Comme Des Garcons+Nails Nails Nails!!!+Fall Inspiration

 

Nail Art inspired by Comme Des Garcons-O.P.I. Limited Edition "Mad As A Hatter" nail color

ITS BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE "CHIC"MAS

As many of you know, the holiday season is upon us. This usually means plane tickets, shopping for gifts, quality time with loved ones and tons of delectable foods and desserts. It also usually means PARTIES. Plenty of PARTIES. Parties that may potentially bring you face to face with an old beau or potential new one. It's best to be prepared. As my gift to you, I have compiled a few of my favorite looks of the season. Be inspired, Be admired, Be whimsical, Be a Decadent you.

 

shop, love, browse or hate these looks at netaporter, ssense, style.com

My Interview with Couture Designer Etienne Jeanson 2012

                      (L) C.O.T.U. Owner Maiya Milan Gitryte and French Designer Etienne Jeanson

     I first noticed Etienne Jeanson at the Funkshion fashion week media reception here in Miami. His hair, a delicate shade of blond, was a mass of soft and slightly unruly curls; more reminiscent of a rock star than of Shirley Temple. I was immediately curious about this dapper gentlemen and his “Beatles” appeal but I was preoccupied with other conversations. Nonetheless, Etienne and I did eventually meet and somewhere between picture posing and small talk about his upcoming runway show, he agreed to be interviewed by yours truly. Putting a face to a name had me more excited than usual to see his collection.

     The day of I arrived at the venue two hours early, (a daring feat for any fashion lover) and perused the venue. The 743 Studio was the perfect backdrop for a fashion show; possessing both the creative energy of a New York City warehouse and the sex appeal of South Beach. The production staff was still in the process of setting things up and Etienne was busily applying final touches. I wanted to say hello but didn’t wish to disturb him before show time. In being too comfortable with my own physical comfort (I wore denim and flats) I was late in reserving my seat before the show began. I stood near the end of the runway and thanked GOD that I was not wearing high heels for once. Once the lights dimmed and the music commenced, I was whisked away to another dimension. Etienne Jeanson’s collection was beautiful. The models floated down the runway in pieces well suited for a princess on vacation. Delicate, intricate, thoughtful and feminine; the fabrics and ornate detailing urged me to play dress-up. One of my favorites was a pair of fitted pants paired with a matching flared mini in British flag print and sheer floral train. I was as equally smitten with two of his dresses, one mini and one floor length, that featured deep and daring V backs and large feathered shoulders. For the sake of all things wonderful, I was pleased that I would have something of brilliance to discuss with this fashion aficionado on that coming Saturday.

     Saturday marked the first official day of Etienne’s Miami vacation. With the sun high and a plethora of tourists out to enjoy a day of sightseeing, Etienne and I met on Collins Avenue in South Beach and decided to walk along the ocean and take in the breeze. He’d brought along a gentleman I remembered seeing with him at the runway show who turns out to be his best friend. We all exchanged cheek kisses, friendly “how are yous” and began to walk.  In a skirt and closed toe boots, I hadn’t dressed for what could be considered a proper beach day but I was comfortable none the less.  We walked over to Ocean Drive and headed towards the sand. “so… Etienne began “what do you want to know? I am young….I am French” I laugh.

     Our conversation began with a focus on Thursday’s runway show. I was shocked and surprised when he mentioned to me that Thursday was his first show. Ever. This was also his first visit to Miami. He’d also designed and created all of the pieces by hand within a month’s time. Pieces directly inspired by Baroque, Classicism, Magic and Wizardry.  Raised in Lille, France but a graduate of the prestigious (EDIT: Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne)  in Paris (Valentino and Oscar de La Renta are alumni Etienne says), Etienne has worked with some of the industry’s most phenomenal couture houses; including Yves Saint Laurent. His time at Yves Saint Laurent is recalled fondly and Etienne credits the house for inspiring him to design his own collection. When asked whether or not he’s always wanted to be a clothing designer, Etienne mentions Automobile design and architecture as previous aspirations.

 

     As the wind whipped sand against our calves, the conversation turned to music and muses. I asked Etienne if there were any artists that he would like to work with as his muse or any artists he felt exemplified what his collection is about. “does she exist?” he chimed with a charming smirk. I laugh and ask him about his music tastes. He has a preference for Madonna over Rihanna, as Etienne believes that Madonna is the original pop icon. He listens to a lot of the older classics by artists before his time; many of them foreign to the states. I tell him that I will have to research them further later. His favorite color? Red, though he mentions that he has never worked with the color in design creations. I ask him why. He tells me that Red is such a statement color that it is difficult to control; you can be classy in red or trashy in red. His favorite food? Nutella. My mouth dropped in exaggerated shock at that answer. “Over everything else?!” I exclaim. “And it doesn’t taste the same here as it does in France” he says. “I had a bit here and ugh” He makes an “icky” face. I giggle.

