The Body Shop-Shop At Home Program

There are many companies that offer people a chance to indulge their passion for products and also make money selling them. One I've just learned about recently is from The Body Shop. Their "The Body Shop At Home" program, already popular in Europe, is available in the United States as well.

One of the best bennies of programs such as The Body Shop At Home is that you don't have to quit your day job to do it. You make your own hours and putting in as much efforts as you want. In fact, hosting holiday parties at home lets you socialize with friends while you earn discounts and income, and introduce new products, some exclusive to the "at home" program. In fact, in our What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column we will be reviewing some exclusive The Body Shop at Home Program items from The Sweet Chestnut Collection (look for it the first week in November).

If you'd like to try The Body Shop At Home, start by contacting the company either at: 800-603-5519 or visit www.thebodyshopathome.com and a local consultant will help you get started. While The Advice Sisters do not endorse any particular programs, we like the idea of them very much--especially if you love cosmetics, fragrance and fashion. In fact, a long, long time ago, Advice Sister Alison did cosmetics sales through a similar program! These types of programs let you make extra money (perfect since holiday time is coming) as you earn discounts, free products, and have the chance to "try before you buy" and purchase gifts for everyone on your list.

Fragrance Foundation Hosts Karen Dubin and Karen Adams of Sniffapalooza

If you are involved in the fragrance business, you already know that The Fragrance Foundation was established in 1949 by six industry leaders affiliated with Elizabeth Arden, Coty, Guerlain, Helena Rubenstein, Chanel and Parfums Weil, to develop educational programs about the importance and pleasures of fragrance for the American public. The Foundation's International Membership includes: manufacturers, suppliers, media, advertising and public relations agencies as well as designers, packagers and retailers. The organization maintains one of the most extensive print and video fragrance libraries in the world and among other things, holds seminars and symposia for its members as well as for the international fragrance industry.

I recently attended my first event at the Fragrance Foundation's headquarters on Thursday, September 20th, a Fragrance Foundation "Think Thank II" Sniffapaloozas: Fragrance Enthusiasts Extraordinaire. Just in case you're wondering if you've entered the right offices, you can't miss the big clue: a very colorful, large perfume bottle that sits right in the hallway. There is no doubt that you have come to the right place to learn and appreciate, fragrance. I was warmly greeted as I entered by Executive Director Mary Ellen Lapsansky. I also discovered that people I've only worked with online, were there in person. Putting a face to a name, is always wonderful.

Karen Adams (left) and Karen Dubin (right) of Sniffapalooza were the presenters. The President of the Fragrance Foundation, Rochelle Bloom, is in the middle. After a brief introduction, an enthusiastic Karen Dubin explained that Sniffapalooza started informally, as a way for her to enjoy her hobby/passion for perfume with like-minded others. Karen Adams was at the first Sniffapalooza, and bonded with Dubin to create a more formal set of events that now includes a Sniffapalooza Web site with a magazine and forums, as well as in-person activities. Some members participate every single day, forging virtual friendships.

The group is not part of the fragrance business per se, but an ever-growing tribe of informed, passionate consumers who typically collect dozens to hundreds of fragrances, and want to know as much as they can about them. This consumer will purchase hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars worth of fragrance in a year. The industry, according to Dubin, just didn't know that such a consumer existed. In addition, many of the Sniffapalooza patrons simply want to shop and share with others. Of significance to retailers and the fragrance industry, these "hidden" consumers tend to be 75% women, 25% men ranging from a youthful 16 years old, to 78 years old. All are bonded by their love of fragrance, just as wine, chocolate, or coffee/tea enthusiasts are.

With more than 800 new fragrances launched last year, the members of Sniffapalooza feel that being able to sample the fragrances, and work with knowledgeable counter salespeople, is essential. Naturally, Sniffapalooza events generally revolve around "sniffing and shopping" for fragrance, with some events being more like seminars, featuring a representative from a specific brand, offering information and testing. There have been lunches and breakfasts with industry professionals, and even a trip to France, where each day featured multiple visits to famous (and new/indie) perfume houses.

Dubin and Adams understand the business side of the fragrance industry, and but they also appreciate what goes into creating scent, be it luxurious, or for the drugstore consumer. As Karen Dubin said: "This is somebody's art."

Usher Launches Two Lovely Fragrances

A star studded party at Cipriani’s in Manhattan was the scene of the launch for two exciting new fragrances: USHER ("He") for Men and USHER ("She") for Women. Beyonce, Gayle King, Jermaine Dupri, Nelly, Usher’s mom Jonetta Patton, and a very pregnant, glowing mom-to-be of Usher's baby, Tameka Foster, and others were on hand to help him celebrate. So were throngs of fans and fashionistas, enjoying endless rounds of Bellinis (Cipriani's signature cocktail) I believe that the woman wearing the pearl necklace in the middle of the photo is Jonetta.

