Macy's Glamorama in L.A.

Here's a guest post from stylist Crystal Pancipanci, who was in L.A. for Macy's 29th Glamorama event Sept. 23. Thanks Crystal!:

Wire Image and Macy's photos courtesy Macy's
Fall styles were on stage at Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles during Macy's Passport Glamorama event Sept. 23.

Macy's Glamorama event was AMAZING! Macy’s Passport has been hosting this event to raise money for charities that help fight HIV/AIDS, among other causes.

The fashion event was a red carpet production that was far more than a fashion show. It infused the latest pop-culture music, dance performances, art and fashion all in one show at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A. The presenter for this year's event was the stunning Sharon Stone. I only hope to produce an event close to this caliber in Hawaii. One day!

Many celebrities showed up to support the cause. I had the privilege of meeting and walking Jennifer Love Hewitt down the red carpet as part of the media team. Jennifer wore a form-fitting electric blue Herve Leger dress.

Hawaii's Courtney Arndt was among the models.

I was also proud to see Hawaii's Courtney Arndt, who moved to L.A. to further her modeling career, walking the Macy’s runway, which featured all the latest fall looks from Macy’s collections, including designs by Rachel Rachel Roy, Bar III, Armani Jeans, Calvin Klein and Tracy Reese.

Musical performances by multi-talented Cee Lo Green and Far East Movement were fantastic, and headlining the next Glamorama show in San Francisco is our own Bruno Mars.

After the show, Macy's turned the Downtown Cal Mart into a lavish after-party with endless food, specialty drinks by Patron, Pinkberry frozen yogurt, sweets by See's and candy swag.

It was very really special evening for a great cause.

XOXO from L.A.,
Crystal

Another of the fall looks highlighting the maxi and retro '70s trends.

Cee Lo Green performed during the show's finale.

Members of Far East arrive on the red carpet.

Sharon Stone was the evening's presenter.

Never a dull moment at Polynesian pageant

Nadine Kam photos
Mr. & Miss Polynesia Pacific 2011 Summer Manuma and Robert Mokiao, with event co-producer Ralph Malani.

Summer Manuma and Robert Mokiao were named the winners Sept. 17, of the Mr. & Miss Polynesia Pacific competition that took place at the Pacific Beach Hotel.

There's never a dull moment in the pageant that puts its young, dynamic contenders through their paces in five grueling competitions that measure talent and creativity. The competition is probably one of the toughest in town, the contestants tend to be seasoned performers, accustomed to the rigors of the Polynesian revue.

The show coincided with Aloha Week festivities in Waikiki, so after checking in at rehearsals for Valerie Joseph's "Fresh in the City" the same night! it took me an hour to go from Pearl through Waikiki, so I missed the more fashion-y aspects of the show, the Natural Couture, Pareo and Black Tie Polynesia competitions.

But I did get to watch the talent and always colorful Fantasy Polynesian segments. In the latter, the competitors get some help from drag queens in creating their over-the-top costumes.

When I got there, I spotted some Honolulu Community College Fashion Technology students. I should have known they might have been there to support one of their own, Uoleni Tupuola. For his talent segment, he presented a mini fashion show of four ensembles, showing pageant-style talent doesn't have to be restricted to song and dance.

The standings:
Mr. Polynesia Pacific: Robert Ahsen Minoaka Keokolo Lopeti Wahilani Mokiao
Miss Polynesia Pacific: Summer Malamaisaua Kawailana Manuma
Natural Couture: Summer Manuma and Julian Maeva
Pareo: Summer Manuma and Robert Mokiao
Black Tie: Summer Manuma and Robert Mokiao
Talent: Summer Manuma and Julian Maeva
Fantasy: Tesia Melani Anuenueokalanikemakamale‘a Worley and Robert Mokiao

Congratulations to all!

Mr. Polynesia Pacific 2010, Micah Tiedemann, brought many to their feet and to the stage during his farewell performance.

Mr. & Miss Polynesia Pacific founder and co-producer Ralph Malani emphasized that the show is one of only a few in Hawaii to focus on Polynesian beauty and talent.

Stephanie Mendieta of Margo Le Perle de Tahiti, one of the event's sponsors. The company provided the Tahitian black pearls the contestants were wearing.

Talent winner Julian Maeva took home a new TV as one of his prizes for an amazing contemporary fire dance performed in the dark with glow sticks.


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Voting open for sexy shoes

Cast your vote for the hottest heels, and you might find yourself the lucky winner of a $10,000 Saks Fifth Avenue shopping spree.

Saks Fifth Avenue and FN (Footwear News) announced today the lineup for the 2011 Sexy Shoes contest, unveiling 25 Sexy Shoes finalists at the “10022-SHOE” boutique on the 8th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.

The finalists represent top shoe designers selected by the editors of FN, including B Brian Atwood, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Dior, Givenchy, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino and Stuart Weitzman.

Shoe lovers can vote daily to be entered to win the Sexy Shoes grand prize of a $10,000 Saks Fifth Avenue shopping spree, or second prize of a $1,500 Saks Fifth Avenue gift card.