 

     Twenty minutes later and we have reached the end of the beach and are standing by the pier. Etienne politely asks what exactly it is called. As something out of the pages of a travel magazine, the water beat softly against the rocks. We stood along the walkway by the water and looked at the residences and businesses on the other side. Etienne presents his camera. As he takes photos, I stand and appreciate the beauty of my city. Etienne asks for a photo of us together. I oblige. We spend a few more moments admiring the view before beginning our walk back towards our starting point. We pass the infamous “Nikki Beach” club which according to Etienne resembles the one in St. Tropez, France. I enviously mention that I’ve never been and would love to go. Once we reach the grassy and shaded area separating the beach from ocean drive, more pictures. With most of the interview complete, we walk over to the endless array of shops, restaurants and lounges in search of mojitos. I suggest “The Clevelander; a long time favorite of tourists and Floridians alike, part hotel, part outdoor pool/dance club. We get seated and Etienne orders a Mojito pitcher and chocolate cake. Once the drinks are poured and the cake is nearly gone, I ask my final questions: How much does an Etienne Jeanson Couture piece costs? And how long does a piece take to make?  “anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000” Etienne claims “depending on the actual piece” “orders can take 2 to 6 weeks for construction and delivery” not bad for couture, I think.

In constant creation mode, Etienne is already thinking of his next collection. When asked about the details, he gives me a gentle laugh and tells me that I will have to wait and see.

 For someone so gifted, Etienne possesses the demeanor of a first year college kid; intrigued and curious about all things. He interacts in a warm and relaxed way and appears to not take himself too seriously. Spending time with him felt familiar. I jokingly tell them that they are not at all how I expected the French to be; a little snobbish. Etienne’s friend and business partner answers with a punch line of his own “that’s the Parisians, we don’t like them”.  

www.etiennejeanson.com

 

FUNKSHION FASHION WEEK MIAMI OCT 2012

FUNKSHION: FASHION WEEK MIAMI BEACH

Spring/Summer 2013 Collections - Runway Shows!
October 9-12, 2012

(Oct, 2012, Miami Beach, FL) – Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami Beach celebrates its 10^th year and 20^th season!

As with every year, FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach will fuse music and fashion like no other city in the world!

This is Fashion Week - MIAMI STYLE! FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach is a platform for progressive and established designers to showcase their collections to media, celebrities, international buyers, and select style makers.

FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach will take residence at two locations, both in Miami Beach:

The Funkshion Fashion Tents (Collins Ave and 21^st street)

&

Studio 743 (743 Washington Ave)

Tuesday, October 9^th - Private MEDIA RECEPTION 6:30pm – 9pm.

Cocktails by Johnnie Walker Black & Don Julio Tequila, nibbles, wine and the pickup of press badges!

European Fashion District Showroom

826 Collins Ave, Miami Beach (next door to Barneys Co-op, btwn 8^th and 9^th)

Wed, Oct 10th - THE TENTS

8pm Nicole Miller

Fashion Group International’s (FGI) President, Margret Hayes will be presenting Nicole Miller with FGI’s Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as being honored with a “key to the city” from The City of Miami Beach. Following the award ceremony, there will be a retrospective showing of Nicole Miller’s collections over the past 30 years of her career.

Thursday, Oct 11^th - STUDIO 743

9pm Etienne Jeanson Couture (Paris France), presented by European Fashion District

Etienne Jeanson is a young French designer originally from Lille. He is a student of Haute Couture. After working for houses such as Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Junko Shimada or Tsumori Chisato, he continued his apprenticeship with Anne Valerie Hash, Christian Lacroix and Plumasserie (feather design) with Mr. Legeron. His passion for history puts him in perpetual opposition between baroque and classicism which is the starting point of this collection.

Friday, Oct 12^th - THE TENTS

8pm Guria Swimwear presented by SENSA

Guria Swimwear was in launched in 2007 by Camila Ckless, a “guria” (“girl” in Brazilian slang) who decided to follow her heart and create a line inspired by her love for the beach and fashion. The contemporary line encompasses a line of sophisticated and body flattering silhouettes in a wide range of sizes and shapes in order to create the perfect bathing suit for all body types.