The hip-hop star, whose formal name is Usher Raymond IV is, was subdued and obviously enthusiastic as he thanked Liz Claiborne and all of the people who helped make these new fragrances that carry his name, possible. The scents were formulated by Firmenich in collaboration with Usher and developed by perfumers Honorine Blanc and Richard Herpin. The star said that he wanted to be part of creating fragrances for men and women, because "when everything else comes off, fragrance still stays on." He was involved in every aspect of creating the fragrance, including scrutinizing every possible "silver" made (most likely a reference to the silver caps and necks of the stunning, frosted glass bottles, inspired by a spinning ring that the singer wears).

The fragrances are as different as Mars and Venus, or men and women. Usher thinks he knows what will smell good on both sexes, and he has done his best to translate his vision into a bottle of scent.


The mens'fragrance is a knockout--strong, bold, masculine and sexy, presented in a frosted black bottle. It blends verbena, pineapple and melon; a heart of blue lavender, white pepper and violet leaf, and a drydown of vetiver, amber wood, black suede, sandalwood, sensual musk and guaiac wood. The women's fragrance is more demure.

The ladylike scent for women, in it's light golden bottle is clean smelling, slightly floral and light--a soft and sensual blend that I'm guessing is Usher's notion of how a woman should smell. In any case, it's perfect for daytime and (if you follow Usher's suggestion) when all you are wearing is, um....Usher fragrance. If my sources are correct on the notes, the women's fragrance features top notes of red currant, pink freesia and apple blossom on top, a heart of frangipani, apricot nectar, blooming jasmine and passion rose, and a drydown of amber wood, sensual musk, cashmere wood, vanilla orchid and incense.


According to Women's Wear Daily, the women's lineup will consist of eau de parfum in two sizes, 1.7 ounces for $52 and 3.4 ounces for $68. A 0.5-oz. parfum will retail for $120, and three ancillaries will be offered: a body lotion, $38 for 6.7 ounces; body cream, $45 for 6.7 ounces, and a shower gel, $35 for 6.7 ounces. The men's collection will include eaux de toilette in two sizes, 1.7 ounces for $50 and 3.4 ounces for $65. A concentrated eau de toilette will retail for $95. Four ancillaries will be sold: after shave tonic, $45 for 3.4 ounces; after shave balm, $40 for 3.4 ounces; deodorant, $16 for 2.6 ounces, and shower gel, $25 for 6.7 ounces

*all text and photos by Alison Blackman Dunham -- copyright © 2007 all rights reserved by The Advice Sisters® Feel free to link to this blog, but no portion of this content can be used without written permission. Contact: advicesisters@advicesisters.net. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark.

Farah Angsana Couture Paris--Runway Show Fashion Week Photos

Beauty and fashion reporters often find themselves in situations during Fashion Week where they simply can't be in two places at once, or they miss a show because of transportation or other challenges. Although I attended many shows creating more than 30 specific reviews for this blog during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, I missed the Farah Angsana CoutureParis SPRING SUMMER that was held on Tuesday, September 11th, organized through Style 360 The Metropolitan in NYC.

I really wanted to see this show--I know the designers is known for elegant designs in drape-y fabrics, and as you can see from this photo and others below, this collection features gorgoues, goddess-like, serene, artfully draped, red carpet fashions. I'm including some photos because I think they speak for themselves!--ALISON

There was also a video (not great quality, but you can still enjoy the show) which I'm including here for your enjoyment.

World Alzeheimers Day September 21st

I have just learned that World Alzheimer's Day is September 21st. There are more than 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer's and every 72 seconds, someone else is diagnosed with this terrible disease that robs the individual of his memories, his abilities, his emotions, and eventually, his life.

In the old days, dementia was just considered as getting older, or "senile," but Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia are not the same. Every person "forgets" where they put their keys from time to time, or what their next appointment is, or what they had for lunch yesterday. Alzheimer's-type dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life, is different. It's a brain disorder, named for German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Although symptoms can vary widely, the first problem many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect their work, lifelong hobbies or social life. There are tests that can determine whether brain function has been disrupted or destroyed, but there is no reprieve from type of dementia. It only gets worse. As it progresses, other symptoms include confusion, trouble with organizing and expressing thoughts, misplacing things, getting lost in familiar places and wandering, and changes in personality and behavior.

Another common form of dementia that cannot be cured, but can be treated and slowed down (in some patients) if caught early, is Vascular dementia, caused by reduced blood flow to parts of the brain. In mixed dementia, Alzheimer's and vascular dementia occur together. Sadly, I believe that my own very brilliant and talented father has this type. He is still intelligent, but he can't manage anything mechanical, (e.g. how to turn a radio or television on and off). Even though he was once the Editor of a prestigious medical bulletin, he cannot find the words to expres himself properly. He doesn't remember my mother, his wife of more than 53 years either from memories, or from photos. He was a wonderful pianist and played a number of other instruments, but now he can't make music at all. He once said: "when a pianist can no longer play, he has died." Alas, Dad is fairly robust physically, but has lost the ability to enjoy hobbies, learn anything new, or remember much of the past or even the immediate present.

