Spade and is usually the first display I head to when shopping. The pieces are beautiful and are a constant reminder that there are other people in the world, many of whom need my help.

To find out more about the 'hand in hand' collection and ways to help  visit:

www.katespade.com

www.womenforwomen.org