Nolcha Fashion Week — The Collective Show

Posted on October 5, 2015 by SMM

Showcasing at Pier 59, with Nolcha Fashion Week in a 2nd series of shows during NYFW, presented during the evening a vibrant mix of elegant eveningwear, classic RTW, and bold, dynamic looks.

Danny Nguyen

Danny does couture like no other. Every season I’ve seen him present I’m left in awe, mind blown. To see his vision come to life in these exquisite wearable works of art, you just can’t help but know you are in the presence of a great talent.

These were some of my fave pieces from his collection, but really hard to pick a few. Each piece was unique in it’s own right, telling it’s own story. Each gown was so delicate, yet filled with a strong passionate vibe.

Acid NYC

ACID NYC is a brand comprised of Evelyn Luna and Scott Chester’s fashion talents. Together they have created clothing that is both unique and versatile. The sharp lines and sultry silhouettes allow their designs to be easily worn to almost any occasion.

With prints made of microchips, wires, and more, the fabrics would make any tech-savvy girl excited to wear the garments in their Spring 2016 line. The prints use vibrant colors like green to really make their designs stand out. The clothing line is also full of both structured and loose fitted garments which make the clothing a great choice for every woman no matter what her preference or style is.

These dynamic, alluring, captivating prints really stood out for me. I was very much impressed and pleased with the S/S 2016 presentation.

Intrepid by Ao’C

Intrepid is all about the style of classic, feminine RTW with a twist. The brand’s philosophy is classic innovation and chic. I have featured Intrepid on Fashion Nexus before and it’s great to see more amazing work from this amazing brand.

In presenting for Nolcha, Designer Aerin O’Connell had to say “This is such an absolute honor and I am beyond thrilled and humbled. I know this will be a very memorable experience, and want to thank everyone who has made this possible. This is the beginning of everything, an amazing journey; I can’t wait to see where it ends up. I am a blessed and very lucky designer, this really is a dream come true.”

Nolcha Fashion Lounge

During NYFW, Nolcha hosted their semi-annual fashion lounge at the Bo Concept store in Chelsea to spotlight the season’s hottest trends in apparel, accessories, and beauty. The lounge showcased a range of independent brands including jewerly and accessories by Syd and Pia, Raje, and Zayver Designs, handbags by Adora and Charles & Ron, and apparel by Haute House.

The lounge also featured beauty and wellness products and tips from LumaRX (the skin beauty system) and Dr. Gary Levine (women’s health expert). On site, guests were treated to complimentary beverages courtesy of Coco Libre and Sparkling Ice, and celebrity stylist Derek Warburton was on hand signing copies of his Fall cover story in LAPALME Magazine.

Official sponsors — Citibank, Don Q Rums, Luma Rx, Sparkling Ice, Dr. Gary Levine, Bo Concept, & Lyft

Nolcha Fashion Week — Ones to Watch

Posted on October 5, 2015 by SMM

Nolcha is a season fave of mine! The “Ones to Watch” series always showcases amazing, indie designers. Back at Pier 59, Nolcha certainly didn’t disappoint this fashion week season. Here are the 5 designers encompassing “Ones to Watch”.

Anya Liesnik

Anya Liesnik is a Ukrainian-born fashion designer based in Germany. Her collections have been shown in United Kingdom, USA, Germany, Ukraine and the Netherlands with great success. She has been featured in the British Vogue, and Italian Collezioni Donna, British ELLE, Regard Magazine and many others.

I was super impressed by Anya’s work here. Each look had such an eye-catching detail, and of course, superior shimmer and shine!

Anya is fascinated by the magic of how a dress can create a new personality for a woman. Her signature style is feminine and iconic looks, using only high quality materials. The brand is influenced by silver screen divas and all strong women with their own signature style. Anya Liesnik is about contemporary fashion combined with the fascination for the charismatic style of iconic women, whose beauty was perfectly underlined through the dresses they wear.

Charles & Ron

The Maltese design duo for Spring/Summer 2016 had a “Mediterranean Love Affair.” I’m such a fan of their work, always such stunning RTW apparel for ladies. This collection is a vibrant and colorful, one of graphic prints inspired by the traditional Maltese fishing boat called “Luzzu“.

The show featured Sky Blue and Buttercup Yellow in color block patterns and stripes, silk satin and viscose crepe dresses in super feminine cuts, all paired with Charles & Ron hand-crafted leather bags as accessories.

As always, I’m in love with these pieces, such bold prints, bright pops of color, love it!