Watching my father slowly and painfully become increasingly confused and upset about the loss of his abilities with dementia, often poetically termed "the long goodbye" is painful for him, and also for me. I feel so totally helpless even though he wants to be saved from a fate that is (while living with it) often worse than death. I wish I had known more about dementia when his symptoms first started becoming apparent to me, more than 7 years ago. I wish I'd been able to reduce his frustration, and most of all, I wish someone would find a cure.

We've learned most of what we know about Alzheimer's in the last 15 years. There is an accelerating worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, or prevent it from developing. To find programs, information and ways to help in your area visit the home page of the Alzheimer's Association National Office 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 http://www.alz.org/apps/findus.asp

Caravan Fashion Week Runway Show September 12, 2007

Caravan is a most unusual store....and not a store. Launched June 2005 in New York City, Caravan was at first, literally a mobile boutique-in-a-Winnebago--the brilliant idea of entrepreneur Claudine Gumbel and her husband Brian. Gumbel is also co-founder of the fashion PR agency Think PR. In 2006 Caravan also opened a retail store at 2 Great Jones Street in Noho (I attended the fantastic opening) and later added another location uptown at 128 East 91st. If you're not NYC-bound or based, there's a website: http://www.shopcaravan.com/ that includes a dazzlingly wonderful and large group of innovative designers. That's a photo of the van which was projected on the frames of the runway prior to the show. Caravan's products and merchandise are a hip mix of contemporary clothing, accessories, gift items, and art in a "Barney's" style that caters to both male and female fashionistas with a range of price-points and styles. If you can't find something to ooh and aah about at Caravan, especially in the chic setting designed by Greg Finney, you're not looking very hard! very hard!

Which brings me to the real reason for this post--the Caravan Fashion Week Runway Show held at the Metropolitan Pavilion on 19th Street last night. I moved with vigor to get downtown, right after the Tadashi Shoji runway show at the Promenade in the Bryant Park Tents, ended. With 23 designers from all over the world, this was an amazing show not just for the range of designers and the high-energy atmosphere, but for the sheer size of it. I wondered at the organization that must have gone into producing a professional show this large, that seemingly went off without a hitch. Backstage, it must have been absolutely mayhem, but you'd never know it from the front of the house.

To make it easy to recognize each designer, a slide of their logo was projected on the walls of the runway frame. Photography was challenging from my vantage point, but a picture is still worth a thousand words. With this many designers, I am just going to let my photos speak for me (but visit Caravan or the online store, to see even more designs and designers):

First up was Vivienne Westwood, the funky, English designer who has launched innovative collections for several decades. Following were: J. Lindeberg (Sweden); I R O (France); Sretsis (Thailand); Steelo (USA); HOSS Intropia (Spain); Walter Baker (USA); By Malene Birger (Denmark); Kimberly Foley (USA); H. Fredriksson (Sweden); Fred Perry (England); Rojas (USA); Social Atelier (USA), Scanty (USA); Loomstate (USA); Blue Marline (USA); Green Collective (USA); Drifter (USA); Heavy Rotation (USA); Blake Standard (USA); Edun (USA); Keep a Child Alive (Africa); Purp7e (Brazil); Mood of Norway (Norway)

After the show, those whose feet still had some "spring" left in them, wandered around the Sunsilk, Nikon, MaxFactor and Mercury displays. Show-goers also got canvas tote bags filled with products, courtesy of Caravan and their sponsors.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/12/07- Tadashi Shoji

When there are three beauty queens in the front row (photo), you know special occasion gowns must be in the offerings. Miss USA Rachel Smith, Miss Teen USA Hilary Cruz, and Former Miss USA Tara Connor were all there for eveningwear designer, Tadashi Shoji. The designers is a favorite of celebrities, including Shakira, Vanessa Williams, Tyra Banks, Claudie Schiffer, Queen Latifah, Halle Berry, Minnie Driver, and Jennifer Hudson.

Mr. Shoji's Spring 2008 luxury eveningwear collection enthralled everyone in the audience at his show in the Promenade--the last Bryant Park tent show of the Spring collections. He may design pageant gowns for pretty contestants, but his evening designs also include flowing pants outfits, and short dresses in fluid, iridescent, "Butterfly-wing" fabrics that (photo above) that would be suitable and coveted by any woman.

The attention to detail was breathtaking. Dresses in whisper-light chiffon arrived on the runway in multi-layers of coordinated silk chiffon and metallic organza, many with overlays of lighter material that floated by as the models walked, turning them into beautiful butterflies with outstretched wings on the runway. These ethereal evening gowns also featured lots of pleating and back details, to ensure that a a woman looks amazing coming towards you as well as walking away. A novel (but not necessarily comfortable) detail was a dress and a pants outfit (photo, right) with a bamboo "corset" (photo right)

As models literally floated down the runway, all wearing the same, strappy, high-heeled silver sandals, the dresses rippled around them like soft, lapping waves on the ocean--not unlike Tadashi Shoji's runway show invitation, which was a postcard of ripplying blue, white and aqua waves, with a filmy, white overlay with the show details on it.

The collection had lots of muted violet, seafoam, oyster, white, opaline, and dusty pink, and lilac, but there was brilliant color too, such as in this red pants outfit, plus a few expected pieces in black, and even in green and brown.

