MTV Movie Awards 2015 — Best Dressed

Posted on April 14, 2015 by SMM

Always a fun and exhilarating red carpet, the MTV Movie Awards. Here is my Best Dressed list, as well as an honorable mention from the 2015 Olivier Awards.

Sofia Vergara

Not enough words to express how much I love Sofia’s look here, a cobalt blue Noam Hanoch dress with lace cutouts. What a stand-out dress — the color, the lace, so chic and sexy!

Jennifer Lopez

J. Lo is rockin’ these red carpets lately, always looking so amazingly captivating! Here she is donning a Anthony Vaccarello x Versus Versace suit jacket, mini skirt, and belt. Accessorizing just as well, she has paired with her look gold Chimento and Vita Fede jewels, a black and gold Salvatore Ferragamo clutch and coordinating Giuseppe Zanotti heels.

Anna Camp

This multi-colored and printed Peter Pilotto dress is a great choice for Anna; it’s so lively and vibrant! She coordinated well with her accessories — sky blue Stuart Weitzman heels and jewelry from both Shylee Rose and EF Collection.

Her beauty look, a sunkist, fresh take, was courtesy of Melanie Inglessis. Gorgeous flowy waves were by Rob Talty. The overall look was put together by Jessica Paster.

Maia Mitchell

Maia clearly believes there is nothing wrong with a basic LBD and I couldn’t agree more! This fitted, long-sleeved Reiss dress looks great on her, just an overall simplistically minimal look with Tory Burch heels to top it all off!

Katie Stevens

I’ve been a fan of Katie since her days on Idol and I love her current hit MTV show Faking It. So glad to see her doing well and looking so great! She looks phenomenal in this short-sleeved white Rachel Zoe frock with gold bead embellishments on both the hem and sleeves.

Completing her look are some just as stunning accessories — nude Stuart Weitzman heels, white and rose pink Tyler Alexandra clutch, and understated Ruifier jewels.

Victoria Justice

There is just something about this fun and flirty Versace look that keeps catching my eye and attention. I’m not sure if it’s the cutouts or the color palette, but I absolutely love it! It’s completely adorned with Swarovski crystals and she is even accessorizing with some Swarovski jewelry as well. Completing her look are black Jimmy Choos.

Emily Ratajkowski

There is just no doubt this is a super sexy, crazy cool dress by Fausto Puglisi. The embellished partial bodice is very mesmerizing and it’s in a great color, bright green! Emily accessorized with Jennifer Meyer jewelry, Eva Fehren earrings, and a Borgioni ring, as well as a black Amanda Pearl clutch.

Bridget Regan

Bridget was a little matchy-matchy with the blue carpet, but this look, with the hand-painted details, was so gorgeous, what a stunner! Her stylist Karen Raphael picked a truly great look here by Elena Reva. She paired with this dress metallic heels from Via Spiga.

Bailey De Young

Bailey looked fun, flirty, prim, proper and cute in this Alice and Olivia skirt and top. The pairing of the floral top with the bright cobalt blue skirt was a great styling choice. She coordinated with her look a Per Lo Jewelry bracelet.

Vanessa Marano

Vanessa looked chic and fab here in this color-blocked Jay Godfrey dress. She left no detail unnoticed and accessorized well with a glittery silver Rauwolf clutch, Ruifier ring, and white Lust for life heels.

Miles Teller

The only designer detail I know for Miles looks is that his timepiece is Montblanc. But I just love this casually stylish separates look; he looks great!

Nicole Scherzinger

And for my honorable mention, the 2015 Olivier Awards, sponsored my MasterCard, we have Nicole. The awards show is basically London’s version of the Tony Awards.

This is an elegant black look, very fashionable and glamorous for the red carpet at hand, just very much a smashing success of a look!

Think Coachella!!

Posted on April 11, 2015 by SMM

Coachella is this weekend, as well as next. So if you have this music festival on your agenda, or if there is another down the road, here are some pieces fit perfectly for the occasion!

FREE PEOPLE

Andy Cropped Gaucho

Rayon Hi-Rise Culotte

FRANCESCA’S

Cosette Crochet Maxi Dress

Abbigail Printed Dress

Saira Embroidered Maxi Dress

ALISON SHERI

URBAN OUTFITTERS

For Love & Lemons Aloha Dress

For Love & Lemons Hula Dress

NASTY GAL

Raga Lovely Lace Flare Pants

Spell Sundancer Off-the-Shoulder Romper

ZARA

Short Kaftan

Embroidered Open-Knit Sweater

H&M

Floral print romper

Patterned Dress

TOPSHOP

Floral Flippy Shorts

Chevron Print Mini Skirt

FOREVER 21

Embroidered Halter Top

Tribal Print Tank

ANTHROPOLOGIE

Phebe Skirted Shorts

Picro Hyphen Embroidered Chino Shorts

This Thing Called Fashion Law…..Take 2!

