Preview: Fratelli Rossetti FNO- homage to Marilyn Monore

New York Fashion Week is around the corner! One of the highlights of the week is Fashion’s Night Out [FNO] on September 6th, that hugely popular Vogue-CFDA initiative Anna Wintour inaugurated a few years ago to much skepticism in the fashion community.

I’m no longer one of those skeptics after having a wonderful time with Mark Behnke, Laura Wood, and Lisa Johnson, relaxing uptown at a Missoni FNO event. Until the invite to join Fratelli Rossetti’s FNO hit my mailbox I was torn between choosing to cover uptown or downtown. Fratelli Rossetti has one of the best events going this coming FNO.

Lady Breda by Alessandro Gedda

This venerable luxury shoe brand continues to celebrate icon Marilyn Monroe with ”Tribute to Marilyn”, a compilation of 50 works by Italian artist Alessandro Gedda. We’ll be able to view Mr. Gedda’s work at Fratelli Rossetti’s New York Boutique and to have a look at the company’s limited edition pump, the Lady Brera. The luxe crocodile shoe is F.R.’s homage to Marilyn, is a stunner – ”Marilyn red” of course! While I couldn’t find an image of Marilyn wearing Fratelli Rossetti’s, no matter; she would have loved these shoes and the tribute.

Marilyn, by Alessandro Gedda

This is a one night only proposition. You can only buy the Marilyn shoe is an FNO exclusive. It will be sold exclusively at the FNO event.

Lady Brera Tribute Shoe

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE:

Fratelli Rossetti Boutique

625 Madison Avenue

6PM-9PM

ABOUT Fratelli Rossetti

The footwear collection was founded in 1953 by Renzo Rossetti and his brother Renato in Parabiago, Italy. Since 2003, founder, Renzo Rossetti’s sons Diego, Luca, and Dario have run the company. All Rossetti loafers, stilettos, and sandals, and the Fratelli Rossetti ONE collection, are entirely crafted in Italy using only the finest leathers and materials available, and are truly comfortable.

- Vivian Kelly

H&M’s David Beckham Statue Stunt and Promo

I love a good old fashioned publicity stunt! Some of the most famous events began as a mere publicity stunt: the Olympic Torch Relay, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Tour de France, to name just a few on Taylor Herring’s Famous Publicity blog. Then there’s the “Tiger Tees-off” stunt that took in place in March 2004 on the helipad atop the Burj Al Arab hotel. Woods practiced his tee shot there in front of the media. It kicked off his participation in the Dubai Desert Classic that he played in for a cool million dollars.

Tiger Woods Tees Off For the Media Atop Burj Al Arab’s Helipad in Dubai

True, it’s old school, but who out there of you doesn’t enjoy a good laugh?

The American Public is spoiled rotten by promotions [when ISN'T there a sale on?] and brands have to work HARD at coming up with something that will pique our interest.

The clever publicists at H&M have succeeded with this promo.

One of the New David Beckham Bodywear Ads

It was already broiling hot mid-morning by the Flatiron Building, but just about every pedestrian in the vicinity of the silver statue stopped and took a second to pose on the red carpet with him and sent an instagram out.

CONTEST DETAILS

Starting today, August 20th to August 31st, get over to one of the H&M locations throughout participating cities if you can. Once there, snap a pic of yourself with Beckham, tag it with #HMBeckham and upload it to Instagram.

If you can’t make it to one of the participating stores*, the contest is live on HMBeckham.com for U.S. residents until August 31st. Prizes range from silly fun to a chance to do some serious shopping on H&M’s tab.

WHAT YOU CAN WIN

If you’ve ever secretly longed to possess an Oscar statuette, winning one of the 100 mini limited edition David Beckham statues might scratch that itch. Better still is the grand prize, a $1,000 H&M shopping spree.

*Participating Stores [where you can pose w/ Beckham and Instagram your entry]

New York City: South Street Seaport, Flatiron, 5th Ave. & 23rd St, H&M, Lexington & 59th, H&M, 5th Ave. & 51st, H&M, 5th Ave. & 42nd.

Los Angeles: Hollywood and Highland, H&M at the Beverly Center

San Francisco: Union Square

Good Luck!

Baroness von Neumann’s Luxury Home Collection

Before walking into a summer spa event at the doMAIN showrooms in NYC, I hadn’t heard of the Baroness von Neumann or of her new luxury home collection.

That made sense, once I learned that she’s rolling it out the right way, one piece at a time. The first part of her roll-out that is available and for sale is her scented candle collection. The beautifully packaged pillar candles displayed beautifully in the all white showroom. The orange, black and cream boxes drew my attention right away. On closer inspection, they smelled delicious; the silver and gold scripted logo which includes her late husband’s family crest screamed “Old school jet set”.

Baroness Monica von Neumann

I am completely in agreement with Baroness Monica von Neumann’s philosophy as it pertains to luxury and how one can incorporate it into one’s life, no matter what your station in life happens to be.

Says this LA based tastemaker,

“I have learned that the most expensive is not always the best, as luxury is attainable to all. I will peel back the veil on luxury travel, culinary arts, interior design, the best gifts to give, fashion and of course advise!”

The Baroness shares style tips on her blog on just about everything and a bio about her interesting life. [She's been a model, a mother, tastemaker, board member, philanthropist, and now home interiors designer]. There are tips on fashion accessories, entertainment menus, etiquette, and of course, suggestions about which of her scented candles best fit which occasion.

The ladies at doMAIN Los Angeles sent me two candles to burn at home and experience. During the day, I had Savon lit in my study and once the cocktail hour began, switched off to Garbo.

The Savon Candle from the Memoir Collection, $49.50, 12.5oz.

Savon is from the Memoir Collection and is a mix of jasmine, damask rose and red amber. Overall, the scent is warm and earthy, as promised in the product description.

Garbo is from the Legend Collection and as such, the candles in this grouping have a lot to live up to. The thrust of this collection is “strong and stately”. Garbo opens with Flora and Zitrusfrucht followed by base notes of oud wood, barley and antique leather. The effect is a tad on the masculine side, but in a pleasing way. Garbo herself was a tad masculine [those trousers and attitude] so it fits.

All candles are priced at $49.50 with the exception of a gift set for $59.50. As loathe as I am to say good-bye to summer, thinking ahead – the Baroness’s candles make for a nice Holiday gift.

Above, Greta Garbo. Below, her namesake candle.

Coming soon: textiles, flatware, linen and accessories pieces, and collections specifically created for areas of the home including her favorite space—the boudoir.

Endnotes: Radar’s Neil Woulfe asked the Baroness an interesting question.

Radar: With your gorgeous looks and outgoing personality, it seems like you’d be a natural fit for a reality TV show like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Would you ever do a show like that?

Monica: With whatever TV project I am approached with I consider several vital non-negotiables. My integrity and self-respect shall always be intact. I have a legacy to uphold for my daughter and my late husband’s surname. I will not participate any project that sacrifices that.

Her response made me instantly like the Baroness. I hope to one day meet and chat with her about her projects and world view.

- Vivian Kelly

Olympic Eyes=Gold/Silver/Bronze Makeup Worn With High Impact Sunglasses

You’re watching NBC, of course you are. Maybe it’s women’s beach volleyball or one of the breathtaking track and field races.

Golden Girls, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor, win their 3rd Olympic Gold Medal

One of the highlights is having a look at the bronze silver and gold medals these elite athletes have worked their whole lives to attain.

Happily the rest of us can participate and score some bronze silver and gold of our own without a life’s worth of effort.

Lest you think metallics are “too Vegas”, chew on what Francois Nars told me in a long ago phone interview,

“Makeup is for experimentation and to have fun with. You can always wash it off and start again!”

Some of the best metallics around are by Urban Decay. You fans of this edgy brand know that their shadows stay put, even if you forget to put primer on. After a field trip to Sephora, I got to work creating my verison of the Olympic medal look using the Urban Decay shadows Alison Brod PR so kindly provided me with. Some great colors to try: baked, half baked, Freelove, SWF, Foxy, Maui Wowie, and Midnight Girl.

Below, my “Golden Eye”, using Urban Decay’s freelove, baked, half baked, and Eldorado liner.

Golden Eye, using Urban Decay Shadows and liner

Urban Decay Shadow, “SWF”

Urban Decay, “Eldorado” 24/7 glide-on eye pencil

A week later, in Miami, at the Mercedes Benz Star Lounge, high up on the Raleigh’s 7th floor, Make Up For Ever stylists, were giving touch ups and generously doling out makeup advice for how to wear metallics and bold color together, such as Purple 92.

Getting Makeup Tips from a Make Up For Ever artist at Mercedes Benz Miami Fashion Week Swim

In addition to your three eyeshadows, you’ll need a really good eyeliner that doesn’t bleed-out. If you’re going for the gold, it’s Urban Decay’s “Eldorado”. If you want even more definition, Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Shadow Waterproof Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Matte Black [Shade OE].

Below, my eyes, before applying the Aqua pencil, using Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadows for a bronze look.

Metallic Eyeshadows without Eyeliner

Tip: to create the Olympic medal look, you will need three shadows and must extend the color all the way up, to just below the eyebrow.

Ginger Sunglasses by Maui Jim at the Aqua di Lara Show

Once your makeup is done, add that perfect pair of sunglasses. Imagine the impact once you take off your new sunglasses and reveal those gorgeous metallic eyes you’ve created! There were some great pairs of sporty options at the Oakley Swim Show and some retro inspired frames at the Aqua di Lara show by Maui Jim. If you’re committed to color, try Oakley’s “Beckon” limited edition iridescent fades in “grape juice”, [$120].

Gretchen Bleiler Beckon Oakleys in “Grape Juice”

A week after I returned from Miami, I fell madly in love with a pair of SAMA Eyewear “Gossip” sunglasses [$545] Anne Hathaway aka “Catwoman” wore in New York City on a rare day off. “Gossip” is designed with cutouts on the stems, perhaps a new take on the oversize black shades Jackie O. popularized in the Seventies?

Anne Hathaway wears SAMA eyewear, “Gossip” sunglasses, August 3, 2012, NYC

As Meredith Garcia of The Fashion List says, the bigger the better!

- Vivian Kelly

Crocs – 10th Anniversary Celebration with Maria Menounos

Crocs.

It seems every household has had at least one pair kicking around the house at one time or another since the company launched 10 years ago.

Maria Menounos Rings the NASDAQ Bell for Crocs 10th Anniversary

Small wonder, since its inception in 2002, Crocs has sold more than 200 million pairs of shoes in more than 90 countries around the world.

Is it fashion? In the past, NO, in the present, YES, it’s moving in that direction. The original swiss cheese patterned clog was THE shoe for every child in suburban America under the age of ten. True, the clogs were great for the garden or for doing errands in the rain but weren’t a shoe fashionistas regularly wore outside of the house.

Fast forward to today and there are 300 styles to choose from. I saw some of the new line first hand at an event doMain hosted in July and loved the platform sandal they gave me to road test. I’m not giving up my Wonder Woman flip flops, but the cushion bed on the Crocs is just what your feet are begging for at the end of the day.

Maria in her Adrina giraffe print Crocs – detail

One of the most fashion forward styles on the line is the “Adrina”, Extra Host and former “Dancing with the Stars” sweetheart Maria Menounos wore to ring the NASDAQ opening bell at Times Square earlier this week to celebrate Crocs’ 10th anniversary. The signature giraffe print Adrina flats look like a cute pair of flats rather than “a comfort shoe”. Maria credits her Crocs for saving her feet after her strenous Dancing With the Stars workouts. The comfort factor Maria’s referring to is the brnd’s proprietary Croslite™ material, the technology that gives each pair of shoes the soft, comfortable, lightweight, non-marking and odor-resistant qualities that makes them so comfortable.

I did some checking locally, and tracked down Maria’s Adrinas at Dick’s Sporting Goods last night. As Arnold Schwartzeneger so famously said, “I’ll be back!” The best selection though, is online at Crocs.com.

Platform cork wedge Crocs

Endnotes

The six-foot giant pink Crocs cake displayed at the 10th Anniversary event was designed by the dynamic duo, Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, from TLC’s “DC Cupcakes.” The chefs were also on hand to help celebrate, wearing their Crocs, of course!

Sophie La Montagne, Katherine Berman, , Maria Menounos