...Tadashi Shoji strutted down his own runway at the end of the show, waving his arms in victory. Judging from the enthusiastic applause, he not only deserved it, he made plenty of new fans who (celebrity or not) will seek out his incredible dresses when they need to be breathtaking!

The masses of romantic, Raphaelite hair was a perfect topping to these beautiful clothes, designed by the talented Rodney Cutler for Cutler/NYC/Redken. Makeup, featuring dramatic eyes (but nothing too dark) and moist pink lips was by Luc Bouchard and the MAC Pro Team. Manicures by Honey. *To see moe photos of hair, makeup, nails and clothes, check out the AdviceSisters Features Page http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html for the latest features, each month.

all text and photos by Alison Blackman Dunham -- copyright © 2007 all rights reserved by Alison Blackman Dunham of THE ADVICE SISTERS® FEEL FREE TO LINK TO ANY POST but no portion of advicesisters text or illustrations may be copied or used in any without written permission. Permissions: advicesisters@advicesisters.net. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/11/07- Carmen Marc Valvo

Outside, it was dreary and gloomy, a fitting atmosphere to remember 9/11, but inside the Bryant Park tents, Carmen Marc Valvo whisked us away to a world of Springtime glamour. Beloved for his red-carpet gowns, the designer's collection this morning also featured shorter cocktail dresses a bit of daywear, and some swimsuits that would make any woman feel like a celebrity. As the final pieces of collection went down the runway, the ethereal soundtrack (music by Michel Gaubert) reminded me that the clothes felt fluid and ethereal, too. Sea shells, with their seductive spiral structure and soft, iridescent hues, were the designer's inspiration. And, like nature's creations, those of Carmen Marc Valvo were naturally beautiful.

The clothes felt seductive and the moved with the models in whispery ripples and flutterings that were quite feminine, but elegant and sophisticated, not in the coquettishly-girly way that I've seen in many collections so far. Tiers of soft, silk, satin, organza, chiffon and gazar flowed in tiers of pleating and ruffles, reminiscent of the complicated interiors of genuine shells. The designer used the word "Gazar" to describe some of his fashions, including light as a feather, crisp, billowing organza blouses with lots of showy ruffles ("gazar" is a loosely woven silk with a crisp finish), but these extravagant creations were reigned in on the bottom, with the model's waists often constricted with belts (the "must-have" trend for Spring 2008) and tamed with tailored, slimmer pants.

Many of the cocktail dresses featured a longer skirt length and an almost demure use of high necks, many with ruffles, with the "sexiness" coming from the movement of the tiered skirts, as you can see from the model in the black dress on the left.

There were also a few swimsuits in this collection. The navy swimsuit with wide black belt covered elegantly with an oyster colored silk organza trench coat would turn heads for sure, and looks chic and sexy, without being over-the-top, "barely-there." Also included in this season's collection was a new Carmen Marc Valvo sunglasses collection, created by Carmen and Signature Eyewear, Inc. The chunky, brightly-colored frames are going to help women make a fashion statement when they debut this Spring, and they'll range from $150-$350

The talented Odile Gilbert, sponsored by Redken 5th Avenue, did elegant, but slightly loosened updos. Makeup was created by the also talented Tom Pecheux for Art and Commerce, and the MAC Pro Team, sponsored by MAC Cosmetics, and nails by Creative Nail Design.

all text and photos by Alison Blackman Dunham -- copyright © 2007 all rights reserved-The Advice Sisters®. FEEL FREE TO LINK TO ANY POST ON MY BLOG, but do not copy this text or illustrations without written permission. Permissions: advicesisters@advicesisters.net. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/11/07- TIBI

Season after season, I enjoy viewing the TIBI collection. Tibi designer and founder, Amy Smilovic, designs a range of bright and interesting prints that match her sense of style, with each collection heavily influenced by Amy’s lifestyle and travels throughout Asia and Europe, including the beaches of Bali, forests of New Zealand and Mediterranean landscape of Capri.

You could almost feel the sunlight in this Spring 2008 collection, featuring a palette exclusively of brown, green and beige mixed with white, with bold patterns that looked exotic and almost tribal. Longer length day dresses and ruffled collars predominated. The look was youthful, but chic and urban, balanced wider tops and cropped jackets belted over wide legged pants, for example, or a long, soft beige cardigan sweater made chic, belted over pants. And, speaking of belts, TIBI featured them in wide and slim versions.

But many of the dresses had nipped-in belted waists with full skirts, that reminded me a bit of the daytime version of the Bill Blass Spring 2008 collection...very demure, a bit more ladylike than previous seasons, with more structure to the clothes than the previous seasons. As "Susie Q" blared from the background, the vibe was back-to-the-50's, but with modern colors and a slightly less structured silhouette. The slightly retro, urban chic look was followed through with very high, very sleek ponytails that swung madly from side to side as the models sashayed down the runway. The makeup was moist and a bit bronzed, with coral/pink lips.