No purchase is involved, although you will have to give up your email and street addresses and phone number. Go to www.footwearnews.com/sexyshoes to cast your vote by the Oct. 21 closing date. Winners will be announced in late October.

Old Navy stages family show

Photo by Nadine Kam
Altogether now: The cast and crew of the Old Navy fashion show that took place Sept. 8 during Fashion's Night Out.

Most fashion shows are still female-centric, but Old Navy makes fashion a family affair and chose Fashion's Night Out, Sept. 8, to stage a show encompassing kids and grownups, in a range of looks to take wearers from day to evening, perfect for island-style ease.

The early show, which started on time at 6, drew plenty of friends and family members who had plenty of time afterward to shop for the looks they'd seen on the runway, and still make it to other FNO events.


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From left, Mrs. Hawaii Lara Fonoimoana with Old Navy store manager Rebecca Guiterrez and assistant store manager Tristyn Takenaka and fashion show coordinator Tyson Joines.

Photographers hung out after the show to get photos of the models.

Closet Fetish offers Shoe Diva Deal

Attention shoe divas: Closet Fetish is moving its warehouse in L.A., and rather than move its current stash of shoe boxes, they're offering free shipping for those who order the Shoe Diva Deal of 36 boxes for $359.99. Once they are gone, shoe boxes will no longer be available at the company's website, www.closetfetish.com.

The boxes are available in Stiletto Red, Ballerina Slipper Pink and Light Blue, and only a limited amount of those colors remain, at a count of 200, 214 and 112, respectively.

Closet Fetish was started by local girl Sommer Meyer after she had amassed 250 pairs of shoes and needed a pretty storage solution. Below is how her closet looks today.

Score gifts at the Beauty Event

The Beauty Event totes.

The Neiman Marcus Beauty Event continues through the weekend with the latest makeup tips and newest products for fall, and the offer of multiple gifts with purchase from many of the cosmetics vendors.

As a special offer to readers of this blog, check in to the Special Events room from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, where there will be free demos and makeovers. Get a new look for fall, or get a makeover just to refresh your Facebook or Twitter profile pic.

Make any cosmetic purchase and mention Fashion Tribe to receive a free gift of a chic denim cosmetic pouch; spend $100 and you'll get the pouch plus NM's Beauty Event tote and free beauty samples. The tote comes in a choice of the season's colors, black and bordeaux, or animal print.

I'm not that great at math, but it seems to me that smart shoppers will even be able to triple their rewards. For instance, any $100 Bobbi Brown purchase will get you the Berry Lip Palette shown below. That same purchase will apply to the NM Beauty Event tote and pouch.

Or, make a $125 purchase from Laura Mercier and receive a cosmetics bag containing samples of five Mercier products, below:

Speaking of Bobbi Brown, the brand has launched a national search for its next Pretty Powerful Face.

Go online at http://bit.ly/prtypwr and share the secrets to your confidence and beauty and you could win a feature in the makeup artist's latest campaign.

51 semi-finalists will receive a $100 shopping spree on bobbibrown.com. The semi-finalists— one per state plus the District of Columbia—will be chosen by popular vote.

1 Grand Prize Winner will be selected by Bobbi to receive a trip to New York for a Bobbi Brown photo shoot and feature as a new face in Pretty Powerful 2.0.

Fall trends at FNO

Nadine Kam photos
Claudia Vaughan on the runway during the Neiman Marcus fashion presentation on Fashion's Night Out, Sept. 8.

Three-and-a-half hours seems like a long time, except when it's Fashion's Night Out and it becomes a challenge to visit every store offering an event at the exact same time!

When it comes to watching fashion shows, it doesn't leave much time at all, which is why I only managed to stop by Banana Republic to check out its "Mad Men" collection, Old Navy, and Neiman Marcus, from which I never escaped after visiting Andy South to congratulate him on his inaugural collection, taking in a fashion show, checking in with menswear designers Amos Kotomori and Mimi Fong, and finally, ending up having dinner at Mariposa with some friends.

It's great that Andy is sharing floor space—and price points!—with some of my favorite designers, Alexander Wang, Helmut Lang and 3.1 Phillip Lim, as well as Elizabeth & James, Alice+Olivia, Diane Von Furstenberg, See by Chloe and Marc by Marc Jacobs. It's almost unheard of for a new designer to get on the floor of NM with a first collection, but that's how much the local buyers believe in him. Go Andy!

Otherwise, to get shoppers in the mood for fall, the NM fashion show highlighted some key trends for fall, including ladylike looks from apparel to accessories, a touch of shine, the color bordeaux, furs, colorblocking, and more. A video follows.

Designer Andy South with his newly arrived Fall-Winter 2011 collection at Neiman Marcus.

Just as at NYFW, it's always interesting to check out the footwear in the front row.


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Honolulu Community College Fashion Technology instructor Joy Nagaue showed up to support both Andy and Amos Kotomori, who showed a few samples of his new , one-year anniversary limited edition vintage rayon collection. The designer will also be sharing his collection noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 17, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 23 in NM's third-floor menswear department.

Joy wore a necklace of colorful zipper pulls.

