Esther Nash – Socialite, Fashion and Jewelry Designer – Continues to Climb New Heights

Esther Nash – Socialite, Fashion and Jewelry Designer − Continues to Climb New Heights

Socialite, fashion designer Esther Nash is what most people would call a self-made woman. She’s a graduate of FIT, and has attended and received several scholarships to the top schools of design in New York, including Cooper Union, Art and Design High School, National Academy of Design, and she even took art classes for ten years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My head was spinning when she listed her credentials. I found it even more intriguing when she told me that she used to model, but they thought she was too short (except for print), was a gymnast, but they told her she was too tall, and was also a ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet for 5 years. She has appeared in several television shows, movies, and commercials including Law & Orderand Lift. Her designs have been featured on Sex in the City.

I had seen Esther around fashion events in both L.A. and New York for over 4 years.We’d exchanged friendly hellos and had even engaged in a conversation or two at an after party. But I never really had the chance to sit down with the emerging designer until we kept bumping into each other at New York Fashion Week last February. She had interesting styling advice, was very candid about the collections that showed, and ever so often she would find herself being photographed and interviewed by local TV and paparazzi. To the outside public, it had appeared that Esther Nash had finally arrived.

On Nash’s website esternash.com, I saw a collection of club wear and vintage clothing modeled mostly by Esther, who considers herself an atelier. Her creations are one-of-a-kind. You’ll find magazine articles featuring the young designer, and a running theme in those articles is her sheer determination to succeed in a cut throat, competitive business. Esther has had press coverage in Teen People, New York,Cosmo Girl, Teen Style Monthly, and Gotham, just to name a few. She encourages girls to stay chaste the way she did for so long, and not to be afraid to go for their dreams. You tell me, what’s not to like about Esther Nash! But, in a sea of blogs on the Internet and skeptical naysayers, sometimes the feedback isn’t always so favorable. In spite of the fickle press, Esther continues to forge ahead.

How did you start your line?

I graduated from FIT, I studied tailoring and sportswear. I was given scholarships for Art and Design High School on the East Side in New York for very gifted students in the arts. I studied fashion design there, took 10 years of art classes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I received scholarships every year for ten years, including 2-year scholarships for the Arts Students League, the National Academy of Design, and Cooper Union. I also studied painting, illustration, sculpting, and photography. I was accepted to all the top notch schools. It’s been a long road.

I figure-skated for seven years, ballet danced for 5 at the Joffrey Ballet, and took gymnastics at the Nova Gymnastic School for 10 years. I was too tall for gymnastics, too short for modeling. My clothes made it onSex in the City. My designs are being shown at Patricia Fields in Soho, and they were selected for the show. Anna Wintour came to my last fashion show, and my [Baby Doll] line is selling [in a boutique called Booty] in Japan.

Tell me about your clothes.

My motto is, “Be seen and be remembered. Sparkle and shine like the superstar that you are.” The clothing is very young, fun, trendy, feminine, and glamorous—pretty much everything combined. It’s pretty much making an impression for a lifetime the first time, because you only have that one time to make a good impression. You have only that one chance, and if you blow it, that’s pretty much how they will remember you. So you have to accessorize well, and I always try to incorporate my designs with other designers. It could be vintage, high end, low end. You have to work with your budget, and not everyone has the same budget.

So that means you’re an atelier. You don’t mass produce, but you design for individuals.

I do one-of-a-kind originals for now. I sew. I drape. I do everything. I have a jewelry line. It’s Finnish glass, Austrian crystals, precious stones, sterling silver, and stainless steel. It’s bulky jewelry. Because if your jewelry doesn’t work with the outfit, you always need a little something besides just the clothing.

I just signed with Ikon models (www.ikonmodels.com) in their celebrity division, and they’re revamping my whole image. We just had some new photos taken. It’s more grown up. I’m on a new television show coming up. Kelis is the host. It’s called “Style Warriors” on VH1. The show is about 5 designers that are competing to win as the best designer.

Now, are you the designer on the show competing?

I’m competing. I actually won the competition. It’s supposed to air, and if it does well, it will go to a full TV series.

Congratulations. Before, I said I saw your stuff about 3-4 seasons ago. Would you describe it as club wear?

Club wear, swimwear, knitwear, eveningwear, jewelry, rock star glam. The men’s wear is Sugar Daddy. You have to just be out there. You can’t give up, because when you do, that’s where they eat you alive.