STYLE360/Nili Lotan Deisgn Studio/Sylvia Heisel at Bo Concept

After three years, Stylelounge has rebranded itself as STYLE360, involved with some of the most innovative fashion shows this season. They are billed as "an alternative FashionWeek destination" but the designers are talented professinals, providing a refreshing and unique perspective on where fashion is heading, plus a change from the action at the Bryant Park Tents.

I didn't have time to attend the Nikon-hosted launch party at Henri Bendel, but I did attend the Nili Lotan runway show on Monday night at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Elle and Mercury Mariner teamed to host the Mercury Style Award, which Lotan, won. More than 54,000 Ellen Magazine readers voted by text and online to decide which designer should would win the coveted runway show, and by doing so, entered themselves in a contest to win a trip to NYC and a shopping spree at Henri Bendel (not sure who won the trip, but I'm sure she was delighted)! The competing designers were asked to create a signature piece that would exemplify the range and style of their label. Nili Lotan was victorious. The other talented finalists were Marci Zaroff and Minden Chan.

Before the actual event, guests had some time to enjoy the air conditioning (it was extremely humid outside) along with a chocolate bar and bottle of water, in a signature, brown and white-striped Henri Bendel mini shopping bag (Henri Bendel is celebrating 100 years of its signature stripe). I got to the venue early, so I had time to check out some attractive, new Mercury SUVs that can be ordered in 4or 6 horsepower, or a new hybrid model. They feature roomy interiors, keyless entry, and large, user-friendly dashboards. There were exhibits for Elle online, and Nikon cameras, plus a makeup artist on hand to touch up the humid, melting makeup on the faces of weary Fashion Week attendees such as yours truly.

The music, featuring Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, had to be the coolest of any runway this season. And, I have to admit, while many of the clothes had a hippie-ish, bohemian feel, the mixture of soft cotton voile dresses, crisp button down blouses, plus silky evening gowns, shorts and swimsuits, provided a chance for the designer to outfit a modern woman from day to evening, for every occasion. The five photos above show the range of the collection, from cute, casual, bandanna shorts with a grey hoodie, to tight, ivory ankle pants worn with a barely-there halter top, to an Oscar-worthy, sleek, silky evening gown.

Belts in contrasting colors have been seen in virtually every collection, and Nili Lotan's was no exception. But the mixture of a red belt over a pencil skirt, with a camisole layered on the outside of a cotton blouse (and worn with a red, paisley bandanna ascot in the neckline) was witty and fun. This is a look you could easily re-create right now, at home.

After the fashion show, there was a party around the corner, for designer Sylvia Heisel and Max Factor at the fashionable Bo Concept store. Bo Concept seems to be everywhere there is fashion, these days. They also designed the lounge for The Daily suite at the Bryant Park Hotel for Fashion Week. Clothes (inside), cars (by Mercury, outside), and cocktails (everwhere) were the order of the night. My aching feet urged me home before the party got started, but beautiful models in gorgeous designer duds, Elle Mag goodie bags, and fun for the fashion crowd, was evident!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/10/07- Luca Luca

Soft fabrics, soft colors, and simply designs were the order of the day at Luca Luca. The mostly mauve and very light pastel collection was a change from the bright yellows, greens, blues and pinks that are in abundance this season. The Spring/Summer 2008 collection was inspired by the modern stained glass. As the press literature informed me: "organic and geometric shapes are fused into the prints, construction and silhouette. Color effects are achieve through transparencies and degradation of pattern and scale."

The trend for Spring is definitely the dress, once again, in lightweight fabrics that show soft movement as you walk. Ivory, mauve, ombre, seafoam, dove grey, blush, and violet, with a few soft hits of turquoise, defined Luca Luca's designs, using delicate fabrics such as silk and rayon, chiffon, taffeta, and wool gauze. I didn't catch all of the details from my vantage point, but the simple designs had more than meets the eye, including artful wraps and tucks to add interest to the otherwise mild palette. I would call the overall look "soft, wearable, sophistication."

Stick-straight, super-shiny hair was held back by a large, white, rectangular barrette on just one side. Jewelry was provided by Verdura, the shoes, by Luca Luca. From my vantage point, the collection spoke softly, but carried a big (fashion) stick. No need for glitter, brashness, or brights. These clothes, flatter!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/11/07- Milly

Milly by Michelle Smith, launched in 2002, the Milly website calls the youthful designs: "sexy, feminine, glamorous, and sophisticated." This delightful, 40-piece collection managed to combine both wearable fashions for chic women, with a playful sexiness. The inspiration for this collection was Grey Gardens, mixed with the sassy and a bit devilish attitude of a pampered EastCoast princess, summering in Connecticut or perhaps, the Hamptons. Note the cute blue sky and green rolling hills backdrop in the photo below.

Preppy, brightly colored cardigan twinset-type sweaters were tucked into skirts and pants, making the preppy look pretty and relevant to today's woman. There were plenty of patterns in classic springtime colors such as the navy and white zig-zag prints you can see in the photo above on the right. Also lots of lime green, yellow, navy and pink.

Accessories included cute, cotton "cloche" hats tied in the back with a silky ribbon, and (less successful but obviously a Springtime trend) were turbans. The shoes, by Manolo Blahnik, were quite pretty and worked with virtually everything from swimsuits to dresses, although the high heel with the thong between the toes on such a strappy high heel might make these "sit down" shoes for most women.