Posted on April 9, 2015 by SMM

I am often asked about my fashion blog, Fashion Nexus, mainly how it all started and what do I blog about? Law school and specifically Fashion Law is the main reason my blog even exists. And I of course say my blog is different than others out there because I not only discuss fashion, but also fashion law. This inevitably brings out the questions — What is fashion law??

I’ve briefly written about this topic before — discussing how it’s a multi-disciplinary type of law that encompasses contracts, corporations, intellectual property (trademarks, copyright, design patents, etc.), and more. I then went onto discuss the growing programs solely dedicated to this type of work, this type of practice, from schools on the east coast such as Fordham or NYLS, to schools on the west coast, such as Loyola. I discussed the types of courses you could expect that relate to fashion law — Fashion Law & Finance; Fashion Ethics, Sustainability, & Development; Fashion Modeling Law; Fashion Retail Law; and Fashion Law Business Transactions.

I now want to further discuss the issues that arise with fashion law, specifically some hot topics from recent panel discussions and future ones. The NYC Bar held a panel in March, with a focus on “Preparing for the Runway”, a discussion of various legal issues related to preparing for and producing fashion shows and presentations, including intellectual property, employment, contractual and financing concerns.

Actually, I plan on attending the Fashion Law Institute’s 5th Annual Fashion Law Symposium thru Fordham University. The topics to be discussed will be as follows —

Purchasing Power: Mergers & Acquisitions and Fashion Investment
Pulling the Plug: Fashion Companies, Dissolution, & Bankruptcy
Power Dressing: Politics, Dress Codes, and the Public Eye
Power Centers: Battling Across Jurisdictions in World War IP
Connectivity: Modeling and the Power of Social Media
The Power of 2: Licensing and Wearable Technology

I plan on fully reporting on the event and look forward to having my Fashion Nexus readers learn even more about this area for which I am so passionate about. The Fashion Law Institute, in addition to various events throughout the year, also conducts a Fashion Law Bootcamp every summer. It’s now a bi-coastal summer session. The program is run by Professor Susan Scafidi, Founder and Academic Director of the Institute, who pioneered the field of fashion law. She is the first professor to create a course in the area

Participants attending Bootcamp will explore diverse areas that affect the fashion industry and are at the heart of the Fashion Law Institute, including intellectual property, business and finance, international trade and government regulation, and consumer culture and civil rights. Within these categories, specific topics include the protection of fashion designs, counterfeiting, licensing agreements, fashion financing, garment district zoning, real estate, employment issues from designers to models, consumer protection, sustainability and green fashion, import/export regulations, sumptuary laws, and dress codes.

These topics are all actual in the field of fashion and are exactly where fashion law needs come into play. Varying issues arise everyday, from huge cases such as Louboutin and their quest for a trademark with their notorious red soles to trademark infringement with the Kardashians’ cosmetics line. It’s not even always about going to court. Sometimes it’s about the need to safeguard and plan ahead, such as when Stella McCartney was granted a design patent for one of her best-selling dresses.

Discussion in this area even can come out of the blue, such as with Lord & Taylor’s recent blogging campaign where 50 bloggers donned the same dress. The campaign was a smashing success as the look sold out. However, L&T failed to mention that these bloggers were paid to wear this dress, as did the bloggers themselves, which violates advertising requirements under the FTC. The major retailer could face fines for such actions. This is where a fashion attorney, likely an in-house counsel, should have stepped up to make sure that this advertising campaign complied with all governmental regulations. This likely won’t turn into an actual problem, but I use it as example to demonstrate just how easily these issues can arise and to show how this type of law is expanding and growing daily.

NYLON guys — Events Galore!

Posted on April 7, 2015 by SMM

NYLON guys has been hard at work in recent weeks, with lots of in-store events and collaborations for fashion bloggers and industry insiders to attend. I’ve had the pleasure of attending 2 such events, one at SAKS, and the other at Lord & Taylor. Here are some details from those events, and information on some dynamic menswear brands that you must get to know!

The first event I attended was back in March, a Night of French Contemporary Clothing held at SAKS. The event featured bold European menswear brands — AMI, Kenzo, Maison Kitsune, MelindaGloss, and The Kooples.

DJ’g at the event was Body Language, and while chatting or listening to the tunes, you could sip on the courteous open bar setup, such choices as Svedka Vodka or Black Velvet Whiskey.

Other brands too set up for some courteous treats, such as Sisley Paris, offering pampering with their skincare beauty products.

But the highlight of the evening was seeing top menswear bloggers donning the brands’ looks!!

Next up, NYLON guys co-hosting with Lord & Taylor, for a denim shopping event, but also the chance to meet top menswear blogger Adam Gallagher of i am galla. Again, this was an event with a great DJ, yummy treats, and open bar!

creating your own t-shirt

2015 Kids Choice Awards Red Carpet Highlights

Posted on March 31, 2015 by SMM

Many fashionable celebs hit the red carpet over the weekend for the 2015 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Here are some of the major fashion highlights!!

Laura Marano

Laura is rockin’ a fave color of mine, looking so gorgeous in this Emporio Armani dress with cutouts. Her metallic silver accessories were spot on, Jimmy Choo heels and a Tyler Alexandra clutch.