Speaking of eating alive, tell me about some of these blog sites you’re on.

There are a few haters out there. I am not loved by everyone. You have to pick and choose, but all publicity is good publicity, I hope. I was just in theNew York Times on Sunday, and I had some haters. It’s unfortunate, but it’s okay. I’m on some blog websites. The nice ones are The Quest for “it, Alison Blackman, Advice Sisters, Girlfriends, and Cognac Corner. I have all these people that are jealous, angry, frustrated, bored….

Let’s talk about your process for designing. If a client comes to you and requests a certain type of outfit, how do you go about creating it?

[I ask them] where are they going? What is the design for? What kind of weather, occasion, weight? A lot of designers forget that real people gain and lose weight. Everyone’s not perfect looking, a stick figure. It’s upsetting because people think that you stay forever 21, and it’s not true. You have to move with the times. Otherwise you’ll be left behind if you don’t know how to change. I design for my mother. I make jewelry for her. When you’re designing for different ages, you have long skirts, short skirts, etc. You have to ask what people feel comfortable wearing. Otherwise they won’t be good advertisement for you.

What’s your highest high as a designer─the most amazing moment in your life?

Anna Wintour [Editor in Chief of AmericanVogue] attended my fashion show. A filmmaker made a film about it called “Runway Job,” which was in a few festivals.

Lowest Low

When I met a few young men that proposed and they wanted me to give up my career. So I had to break off three engagements. It’s okay. Single is fine until you meet the right person and they don’t ask you to choose.

I did read some information on you, and I do know that you have this philosophy about virginity.

I do think it’s important to wait. I waited a very long time.

Did you stop waiting?

Yes, I gave up my virginity to my ex-fiance. I just couldn’t wait anymore.

How do you feel that philosophy worked with what you were trying to do?

I think it was great because I wasn’t ready. I waited a long time, but I was not physically or mentally ready to “de-virginize” myself. Each person is different, and I think it’s important that you know who you are before you give up yourself to your mate. It was a 14-month relationship.

Were there any obstacles in your pursuit of designing?

Of course. I did it the old-fashioned way. No connections, scholarships, working very hard. A lot of people have investors, backers, family members…everything is set. But I have talent and I think in the end it will happen for me.

What advice would you give to a young designer trying to come up in this industry?

Esther Nash They should not give up. They should follow their dreams, take another job if they have to. Continue with school and their education. Then they will at least at a later time [pursue their dream] and they’re not out of the loop. So as a hobby they work on their dream and they have their profession and career on the side. That way they’re not angry people who had to give up their dreams because they had to pay their bills. At some point you feel you have to marry, have children, and that you have to give up something. I don’t feel that’s true. I don’t believe that you have to ever give up your dreams for anyone else. And that’s why I continued working. And I am not about to give up now!

To learn more about Esther Nash, visit her websitewww.esthernash.com.

By Kaylene Peoples

Candice Held – Turning Scarves into Feminine Creations

Candice Held – Turning Scarves into Feminine Creations

Candice Held is an LA-based designer who creates one-of-a-kind pieces from recycled scarves. She puts pieces together from hand-woven, hand-laundered scarves. She defines the Candice woman as fun, feminine, vibrant, and liking to have a good time. Her spring/summer collection is about the first bloom of spring when the flowers come out; and the heat of summer, which inspired her “hot air balloon” print.

This is the first time I’ve actually seen your collection on the runway. I’ve seen pictures, but there’s nothing like seeing it in person. This is really very ingenious what you’re doing. Looks like scarves and bandanas?

Thank you, and yes. What happened was I originally started the line exclusively with vintage scarves, and I just got so inspired from working with all the different prints and the silhouette that I put together with the scarves I really liked, and it really worked for a lot of different bodies. But I found it was really difficult to keep finding scarves in good condition because everything is vintage. It’s been through the rag houses. There are a lot of holes in the seams and things like that. So I thought why not start doing my own prints, something really crisp and vivid and colorful that I can do on brand new silk that really pops. And it’s been so fun for me. I’ve done a few now, andthis year is the first time I actually did two different prints for the collection in two different color waves, so four total options; and I’m really trying to flesh that out and build that into being the basis. But it’s all inspired by…and it’s made to look like it’s still a scarf.