Among those who showed up to support Andy were, from left, Johnathan Walk, Ryan Nakagawa, Nalani Ravelo, Ryan Camacho, Harold Julian, David Crans and Krista Alvarez.

Crystal Pancipanci photographs her daughter Hailey with Andy.

Men's neckwear with a difference

Nadine Kam photos
Mimi Fong creates distinctive ties and cumberbunds. She's showing her work in the men's department at Neiman Marcus until 2:30 p.m. today, Sept. 9.

Laguna Beach-based designer Mimi Fong is in town to share her men's formal neckwear, cumberbunds, ties and accessories at Neiman Marcus, geared toward men who are not afraid of color and not afraid to stand out in a crowd.

Her ties are created of beautiful, original silk brocades, many with floral motifs and cut in ways so that no two are exactly alike.

Mimi said it bothered her, when shopping for men's ties, that their designs were so repetitive and static. She's drawn to things that are different (she's wearing Commes des Garçons and her own skirt creation with a bustle) so set out to change the way men think about neckwear, with designs that randomly wrap around and mysteriously disappear to the back of the tie.

The designer can create custom designs as well. You can meet her at Neiman Marcus today, where she'll be in the men's department until 2:30 p.m. You can also see more of her work at Mimifong.com.

Using a template, Mimi showed how one tie might look. She said she began creating her own ties to break the repetitive mode of men's tie patterns.

Mimi's obis for women can be worn at the waist or hips. They sell for about $100.

A selection of Mimi Fong's ties, at about $190 each.

Her textiles are created in limited yardages for exclusivity.

The gingko design with textured weave.

NYFW begins

New York Fashion Week Spring 2012 shows are underway. Keep up at:

Official
http://newyork.mbfashionweek.com
Facebook.com/MBFashionWeek
Twitter.com/MBFashionWeek

http://www.fashionweekdaily.com/

Also, Macy's will be celebrating its third annual Fashion's Night Out "Fete to Fashion," with live-streaming of red carpet arrivals and other happenings from Macy's Herald Square, beginning 6 p.m. NY time.

You can watch it at www.macys.com/fno when the time comes.

Your look in bright lights of Times Square!

Your picture here!

If you ever wanted to see your pretty little self on a billboard in Times Square, now’s your chance.

Diet Coke is giving stylish people from all over the world a chance to be a part of New York Fashion Week by featuring their new look for fall in a digital fashion show in Times Square on Sept. 15.

Submit a photo of your favorite new look for the season through Sept. 12 on the Diet Coke Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DietCoke?sk=app_211758705540346.

Fashion bloggers Bryan Boy, Susie Bubble and Pelayo Diaz will be selecting their favorite new looks from among the photos, and their choices will be featured in Times Square during Diet Coke’s New Looks for Fall fashion show, a digital catwalk that will appear on the six-story-tall Coca-Cola digital billboard.

Submitted styles will be featured on the Diet Coke Facebook page, and anyone whose photo also includes the new limited-edition Diet Coke also will be entered to win one of 10 W Hotels getaways for two, including airfare on Delta and hotel accommodations.

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As for my photos in “Times Square,” check out Photofunia.com, which makes it easy to slip your own face into one of 218 effects/images that allow you to transpose your head on another body or piece of artwork, or insert yourself into a painting in the Tate Modern or National Art Gallery, a street poster, etc. Hours of fun!

Rachel Zoe collection at NM, Missoni coming to Target

Neiman Marcus photo
Rachel Zoe blouson metallic maxi, $550.

Love the start of the new seasons when all is new. Labor Day weekend is the time to see the new collections, as well as check out the last of the summer sales. Armed with the fall trend list, you have a better idea of what will carry you through the coming months.

Among what's new at Neiman Marcus is the Rachel Zoe collection which will appeal to those with a taste for the L.A. celebrity stylist's '70s boho glam.

Rachel Zoe faux fur turn-lock coat ($550) and motorcycle leggings ($275).

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Then, on the heels of Karl Lagerfeld's capsule collection for Macy's introduced Aug. 31, set to arrive Sept. 13 at Target is the retailer's Missoni collaboration line. It's a simpler version of the original, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the quality of the knitwear is like. Would be great if the quality is good and could augment the M Missoni pieces I already have. Here are four looks from the collection:

Target photos
Missoni for Target, at left: Sweater dress ($54.99), hat ($24.99), long gloves ($19.99), clutch ($22.99), space-dye tights ($16) and ballet flats ($29.99). At right: Sweater dress ($54.99), Space-dye tights ($16), rain boots ($39.99), sweater ($44.99), headband ($7.99).

Missoni for Target, at left: Sleeveless sweater vest ($29.99), hat ($24.99), floral blouse ($39.99), pleated knit skirt ($39.99), slouchy bag ($34.99), silk scarf (tied on bag, $19.99), tights ($16) and ballet flats ($29.99). At right: Chiffon sweater ($44.99, available at Target.com only), knit shorts ($39.99), shiny tights ($16), pumps ($39.99).

Compare to the original Missoni, in pre-fall and runway looks:

Missoni photos
Missoni pre-fall 2011.

Textural detail from the pre-fall 2011 Missoni collection.

From the Missoni fall-winter 2011 ready-to-wear runway.