Jennifer Lopez

Roberto Cavalli dress, with lace cutouts all over! And the perfect touch for this all white look, Jimmy Choo heels.

Jennifer Hudson

Two Jennifers lookin’ great, back to back. This Jen is more specifically J. Hud, looking spectacular in this black, understated Tamara Mellon jumpsuit. To spice the look up a bit she wore Giuseppe Zanotti heels with pops of royal blue color, Jack Vartanian earrings and bracelet, and a Le Vian ring.

Audrey Whitby

Not sure who Audrey is wearing, but she looks smashing in this bright red 2-piece number. It’s a great choice for her age, the event, and to show off she can rock the red carpet, or in this case an orange carpet!

Cristine Prosperi

Another LWD and another dress I’m not sure of the designer, but nonetheless, I love it! Cristine went with a simplistically minimal choice, but she looks great and the side cutouts are amazing here, all in all, great choice!

Fifth Harmony

The girls all looked amazing, little less coordinated as a group than usual, but really all showcasing some individual styling choices. I do know Miss Lauren in the middle, her luscious locks and bold makeup were done by Clarissa Luna and Randin Petersen. And her overall styling was by Bobby Wesley and The Ninja Twins.

Must Have Fashion Week Accessories

Posted on March 27, 2015 by SMM

NYFW has come and gone. It was such a great time, so many amazingly talented designers presented. From RTW to stunning gowns, I saw it all! Some time yes has passed, but after some reflection and time, being able to peruse thru all of the various shows, I did want to put out this fun piece! I always enjoy seeing the many chic and fashionable accessories which complimented the various looks that graced the runways – handbags, jewelry, shoes, and more!

Upon my complete and full inspection, I’ve compiled my list of my “Must Have Fashion Week Accessories”! Enjoy!!

ANNA SUI

Anna Sui had it all, killer boots, fun outerwear hats, trendy jewelry, fun tights, and more — now these are ACCESSORIES!

DESIGUAL

Desigual is always a super fun show, high energy with graphic, bold looks. And the accessories aren’t too shabby either – fun headpieces, statement-making jewelry, and handbags galore!

BADGLEY MISCHKA

Badgley Mischka coordinated well with a floral inspiration, making use of some amazing floral accessories – tights and hair accessories, as well as some stunning clutches.

CUSTO BARCELONA

Custo Barcelona made use of some edgy accessories, super cool & hip – tote handbags, boots, and eyewear!

LEANNE MARSHALL

The F/W collection for Leanne Marshall brought to life a tragic love story. The looks were breathtaking, accessorized very well. The hair pins, the shoes, the jewelry, made this show all the more intriguing.

LIBERTINE

The Libertine show is always a ball. The pieces, the accessories, are just so full of life, meaning the runway show is spirited & energetic.

MALAN BRETON

So in love with every jewelry piece in Malan Breton’s show, women & menswear alike!

REBECCA MINKOFF

Rebecca Minkoff is of course known for making great accessories alongside her apparel pieces. She further demonstrated this point by styling her F/W presentation quite well.

J. Crew

J.Crew had it all – clutches, heels, jewelry, eyewear. So yes, had it all and everything was amazing!

HERVE LEGER BY MAX AZRIA

Herve Leger was bringin’ out a super sexy side for this runway. The gladiator heels wee phenomenal. But so too are the fabulous clutches and handbags!

DIESEL BLACK GOLD

Very practical, yet fashionably chic handbags for the Diesel Black Gold runway presentation!

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

Taoray Wang Goes for Round 2!

Posted on March 9, 2015 by SMM

Taoray Wang is back at Lincoln Center, MBFW, for the 2nd time presenting during NYFW. She has a successful line in China, Broadcast:bo, but it’s great to see her continue to make an expansion into the states!

Taoray Wang for F/W was all about chic, feminine RTW — some great pieces for modern women at work and burgeoning fashionistas alike. For the collection, she used a neutral color palette of grey, black, creme, navy, olive and burgundy to create a collection full of texture, structure, and silhouettes. Over-sized fur trim parkas were thrown over body con dresses, long coats were donned over long dresses. Structured wide legged crop pants had matching crop jackets with over-sized lapels, and boyfriend-esque motorcycle jackets were paired with skinny pants.

Wang played with shapes and silhouettes in textured materials ranging from polyurethane coatings to natural wools. The lineup started off with a polished and refined hand: a gray plaid slim coat worn over a tailored yet feminine pantsuit. Wang continued with an array of great knits in chic neutrals, including sexy dresses and cozy turtlenecks, as well as terrific oversize coats and a minimal approach to evening wear. I’m a huge fan of polka dots though so those pieces were certainly some of my faves here!

There were a lot of standout pieces here. I appreciated and was impressed by the versatility here. She made great use of a wide range of materials, really giving her type of woman lots of options. Again, I adored the polka dot pieces. The leather looks were also top notch. I love practicality in a collection, alongside of a spectacular runway show. And this is exactly what Taoray Wang delivered for the F/W 15 season.