I like how you did that. Your designs are also figure-flattering for women who aren’t a size 2 or 4. How did you achieve that?

You know, I have to say it just kind of happened organically. I was a professional dancer, so I just loved the female body; but there are also women in my family that are not a size 2 or 4, so I do also think about that. But for some reason, just sculpting the pieces on the dress form when it got transferred onto real bodies, I found that it just happened to fit the curves where it should and cover up other areas by draping off of the hips so that it [masks the flaws], but then it shows a nice little slice of your lower back. Most people have a beautiful lower back, a beautiful collarbone, and beautiful shoulders. So it just seems to work out. And then we have another style that’s a tunic wrap that many women can wear in many different ways, and it’s just the most versatile simple thing. I think I really lucked out on this little idea that I had.

I wasn’t sure of the fabric, but it looked like it was cotton.

I also have cotton sundresses in the line, which are great. Actually, the one that’s longer and that has a print on it was inspired after dishtowels. So just like I work with scarves, the first one of those dresses was made when I was going on a trip to Mexico, and I just wanted something that would absorb and be breathable in the heat and be really cool and comfortable. And I made the first one out of dishtowels. We produced the line using that actual dishtowel line, and we found that production-wise it wasn’t so easy because there were already seams on the edge so we found dishtowel fabric. And I thought here’s another opportunity for me to do my own prints and dyeing, and play with the colors, and all that kind of thing. So it really evolved, but it was built off of dishtowels. Great for LA in the summer, huh?

How long have you been designing?

I’ve kind of always been a clothes maker, and I used to design for my choreography when I was in college when I was a dancer. But this time, about three and a half years .

Do you have any formal training as a designer, or is this something that you just innately have?

I took one costume class in college, but my grandmother and my great-grandmother are from Paris. My grandmother learned to hand-sew at the house of Dior, and my family [attended] fashion shows in Paris. So they both sewed my whole life and made outfits for me and my sister. They taught me a lot of the basics. And [through] trial and error, and taking night classes after I finished college, as well as learning pattern-making, draping, illustration, and business (just kind of a crash course), [those] evening classes filled in a lot of the gaps and gave me some technical training. So I didn’t go to FIDM or anything, but I have been studying.

You obviously lived with it as a family, too.

Exactly, and I always have made my own stuff, like I’ve always been the pretty-in-pink go-to-the-thrift store and take stuff apart. . .make it fit my body. I know some tailoring from doing that, just working on my own body.

Candice Held has been featured in several magazines, including Apparel News , Weddings & Honeymoons , and Hollywood Hills Magazine. Candice Held designs have been featured on the Tyra Banks show, and Paris Hilton is a fan of her designs. To learn more about Candice Held, visit her website www.candiceheld.com.

By Kaylene Peoples

Tatty Devine – The British Duo of Fashion Accessory Design

Tatty Devine – The British Duo of Fashion Accessory Design

Tatty Devine was created in 1999. It is a unique and quirky accessory line. Rosie Wolfenden and Harriet Vine are the brains behind the successful jewelry designs. The company is based in Great Britain, and the two designers have no formal training as jewelers. Harriet and Rose met at Chelsea School of Art back in 1996. They had planned to become artists, but Harriet found some leather samples on the way home from the pub one night. She proceeded to make some leather cuffs. She and Rosie sold them at Portabello and Spitalfields markets—and Tatty Devine was born.

Harvey Nichols bought their accessories, then Browns, Focus, and Vogue Magazine took notice. Tatty Devine premiered their first official collection at London Fashion Week Spring, 2001. They have since shown their collection at Paris Fashion Week, and showcased in Berlin and New York, as well as having over 100 retail outlets worldwide.

I interviewed the British pair on their recent jaunt to LA and was thrilled to be given my own private showing of Tatty Devine’s collection.

“We express ourselves in everything we make. When we were in college, we did paintings—it’s all about the idea, and we were incubated in this conceptual cocoon. When we left college, we just hung out together, and all of our ideas and esthetics were really similar—we just started makingstuff.” —Harriet Vine and Rosie Wolfenden—

Harriet – It was just a series of fabulous events that just snowballed. You know, Rose was working at a vintage shop, and a woman from Vogue came in, and was just like, “Oh my gosh, I love that thing that you’re wearing. I really need it for my Millennium shot.” Then Rose had the audacity to say, “I made it myself. It’s from my company.” You know, so that was on Friday, and on Monday, we took to her … our …. It hadn’t existed on Friday!