Pretty, bright nails are a must-have with fashion. The models are moving on the runway, and it's often difficult to appreciate the role that manicures and pedicures play in creating an entire look. In the photo on the left, veteran manicure professional Angelina, from Creative Nail Design, told me that for Milly she was using a bright, cheerful pink called "Trophy," on both finger and toes. It simply screams "Spring! You can see how effective this color is from the closeup photo of the Manolo Blahnik sandals, above. Creative Nail Design is the nail company of the runways. We talked a bit about trend forecasting, and how the public relations team, stylists, and designers decide what's hot, and what's not, for the coming season. For details on the products used and what's going to be hot for nails, for Spring 2008, check our FEATURES page http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html in mid-September

Makeup for Milly was created by Romy Soleimani (in purple on the left) to show a woman with confidence but also with a bit of spunk. The eyes were beautiful, blending two new new MAC paint pots in lime green and a gorgeous turquoise, with creamy white, that was blended, blended and blended some more. The pink lip gloss called "Fulfilled" was shiny, but without shimmer or glitter. The foundation was moist and fresh, with just a hint of bronzer. To see the actual colors and see lots more photos of hair, makeup, nails and clothes, check out the MILLY feature --I'll post the link to it on our Features Page http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html when it's created, probably mid-month.

On the left you can see the charming hairstylist Kevin Ryan, who has formed his own company with fashion stylist Frank Rizzieri, putting their 40 years of experience together. Their new company, RSession Tools, has some unique hair styling tools, including a dual-tonged curling iron called the Nalu waver, which Kevin is using on the model on the left to create the amazing, natural looking waves seen in the ponytail on the right. By "weaving" strands of hair under and over the Nalu waver, the curls are soft and loose and look incredibly natural, as if their own hair cooperated without any intervention from mechanical devices! I hope to bring you reviews of RSession Tools in an upcoming What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column.

As I was heading for the "cheap seats" I spied my friend, fashion designer/actress Esther Nash posing for eager photographers in the front row. She posed for me as well, making sure I could see the beautiful, elegant, Judith Ripka jewelry on her wrists and fingers. Esther is not only talented and lovely, but sweet and gracious, too. If only all the front-row-ers would act like her!!!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/9/07- Couture Fashion Week at the St. Regis Ballroom

While the main fashion events may be in the tents at Bryant Park, those who love fashion can find showcases of talent every day of the week, as any fan of "Sex and the City" knows (Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw seemed to be oogling the runway in every show). For those who can't get enough up-close-and-personal designer fashion, there's Couture Fashion Week and Bridal Fashion Week, multi-day events showcasing luxury couture and fine fashion including eveningwear, elegant fashion, couture bridal as well as accessories. Attendees include upscale consumers, invited VIPs, the press and selected high-end store buyers.
Last night, I attended one of these shows, featuring Katerina Bocci from Albania, and Margaret Nagel of Canada. The two-designer show was held in the very elegant, crystal chandeliered ballroom of the very elegant St. Regis Hotel. After being at the tents during the day, the Couture Fashion Weeek's pre-cocktail hour with champagne, the appearance of the elegant Miss Florida, and the chance to check out some high-end handbags (gorgeous, with interchangeable handles) and other luxury items, was a treat. If there's one thing I learned about fashion last night, it's never place yourself in a photo next to a beauty queen!

First to show a small group of wedding gowns was the The Canadian designer Margaret Nagel. Part of Couture Fashion Week. The designer is known for her hand crafted evening and bridal gowns, suits, coats, accessories and high quality one-of-a-kind jewelry. Mrs. Nagel's fashion designs are characterized by impeccable tailoring, attention to detail and an abundance of finely worked elements such as embroidery, hand beading and double stitched seams. Apparently, she has expertise in working with high quality leathers, deerskin, suede and furthat she honed during the dozen years she worked with Heasman’s Furs in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan! No leather or fur, but lots of white, ivory and bridal lace was presented at this, her New York debut. The sweet ensemble on the left, with huge bridal hat and veil, would flatter a young, first time bride, while the more elegant strapless gown would be perfect for a second-time bride or just for a woman who needs a flattering and sophisticated gown for a special event. As with many of the fashions I've seen this week, a ribbon sash/belt encircles this second gown.

N Next, showcasing a much larger collection of special event evening gowns was Albanian native Katerina Bocci. I was sitting next to a young woman eagerly awaiting the arrival on the runway of her friend, model Madelene Lukic. If I got the information correctly, this was Madelene's first appearance as a runway model. Judging from the photos, I'd say the tall and elegant Madelene did a fabulous job. Good luck in your career, Madelene!

The gowns in this collection were unique, but wearable. Still, with large ruffled colors, and many dresses in a "tulip" shape, they had an inmistakeable "I-love-the-80's" vibe. After graduating from the renowned SITAM Institute of Design in Padova, Italy, Ms. Bocci opened her own fashion atelier in Albania. In 2001 she moved to the Detroit. where local TV news anchors Lila Lazuras and Rhonda Walker are fans. She designer an evening gown for a photo shoot by Fadil Berisha Studio in New York with Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera, and Miss Albania Sadina Alla in the 2007 Miss Universe pageant (that's Miss Florida in yellow, eyeing a striking black and red-accented gown).