Planet Zero Motorsports

Founded in 2009, Planet Zero Motorsports, LLC (PZM) is a New York City based company that focuses on innovative motorsports equipment and apparel. And this was their major debut at Nolcha Fashion Week, coming in a true, kick-ass style. The company was born from the love for riding racing motorcycles. Leather work, jackets, pants, gloves, and racing full body suits are the signature styles of Planet Zero Motorsports.

Designer Kenya Smith shares; “Planet Zero Motorsports is very excited about being in the Nolcha Shows as it represents the next level in high fashion exposure for our brand and we are honored to be selected for this curated runway show.”

Planet Zero Motorsports’ vision is to blend high fashion with motorcycle apparel and to bend the line between safety and Haute Couture. The mission of the brand is to assure that everyone who participates in motorsports consistently wears the apparel needed for maximum protection whilst being stylish.

Global Citizen

GC is a movement to end world poverty, which empowers everyday people to take action and see real impact. At Nolcha, Global Citizen unveiled its 2015 festival line, that will be available online and at the annual festival in Central Park on September 26th featuring headliners Beyoncé, Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran, and Coldplay. The show also premiered a limited edition Global Citizen x Aviator Nation collection and the “Beyoncé” shirt (one of four limited-edition single artist tees), all also available as of September 26th. All items benefit The Global Poverty Project, a nonprofit that is building a worldwide movement to end extreme poverty by 2030. Four campaign managers from the GPP walked in the show (in lieu of traditional models).

It was a great moment to keep in line with fashion and fashion week, but also to present fashion for a good cause.

JUNGWON featuring CAT Footwear

Huge fan of JUNGWON NY. I had the pleasure of doing a feature on the brand earlier this year. I was able to meet with the designer and visit their shop in Tribeca. What I enjoyed most from this fashion week presentation was seeing, new, intriguing looks from the dynamic outwear brand. It was great to see the menswear aspect on the runway as well.

Official sponsors — Citibank, Don Q Rums, Luma Rx, Sparkling Ice, Dr. Gary Levine, Bo Concept, & Lyft

Nolcha Fashion Week — Last of the Shows

Posted on March 17, 2015 by SMM

So for the last few shows with Nolcha Fashion Week, there was Prieston, Ann Himsel, and Danny Nguyen Couture. These were some truly captivating and mesmerizing pieces. Check it out! First up, Danny Nguyen Couture.

Danny Nguyen Couture

There are not enough good things I could say about this collection. Each and every piece was stunningly breathtaking. I was mesmerized and enchanted as look after look graced the runway!

As seen above, the colors used in this collection are bold and entrancing, whether whimsical in a mix of blue and purple, or dramatic with fiery red.

This nude floral embellished number above is one of my faves. It captures the essence of this collection — how unique any given look is, stunning floral embellishments, and the like.

You can see in each piece, every detail, all of the time, love, and handiwork that went into each look.

Danny’s vision is that fashion and style are based on the culture and heritage of people in action with each other. And his signature work is with that of couture eveningwear.

Lurid fluorescent light spills over a shadowy figure working deep into the night. Exacting needles, spools of fine thread, and luxuriant fabrics find their way in and around the dexterous hands of this diligent artist. Reckless passion is cast aside and replaced by the brutal will of a true fashion designer. To describe Danny Nguyen’s talents with words would be as futile as identifying infinity with a number.

Prieston

What drama and flare were a part of this Prieston F/W 2015 presentation. The shapes, the structure, this collection was very much wearable works of art. And speaking of hart, several of the pieces made use of a very unique hand-painted bird print — quite captivating!

The Prieston woman is confident, strong, and she likes to show her personality through fashion. Prieston is a brand for urban women in their early 30s, with developing carrier, but they still like to show their feminine side. The brand’s signature is all about experimental and conceptual designs that surprise the audience each season with new styles and unexpected color choices.

The fall-winter 2015 collection was inspired by the strong blondes of Alfred Hitchock. The Birds played an essential role in the design process of the visual elements. Prieston offers high quality clothing for modern women who consciously live in the present.

Ann Himsel

Ann Himsel works with menswear that is made for women, in fact, high end tailored menswear clothing, but it is made to fit women. The show featured men’s boots by Cat Footwear.

These looks embody simplistic minimalism, the focus being on high quality and craftsmanship. The mixed media work is very intriguing, especially the pieces incorporating leather.

