Out and About: Nick Verreos attends the Necessary Baggage Lauch Party!!!

Downtown Los Angeles Loungin'...
Last week, to take a break from 12 hours of teaching and way-too-many-hours of draping-and-making-patterns-for-Grammy-dresses, I decided to venture out in my 'hood--Downtown Los Angeles, that is... My good friend Susie Im, PR DIVA for Bebe, invited me to a fun Launch Party for a new Men's Loungewear Line, Necessary Baggage. Boxer Models: Dan Glenn, Brett Washington, Andy Bowland, Jordan Koestner

PS: Love that name! She told me that there would be male models in underwear, cocktails, hors d'oeurvres and it would be a fab location. Done and done. Posing Buddies: Designer Angelo Estrada and Model Amanda Fields (in NIKOLAKI jacket)

I decided to "drag" my good friends, Project Runway Season 3 Model Amanda Fields (who is about to leave for New York for NY Fashion Week castings!) and designer Angelo Estrada--who graduated from my Alma Mater, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and had just returned from China. The Launch Party was held at the Crocker Club, a former Bank Vault turned supper club. Angelo had been there before and had told me that I had to "see it to believe it". The bar/nightclub has a strict "Dress Code" and you can best believe we adhered to it. In fact, I was sporting a bow tie, dress shirt and my YSL boots, Miss Amanda wore my NIKOLAKI "Edwardian" shawl-collared fitted jackets that we sold at Nordstrom. And Angelo, well, he was GIVING: Leather half-gloves, a long gray woolen scarf, blue-black pompadour hair and some FIERCE eyeglasses. Party Guests: Susie Im, Necessary Baggage Designers Carlos Martinez and Anthony Malzone (in ties), along with Nick Verreos, Kirin Bhatty, Amanda Fields and M the Movement

Angelo was right, by the way, the club has all these different rooms, semi-private booths and a "secret" area where the vault actually was. It was pretty cool (did I just say that?). All I kept thinking was "this would be a great location for a photoshoot!". The party was packed with guests who were enjoying the informal show of half-naked male models in stylish boxers. There whole "styling theme" seemed to be vibing a Bachelor Party that had occurred HOURS ago that had dissolved into a game of Strip Poker and they were all down to their skivvies! Necessary Baggage designers Anthony Malzone and Carlos Martinez with their "muses"

I think the guests all enjoyed it --whatever the "styling mood" was. There was even a sales room set up where guests could place orders and buy the latest from Necessary Baggage. It was a nice break from my non-stop work madness.

FIDM Debut Judging Night with Nick Verreos

Speed Judging... FIDM Debut 2009 Style!Judges Ready? NIKOLAKI designer, David Paul, Swarovski West Coast Showroom Manager, the stylish Lisa Beckenholdt-Owers, Solstiss Executive Jane Burge (in her own design!), Nick Verreos and jewelry designer Tori Hartman

Earlier in the week, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising/FIDM held their annual Debut 2009 Judging Night at their Downtown Los Angeles Campus. The annual Debut Judging night occurs a couple of weeks after the 11 students of the Advanced Fashion Design Program showed their collections at the Santa Monica Barker Hangar in the Debut 2009 Fashion Show to a 3000 plus crowd. The Judging Night is done in a form similar to "speed dating" in which a group of judges sit in while the student designer presents their collection to them in only 7 minutes. This is done until all the judges have "sat in" on every designer, which usually takes over an hour. As one of the Debut 2009 Instructors/Mentors, I just made sure that every things ran (somewhat) smoothly and that the kids were prepared and that their collections, portfolios and resumes were on the mark.
Street Style: Fashion Illustrator extraordinaire Angelo Estrada (giving you Run DMC!), Nick Verreos (sporting Philip Lim and Marc Jacobs Collection) and designer Raymundo Baltazar (in sunglasses and stripes)

This year, approximately 30 industry professionals showed up at the the fabulous FIDM Museum and Gallery which currently houses the 17Th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design ( featuring costumes from 2008's best films, including the Academy Award winning "Elizabeth: The Golden Age") for this year's Debut 2009 Judging Night. Some of the judges included Hollywood red carpet and QVC designer and author Bradley Bayou, FIDM graduate Patricia Nevil of L'ezu Atelier of Beverly Hills, celebrity stylist Niki Shadrow and Jewelry Designer Tori Hartman.

Also in attendance were Fashion Illustrator and designer (and current Hip-Hop Diva) Angelo Estrada, Swarovski West Coast executive, Lisa Beckenholdt-Owers, Solstiss (Couture Fabrics from France) Executive Jane Burge, and even my Project Runway Season 2 buddy, designer Raymundo Baltazar. They sampled delicious hors d'oeuvres of dumplings, pizza and spinach dip as they waited to judge. A well-fed judge makes for better judging.
Most Creative: Charles Ryan Sands stands by his winning collection

After the judging had been completed, prizes were handed out in three categories: Most Creative Collection went to Charles Ryan Sands for his gas mask-printed (you read right!) pants, hooded cowl-draped hooded men's and women's jerseys and intricately tailored leathers and suitings. Most Cohesive: Lacey Osberg strikes a pose by her collection

The Most Cohesive Collection prize-- in terms of use of styling, color and fabrics--went to Lacey Osberg, designer of Lacey Elizabeth, for her elegantly tailored and feminine pieces ideal for the Upper East Side socialite who likes to have a little bit of romantic fun with her wardrobe. Most Marketable: Liz Sandhefner poses with one of her over sized collar printed denim coats

Finally, the Most Marketable honor went to Liz Sandhoefner, who designed a very sellable printed-and-solid denim collection of jumpsuits, jumpers, separates and fitted dresses, perfect for the less expensive Junior Market. Congratulations to all the Debut 2009 Designers and of course, especially to the three winners. Now, go out there and get a job...and make "Instructor Nick" proud!