A standout for me was this body conscious, brilliant blue, strapless, iridescent, tafetta gown, with a tulip-shaped hem tight to the hips. Worn with a suite of sapphires, you'd sparkle more than anyone in the room!

Here's the designer, in a simple black dress, with one of her models, taking her well-deserved walk on the runway.

all text and photos by Alison Blackman Dunham -- copyright © 2007 all rights reserved by Alison Blackman Dunham of THE ADVICE SISTERS® FEEL FREE TO LINK TO ANY POST ON MY BLOG, but please be mindful of my property! No portion of advicesisters text or illustrations may be copied or used in any without written permission. Permissions: advicesisters@advicesisters.net. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/9/07- Reem Acra

How could you not love a designer who sets her tiny, fluffy, white dog onto the runway at the finale? Designer Reem Acra's special occasion and evening gowns were as pretty and perky as her little dog. The designer's notes said: "This season explores the theory of rejuvenation, keeping the looks fresh and ethereal with a modern touch. The common thread through the collection is the emphasis on the waist and the refined feeling of luxury. "

The 40 piece collection was 100% evening wear, and 100% glamorous, with no daywear being shown in this collection. The theme of Spring seems to be "Old Hollywood glam rags, with a "young, modern twist." As with several of the designers collections I've seen so far, the emphasis is on pretty but very waist defining dresses that will make some women want to watch their waistlines a bit more. You can't wear wide belts with full skirts and not look bizarre, if you aren't in shape.

Although the overall feeling of these evening clothes is still "old Hollywood glamour with a "young, modern twist," Reem Acra jazzed them up with lots of swingy, tiered layers of wide ruffles, black lace mixed with purple in a nod to the boudoir, and surprise element such as mix-and-match colors of bright yellow, purple, green, and red mixed and matched with super-pointy, super-high, supercharged colored pumps in contrasting colors to the clothes. Belts were fashion accessories to brighten up the feel of nearly every dress, including the gold sequined slip dress with purple belt to the left, and the sexy, sequined black gown with lingerie elements to the right.

The silky, luxe fabrics in organza, lace, taffeta and silk were indeed expensive looking and elegant, but it was the color that made this collection special, such as this brilliant, green dress (I believe the color was called "fern") worn with shoes finished in 22 karat gold by Max Acra for Reem Acra. It looks especially striking on this red-haired model, but a dress in a bold color like this would turn every head in the room on any woman--no genuine emeralds required.

Straight, textured hair by Gavin Harwin and pink lips with glowing skin by Christian McCullouch for MAC, plus ladylike manicures from Creative Nail Design, complete every woman's "Grace Kelly" look.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/8/07- Academyof Art University

I was really looking forward to my last show of the night in the Bryant Park Tent, featuring recent grads from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Although it's great to see what the established designers will be wowing us with come Springtime, the young designers can get away with a less commercial look, and their enthusiasm is palpable. With 9 different designers showing 5-10 designs each, this show progressed very quickly from one designer to the other. It was obvious that many family and friends were in the audience, and they spontaneously cheered as their favorite designers, models and clothes filled the runway with the sort of riotous color and sometimes over-the-top fashions that fill young designers with palpable energy. This San Francisco-based design school has been showing their brightest and best graduates at fashion week since September, 2005. The school puts their proverbial money where their mouths are, supporting their graduate designers to help them launch their careers and have their collections seen by as many industry people as possible. And what better place than NY Fashion Week? This long report features just a sample of what we saw last night, with some "fashion stars" sure to be born!

First up was Andrea Vence, MFA Textile and Fashion Design. Her silhouettes are based on traditional Japanese kites, consisting of a bamboo or wooden frame with paper painted in bold motifs from legendary war heroes to geometric patterns. Most of Andreas designs were black and bold yellow, two worn with box-like hats decorated with sparkling champagne bottles.

Tara Shannahan, MFA Fashion Design Tara created a stark, white, linen collection based on the fracture and instability that the 1906 San Francisco earthquake caused. and applying these elements to her artfully wrapped, designs.

Kathryn Scully, MFA Knitwear Design Kathryn created a collection of beachwear with bikinis, cover-ups and sweaters based on her family vacations to the Atlantic Coast. The cut outs made for sexy cover-ups that would look cute layered with tank tops and T-shirts, too. The "Borg like" floral creations covering the models' ears, were a bit strange, but the collection was fun and wearable, mostly in tones of pink and grey.

Pittsburg PA native James Yoest, MFA Fashion Design and Taipei, Taiwan native Chia-yu 'Sharon' Yeh, MFA Textile Design were inspired by the rhythm of San Francisco and used a collection of conventional, reused and organic fabrics, including a parachute. The modern, oversized sweater dresses were cute and casual but the orchid sprays used as "hats" were a bit disconcerting!