Hair for all of the shows was courtesy of Indie Hair, while the bold makeup looks were provided by AOFMPro.

Celebs & special guests in attendance — J.W. Cortes of Gotham; singer Jena Rose; Crezdon Butler of the Detroit Lions; Evette Holyfield; Karreuche Tran.

Show sponsors — Indie Hair, Fogo de Chao, J.R. Ewing Private Reserve, LightSpeed, Don Q rum, Vegan Therapy, & SOLO (one step gel nails).

Show location — Pier 59 Studios, Chelsea Piers
PR — Amp3PR

Nolcha Designers — Ones to Watch

Posted on March 10, 2015 by SMM

Nolcha Fashion Week kicked off with a huge bang, 4 designers presenting collections, all designated as “Ones to Watch!” For this showing, we had Yvette Hass, Charles & Ron, Mitsou Ly, & Haute Athletics. I’m always impressed by all of the Nolcha designers, especially in the Ones to Watch category. So let’s take a look at what each presented for this spectacular showcase!

CHARLES & RON

Designers — Charles Borg and Ron van Maarschalkerweerd

Last season at Nolcha, I adored every single piece from Charles & Ron. And the Maltese duo design team certainly didn’t let me down this season! The collection not only included some fashionably chic womenswear, but also amazingly stylish handbags.

For their inspirations & design visions, this is what the dynamic duo has to say — “We have made Maltese culture an integral part of our design ethic and our vision is to inspire our clients to be part of the Charles & Ron Mediterranean lifestyle”.

The signature aesthetic for this brand is modern, feminine silhouettes, adorned with graphic prints. Further, the brand strives to to design high-end wearable clothing and bags with a distinct Mediterranean flair and a dedication to superior quality.

YVETTE HASS

So with “Ones to Watch”, the designers are all about being trend-setters. And that is exactly what the Swedish designer, Yvette Hass, embodies. As a designer, Yvette believes in creating mini collections with a high degree of fashion that creates a demand, covet, and a curiosity about what’s next to come.

Her signatures are all about feminine modern silhouettes, leather, silk, beads and feathers. A major inspiration for her given pieces are cultural based, Scandinavian characteristics. There was a lot of shape and texture to these pieces. I appreciated the use of mixed medias — great looks for a bold, confident women.

YVETTE HASS wants to create strong individual pieces rather than a choral collection. The pieces are made for everyday wear, day to night looks. With her designs, they encapsulate essential pieces to build a wardrobe around, easy to combine in color, and long-lasting in both style and extension of upcoming collections.

MITSOU LY

As a designer, Mitsou Ly brings out the unique quality and personality in each piece. Her fashion philosophy is to realize the garment’s distinctive perspective and independent expression. In her quest for style fusion, she captures the subtle variations of vintage and contemporary design. She strives to create effortless, elegant and confident designs that transcend seasons and inspire dress code creativity for all lifestyles.

With her design, you get looks that are modern, elegant, and unconventional, with a touch of romance and subtle drama. Her designs have an element of contrast, blending different colors and materials into a perfect harmony. She gets inspired by the dualities between city and nature, everyday life and sounds of both cityscapes and landscapes – the collaborative contrasts between movement and stillness. Her brand philosophy is all about reinventing cuts and proportions for the modern woman who carries an effortless sense of style with an appreciation for high end designs. MITSOU LY collections are created to accentuate and bring out each person’s individual style and personality.

HAUTE ATHLETICS

Designers — Margarita Ventura & Brian Kolodny

For all of NYFW, in a sea of RTW and gowns, athletic or sportswear is quite refreshing. And with Haute Athletics, it was encouraging to see real athletes as models, including two-time Olympic hockey goalie Brianne McLaughlin. The brand’s mission is to create an active lifestyle boutique that offers unparalleled selection of fashions from around the globe, a superior interactive, multi-media shopping experience, and helps people through our network of partners to live a healthier life.

The various looks are where fashion and performance meet from your workout to the street. Athletic fashion is the uniform today as people from all walks of life and levels of fitness style up or down their looks to transition and adjust to their fast paced, active lifestyles. And I would mantra up just what Haute says & stands by — “Love Hard. Train Hard. Work Hard. Play Hard. Sleep hard. HauteAthletics.com – Sweat. Strut. Shop.”

Celebs & special guests in attendance — Phoenix Mercury WNBA Player Tiffany Bias; Jessica Pimentel of OITNB; Mimi Faust of Love & Hip Hop; Chanel Haynes of Nellyville; Sharna Burgess of DWTS; Hana Nitsche winner of Germany’s Next Top Model.

