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.

Season 6 Project Runway Model Mixer?

Meet The Models....
A couple of days ago, a friend--who shall remain nameless--emailed me to ask me if I knew anything about a Project Runway Season 6 Model Mixer happening on Sunday here in Los Angeles. I did not. I have been to busy on "design lock-down" draping and making patterns for my upcoming Islands Of the World Fashion Week show in the Bahamas. Yes, I have been able to get out every now and then (witness the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Party), but other than that, I have been glued to my pattern table! On Friday, we had fittings with our fit model, the beautiful Amanda Fields, and I asked her about this "Model Mixer", and she was as confused as I. I thought, well if anyone knew it would be Miss Amanda---NOT!!!
After a bit of amateur investigation, I got the DISH: There was indeed a model mixer for the Season 6 Project Runway models, being filmed for the new season, at the Downtown Los Angeles Elevate Lounge and it was more of "Clients: Meet the Models"...Since I was not invited, I did not go. But if I get any further info from someone who did, you can be sure, Uncle Nick (there I go, writing in Third Person Suede again!) will let you know, as long as I'm not sworn to secrecy!....