For some reason, I can't identify any of my photos from Jiyoon 'Lydia' Yeom, MFA Knitwear Design. Jiyoon looked at our busy lives and felt we should search our souls and return to nature. Her designs were comfy, casual and wearable. Her soft-looking, oversized hoodie would be welcome in anyone's wardrobe!

Chinese Born Kenneth Ning, BFA Menswear Design Kenneth, actually premiered his first menswear collection at the April '07 San Francisco show, but he produced additional looks for this New York show. Inspired by the Champion Italian Soccer Team, Forza Azzurri, there was a lot of patent leather and shiny fabrics on very cute young men. This navy coated linen jacket with ultra-marine blue patent leather trousers are typical of the designs, that I think will appeal mostly to very young, avant-garde, confident men, but a zippered, black patent jacket would look great on the girls, too.

One of my favorite designers of the evening was Yi-Ting 'Maxim' Lee, MFA Knitwear Design. Maxim was inspired by JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, a manga written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. The Japanese comic is famous for its original art style, over-the-top violence, intricate plot and rock music references. Her patchwork dress with super-shiny, metallic leggings seemed well balanced, and street-edgy, not crazy. The orange and pink sweater dress could be worn with less amusing legwear, which could be worn with less amusing sweaters to make these everyday elements in a chic woman's wardrobe. A favorite with the crowd was Haa Cheng Thai, MFA Fashion Design Kirigami, the Japanese art of paper folding and cutting, inspired Haa Cheng, shown through her shapes, folds, and laser-cut fabrics. Haa Cheng is from Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, a suburb of the capital Kuala Lumpur. Maxim is from Taipei, Taiwan. This brown, laser cut dress with pleated olive skirt was a showstopper. The cutting and folding technique the designer used was elegant and unique, not to mention extremely detailed and quite beautiful.

The bright patterns and easy, breezy, loose dresses by Kyung Min Kim, MFA Textiles and Fashion Design, reminded me so much of childhood, and Springtime. And, I guess that was the intent, since the simple shapes, which act like canvases for her textile work, were inspired by fairy tales from her childhood. Kyung Min premiered her textile designs during New York Fashion Week in September 2006 when she collaborated on a collection with MFA Fashion Designer Mari Matsumoto. This is her own collection, and it was quite adorable. I would call it "wearable fun/art."

MinSun Lee, MFA Knitwear and Fashion Design showed the most eye-catching and adorable collection of the evening, inspired by Russian Matryoshka dolls. The Matryoshka style was identifiable by its small dots. For me, the collection, with it's odd helmets, reminded me more of Japanese Anime than anything steeped in Russian culture, but the sweater dresses were simply adorable, and surprisingly wearable. I think this collection would be snapped up by women of all ages, sizes and shapes, perhaps worn with leggings or pants, or heavy, textured hose.

all text and photos by Alison Blackman Dunham -- copyright © 2007 all rights reserved by Alison Blackman Dunham of THE ADVICE SISTERS® FEEL FREE TO LINK TO ANY POST ON MY BLOG, but please be mindful of my property! No portion of advicesisters text or illustrations may be copied or used in any without written permission. Permissions: advicesisters@advicesisters.net. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 9/8/07- Rosa Chá

It was standing room only (in multiple rows) at the Rosa Chá swimsuit runway show. When you mix fashion and swimsuits, everyone wants to see them. The designer, I now know produces collections which range from bikinis and one piece suits, to a wide range of after beachwear such as (sarongs, saris, towels.


But THIS show is about swimwear and nothing but. Ivana Trump and Mena Suvari are fans (that's Ivana to the immediate left of the model on the left, looking intently at the fashions, perhaps to figure out what to wear on her next yacht sojurn?)

Set to a Brazillian beat with a soundtrack created by DJ Ze Pedro, models strutted their stuff down the runway in suits a woman could actually wear without scandal, such as this high-necked bikini. There were also one-piece suits and suits with boyshorts, that women of any age would wear without having to lavish the sunscreen on parts of the bodythat had never seen the light of day, boldly exposed to the sun by barely-there swimwear (Eg. some of the sexy. nearly-swimsuit designs in the Gottex show earlier in the week).

Happily, there wasn't a black suit in the bunch, and the collection was full of color, although it was in subuded tones of light pinks, purple, white, black, grays, and a few shades of blue and green. Although I wasn't able to get photos of them, a number of the swimsuits were festooned with jewelled "breastplates" and "necklaces" that not only sparkled in the light, but could make these suits do double-duty as sexy evening tops. Here's the designer taking his well-deserved walk down the runway with two of his lovely models.

I didn't get an up-close-and-personal look at the hair and makeup, but I can tell you that the makeup was created by Gordon Espinet for MAC Cosmetics, and the long, loose, sexy, textured hair was done by the Warren Tricomi Salon.


all text and photos by Alison Blackman Dunham -- copyright © 2007 all rights reserved by Alison Blackman Dunham of THE ADVICE SISTERS® No portion of advicesisters text or illustrations may be copied or used in any without written permission. Permissions: advicesisters@advicesisters.net. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark.