9-15-09 Jan's Blog (Pt 1)
REALLY can't believe it's already day 6 of fashion week! The days are beginning to blur together...reminds me a little of Boot Camp!
Today I start at the Chelsea Art Museum for the Catherine Maladrino show. Catherine always does something really interesting with color and texture...and this season does NOT disappoint. The story is nomadic...beautifully wrapped, beaded, and adorned tribes trek across the desert, prepared for all the travails of the trip. The first tribe is a wrapped in rich neutrals in clay, granite, sand and bark...nails are 'Desert Suede' with sugar and coffee grounds mixed in with the color to create texture, topped with 'Super Matte' top coat ....all made to make the nails look sand blasted and weathered. The other tribes are in black & white intricate leather treatments, others in the colors of a desert sunset....these looks all have a 'Super Matte' manicures blotted with a fiber cosmetic pad to for extreme texture. It really looks cool!
So, while we're back stage, all of a sudden there's major activity and a huddle of photographers moving through the room. Who is it??? ...so tiny...can't see her...oh it's Kim Kardashian! Saw her on the reality show and figured she'd be 5'7" or so and full figured. She is serious TINY...as in teenie weenie! Except for the famous bootie, of course. Girlfriend loves make-up and wears it well! Turns out she's the video host for 'Hello' magazine and is covering fashion week trends. Here she comes...wants to know what CND is up to! May I say how sweet and fun she was? She loves our new Color and Effects and can't wait to try 'Asphalt' with 'Safire Sparkle' ...I can see this would fit her style beautifully! So we chat and play for 30 minutes...note to self, send her one of every color...she'll go nuts! ....oh yah, also who can do her nails like mine? We gotcha covered!!! CND to the rescue!
So now all models are ready to get into position. The show is a gallery show, versus runway. I like his format, at you can really study the detail of the styling elements....and then.....ANOTHER crazy photo-huddle occurs.....it's Mary J. Blige! Catherine is personally escorting her around the show. She's very pretty in person.....I know she must be staring at the GORGEOUS nails! Can you imagine Mary J. in a full box of Color and Effects?!
I now dash back to the tents for the Max Azria show. Max Azria designs for BCBG, Herve Lerger and Max...the house is packed! No time to go backstage, so I find my seat in the nick of time before the show starts. Once I sit, I realize there is huge activity happening on the runway...who is it? Some glamorous blonde or bombshell diva? I strain to see...and realize it's Mickey Rourke. Really? Mickey Rourke at a fashion show? He looks really gnarly...seriously...but in a little bit sexy-Keith Richards-ashtray-kinda-way. Kathy Lee Gifford and Yoda from the Today show are there...Hillary Duff and the blonde brigade show up.....then, lights down!
The show was very 80's Calvin Klein or Jill Sanders. Sleek column dresses with slice cut-outs and sharp slits made for a very architectural silhouette, almost futuristic. The make-up is very whitened nude; hair is sleek and sharp in a pony tail and nails? ' Putty' of course...with 'Super Matte' top coat. Unquestionably, this is a favorite look this season. I figure it's an easy way to look groomed and perfect but still on trend and modern.
We have just enough time to run and meet the Editor in Chief of American Salon, Marianne Dougherty...love her so much! She SO gets fashion and does a brilliant job covering the trends. She LOVES nails. Thanks Marianne.
Just enough time to go back to the hotel...quick run and then off the Baby Phat!
....gotta dress fabulously....see you later!