Hair for all of the shows was courtesy of Indie Hair, while the unique makeup looks were provided by AOFMPro. The hair was pulled back in a low chignon, except for Haute Athletics, where we got to see the luscious waves flowing. And for beauty, the makeup for each show was as follows —

Yvette Hass went theatrical and dramatic with black out eyes;

For Charles & Ron, it was all about a dreamy, romantic look, light nude lip and lightly golden bronzed eyes;

For Mitsou Ly, there a very fresh face, smoky cat eye, lightly blushed cheek;

And finally with Haute, very understate look, natural feel.

Show sponsors — Indie Hair, Fogo de Chao, J.R. Ewing Private Reserve, LightSpeed, Don Q rum, Vegan Therapy, & SOLO (one step gel nails).

Show location — Pier 59 Studios, Chelsea Piers
PR — Amp3PR

Katty Xiomara is all About Re-Evolution!

Posted on March 9, 2015 by SMM

Nolcha Fashion Week is always a huge pleasure of mine to attend and write about when it comes to NYFW. It’s great seeing such talent from emerging, independent designers. So first up for my series of Nolcha posts, the amazing Katty Xiomara!

The Portuguese designer presented “Re-evolution” for F/W 2015. This line claims the right to be a female. It is designed for women who are confident in themselves and their style choices. Nature also played a huge inspiration for these pieces, especially in color choices, whether solid tones or bold prints.

Katty Xiomara’s signature is creating these dynamic, graphic prints. She works wonders with them as she utilizes them in lady-like collared dresses or fashionable separates. Not only were the prints enchanting here, but so too were the colors in general — mint green, maroon, peach, and navy blue.

Xiomara’s designs are crisp and clean with exquisite details. The designer featured geometric abstract embroidery on pockets and collars, offering an unexpected hint of luxury. I always look forward to Katty’s take on collared shirts and chic dresses. I’m always impressed and this season’s options certainly didn’t disappoint!

Hair for the show was courtesy of Indie Hair, while the bold makeup looks were provided by AOFMPro. The hair was pulled back in a low chignon. And for beauty, the makeup was exotic and wild, bright magenta eyes and vibrant peach lips.

Christina Milian was front row & center for the presentation! Also in attendance, Sydney Thomas of Nellyville, celeb stylist Derek Warburton, Miss D.C. Lizzy Olsen, Arthur Mandel, Kerry Bannigan, Elizabeth Flores, Alvester Martin, Paul Salagabo, & K’Nege.

Show sponsors — Indie Hair, Fogo de Chao, J.R. Ewing Private Reserve, LightSpeed, Don Q rum, Vegan Therapy, & SOLO (one step gel nails).

Show location — Pier 59 Studios, Chelsea Piers
PR — Amp3PR

For NYFW, KYE Dominates!

Posted on March 7, 2015 by SMM

KYE for Fall 2015 had such a collegiate, sporty vibe — lots of plaid, for the ladies a school-girl style, and for men varsity sweaters and the like. I loved how the pieces were styled, such great hair, makeup, and accessories. A lot of the pieces had a metallic vibe, hints of shimmer and shine. And the outerwear was superb!

These looks of course hail from streetwear designer Kathleen Kye. Kathleen is actually a Concept Korea alum, which is a staple designer showcase for MBFW. With this being her debut solo show, this was a pretty impressive showing! She used casino-themed symbols and images in fun shapes and vibrant colors for her collection.

For men, the lineup included velour sweatshirts paired with leather pants; elongated cardigans that resembled playing cards; long trenches paired with a baseball jacket and jeans, and Dr. Martens shoes.

For women, tartan plaids and cowboy boots dominated the runway, shown with blazers and long studded skirts.

This was indeed a SHOW, from start to finish. The runway presentation was held at Chelsea Piers, Pier 59 Studios, home of many a great runway shows! The show featured music by The Misshapes, styling by Lysa Cooper, makeup by Dick Page for Shiseido, hair by Matthew Curtis for TRESemme and nails by Rose Velez-Miggins for Tat’z Nail’z. PR for the show — Peoples Revolution.

VIP attendees included 2 Chainz (Rapper), Leigh Lezark (The Misshapes), Nigel & Cristen Barker, and more.

And hold the phone here, I must have this handbag now!! Again, I love a show that focuses beyond the looks themselves. The details and styling has to match and coordinate with how great a given ensemble is and KYE has done that here!