9pm Red Dress Campaign

Now entering its 8th year, Go Red For Women is the nationwide campaign of The American Heart Association (AHA) to create awareness surrounding America’s #1 killer of women - Heart Disease. The event will showcase red dresses on the runway created and donated specifically for this show by some of the world’s top fashion designers. These dresses will then be auctioned off with all proceeds going to the AHA. Designers include: OSCAR DE LA RENTA, NICOLE MILLER, NARCISO RODRIGUEZ, CARMEN MARC VALVO, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION, CARLOS MIELE, ISSA, BIBHU MOHAPATRA, SHEENA TRIVEDI, ETIENNE JEANSON COUTURE.

Saturday, Oct 13^th - STUDIO 743

8PM Dieo Collection by Jnaba Diallo

9pm T.Rains by Traver Rains

Traver Rains, former co-creator of infamous fashion brand Heatherette, has since started his own line called T. Rains. The brand features a wide range of designs from silk-screened tank tops and t-shirts to custom couture dresses. Traver's new line is a combination of influences of his Western roots as a 5th generation horse rancher and his many years of living and designing in NYC. T. Rains’ growing fan base includes the likes of Adam Lambert, Kaya Jones, Ashley Hinshaw, Alan Cumming, Thompson Square, Johnny Weir, Taryn Manning, Perez Hilton, and Lydia Hearst.

10 pm The John Aston Group performs with their band at the official after-party at Studio 743 to celebrate the Fashion Issue of Design District Magazine

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

jetBLue, 5-HOUR ENERGY, PERONI, JOHNNIE WALKER BLACK, DON JULIO TEQUILA, GOOGLE,

PRIVE SALON FOR ALL HAIR LOOKS, MAKE-UP BY AILEEN QUINTANA AND JEWELRY BY SOLOMON’S STRANDS

As with every season, since the inception of Funkshion, we allow the general public to attend free of charge to all shows.

Potential guests need only to officially rsvp at: WWW.FASHIONWEEKMIAMI.COM Or WWW.FUNKSHION.COM

For all media inquires please contact:

Matt Heien/Eastside Public Relations / Matt@EastsidePR.com or 917-864-7867

Room Service

September 27th marked the grand opening of Room Service Restaurant and Lounge in Miami Beach. Residing where Club B.E.D. once dominated, Room Service offers up a play on the amenities you'd expect at a hotel. The waitress and host staff are all elegantly dressed in maid and bell hop uniforms and the establishment even features an "Early Check In" menu. Needless to say, I enjoyed the passed hors d'oeuvres and Perrier Jouet Champagne samples. Hopefully, no one will be checking out anytime soon. Pics to follow.

Up All Night

C.O.T.U. Currently provides public relations and marketing to some of the hottest and most luxurious nightclubs in Miami Beach. Groups of ten or more ladies receive VIP admission, VIP seating and bottle service. Contact us for more details.

Art Basel Miami Beach 2012-December 6-9th

"Art Basel announces strong lineup of galleries for

Art Basel Miami Beach

This year’s edition of Art Basel Miami Beach will feature 257 leading international

galleries, with work ranging from the Modern period of the early 20th century to the

most contemporary. Application numbers have again been high, exceeding those

for 2011, with more than 680 galleries competing to participate. Taking place at the

Miami Beach Convention Center from December 6 to December 9, 2012, the show,

whose main sponsor is UBS, will present a geographically diverse selection of

galleries from 31 countries across five continents." www.artbasel.com

As 2012 quickly approaches its close, I am growing more and more excited. Art Basel Miami Beach is gearing up to be one of the most spectacular and inspirational art shows yet. Showcasing artists and works from around the globe, it is the country's biggest art event. This will mark my first year in attendance, although those in the art, music and fashion world have told me nothing but great things. I can't wait. Tickets and itinerary can be found on their official website.

Leonardo Hidalgo "Hollywood" Exhibit Opening Reception

This past Thursday night was the opening of Leonardo Hidalgo's "Hollywood" exhibit in Downtown Miami. The venue of choice set the appropriate backdrop for all things pink, glamorous and pop art. Mick Jagger , Marilyn Monroe , Tony Montana , David Bowie and Queen Elizabeth were featured in some of my favorite pieces. Limited edition T-Shirts bearing Hidalgo's artwork are currently on sale. Get them while they're available. www.leonardohidalgo.com