When Shiseido‘s Artistic Director Dick Page created a makeup look for the KYE show at Fashion Week this year, he was heavily inspired by modern masstige with a fusion of a rock n’ roll redux. Page really enjoyed the blacks and reds in the collection, which inspired him to use the timeless black eyeliner and the classic red lip in this look he created. “I wanted the look to pick up on the graphic elements of the collection” says Page.

For the face, Page used the NEW Perfecting Stick Concealer ($25) followed by the Sheer and Perfect Foundation SPF 18 ($35). For the eyes, Page went with the Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil in Black ($20) which was applied in a solid line. He, then smudged and diffused the eyeliner with Shimmering Cream Eye Color in Caviar ($25). Then, Page applied and layered the Automatic Eyeliner in Black ($29) to finish the eye look.

Like the eyes, Page went with something striking for the lips. For the lips, Page went with red lips. He used Lacquer Rouge in Drama ($25) and Lacquer Rouge in Sanguine ($25). He mixed these two Shiseido essentials together. Page immediately blotted with a flat tissue to break down the color. Lastly, a bit of Lacquer Rouge in Drama ($25) was dabbed onto the bottom lip to complete the entire lip look.

The Countdown Begins……Nolcha Fashion Week — Sept. 2014

Posted on July 3, 2014 by SMM

Yes, that’s right, let the countdown begin — in less than 3 months, Nolcha Fashion Week will be back, Sept. 2014, at Chelsea Piers in NYC! This week I announced a huge sweepstakes that Biovea is taking part in. But NFW is very much a part of this collaborative sweepstakes, as you could win 2 VIP passes to the many fashion runway presentations being put on by NFW. The event is clearly a “can’t miss!!”

HERE IS THE LINK AGAIN FOR THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY!!

Nolcha Fashion Week is a leading, awarding winning event, held during NYFW. It’s a time for independent designers to showcase their amazing creations and collections. And trust me, there are always great looks that come down the runway. I have definitely found some faves from attending and covering for Fashion Nexus in the past couple of years — Dany Tabet, Leka, Claire Farwell London, Intrepid by Ao’c, KARO swimwear, Danilo Gabrielli, and more!

This year’s lineup I’m sure will be just as great —

MICHAEL WILLEMS FOR “ALBERTO”

Alberto creates menswear with a desire to create the perfect pant that fits every man!

VANESSA TEYE FOR “B’VENAJ”

B’venaj is all about celebrating the human figure, finding freedom within the garments created.

KNUD HORSCH FOR “CARL GROSS”

Carl Gross has been an up and running label since 1925 — always creating fashion, quality, and comfort!

GIORGIO FILIPPI FOR “CODICE”

CODICE is all about polished and sophisticated looks of ease, contemporary and modern wearable fashion.

RACHEL GREGORY FOR “GREGORY APPAREL”

When you think Gregory Apparel, think feminine modern minimalist with a dash of prep.

JENN BURGOS FOR “JBURGOSNY”

JBURGOSNY wants to send a message to all women, especially mothers — you can still look and feel fabulous after having children. And this is the brand to dress women in all shapes and sizes.

MIMI TRAN

Contemporary styles, enhancing one’s beauty, celebrating femininity, that is MIMI TRAN.

DOLLY DONSHEY FOR “MONSTRUOSITE”

Monstruosité focuses heavily on bringing concepts to life by integrating music, art and theatrical elements to showcase the ideas behind the designs. Monstruosité views fashion and millinery as a way to tell a story and push creative boundaries, while also focusing the utmost attention to detail.

I am getting pretty excited. Each year I’ve attended Nolcha Fashion Week, it has only gotten better and better. I’m sure this season will not disappoint! So get to know NFW, check out my own fun times, showcasing looks in My Fashion Diary & Fashion Week looks, also some great snaps of myself with celebs I met at the runway presentations. And of course, check out my previous fashion week coverage on Nolcha —

Fashion Nexus

A fashion blog for anything & everything fashion, including fashion law topics

Tag Archives: Chelsea Piers

Nolcha Fashion Week — The Collective Show

Nolcha Fashion Week — Ones to Watch

Nolcha Fashion Week — Last of the Shows

Nolcha Designers — Ones to Watch

Katty Xiomara is all About Re-Evolution!

For NYFW, KYE Dominates!

The Countdown Begins……Nolcha Fashion Week — Sept. 2014

A fashion blog for anything & everything fashion, including fashion law topics

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