Rosie – We made our collection on that weekend to take to Vogue. So we were just messing around having a really fun summer after college, visiting all the markets.

Harriet – We had no real desire to be fashion designers. We just wanted to be artists, to get studios, public views, and hang out with other artists. I guess if I had been a fashion student, I would have been really shy; but because I just didn’t really care, I admitted I made it myself.

Oh yeah, because you don’t have a reason to be afraid because you don’t really know what you’re doing anyway (laughs).

Harriet walked by a furniture store one night. They had thrown out all their leather sample booklets of every color, texture, and print—14 bins worth. Harriet dragged them all home; they were perfect size twenty centimeters by twenty centimeters, which is the size of your wrist. We had ostrich skin and purple; we had snakeskin and blue; zebra skin and pink. Harriet just cut them up into wristbands.

Harriet – It was just before the whole eighties thing.

Rosie – So we took it to a market store, and everyone [loved them]. They sold for 5 and 10 pounds each.

They were just flying off the racks.

At first actually, people asked, “What is this? What do you do with it?” We told them theywere wristbands. It took a little while, but within a month there were three other stands selling the same thing, but they could only afford to buy white leather.

See that is a good thing. When someone is copying you, that is the highest possible compliment. That is when you say, “O.K., I am doing something right.” Tell me about your designs.

We’re kind of fascinated with history and fossils and dinosaurs. Apart from that, we really like the way the dinosaur necklace is made up of about 70 pieces. And each one is a bone from the dinosaur. They’re individually drilled, and we put our beads on individually. Sometimes we have to get them special order. Whenever I wear this [necklace], everyone is [in awe]. In London, people save up so they can buy it because they love it so much. We must have sold about 600 of these now.

It’s called the dinosaur necklace?

Yeah. That’s my favorite. Everything we care to make is in limited edition quantities. Welaser everything that gets mass made. We couldn’t make thousands of anything.

Do you have letters of authenticity with your jewelry?

Well, that’s a really good idea because they do that in Singapore and Japan.

I’m sure they’ve got collector’s value. Down the line it could be worth something.

In Britain we don’t have to do it because everyone knows. Until recently they’d come to our shop and they’d watch the jewelry getting made. But I think letters of authenticity would be a very nice touch.

What are the materials you used to make these?

[In addition to other things], we used acrylic because it gives us the freedom to be very literal in our designs. We use [a variety of] wood, leather, solid silver, and Swarzsky Crystals. Then we create the drawings in the computer, which later goes into a [special] machine, which cuts out our drawings. It’s really nice. It’s like cookie cutters.

But it’s taken awhile to come up with such a smooth process, right? A lot of trial and error?

At first it was leather cuffs and then we moved on to hand cut leather shapes, and then we’d sew crystals on things. It’s like writing a Christmas list.

You’re actually setting a trend. And you guys really know how to market yourself. Do you think that has something to do with your success?

Up until a year ago, we were answering the phones. We were writing the press releases, trying to organize everything. My God, we nearly went mad. We’re finding liberation and now we’ve got 10 employees.

Tell me your highest high as jewelry designers.

When we got into Fashion Week, it was big. Every day something new comes along. I like that initial time of going to Vogue Magazine. That was quite amazing. It seems so crazy. We were like just two Indie kids—we were only 21..

What did your parents think about all this?

Rosie – My mum asked me what was I going to do when I finish college. [My parents] were a bit scared, because my parents were both self-employed and Harriet’s parents were always doing projects. Both of our parents are entrepreneurs. It never occurred to me to have a desk job. Not that I’d come into any money or anything, but I always thought I’d find my way.

Have you ever had any disappointments?

Not really. The biggest downer we had was when we participated in the Designers and Agents Show—it’s a trade show. We did it and it was great. And then we applied to do it again and we weren‘t accepted, which is annoying because we wanted to come over here. It wasn’t quite right. Because there’s nothing else quite like it. It’s really hard.

What advice would you give an aspiring entrepreneur?

You have to have a belief in yourself and have some interesting stuff. It’s not good enough just wanting to make jewelry. You’ve got to be interesting and have a lot of cool stuff, and have original ideas. Because it’s so dull seeing something that’s copied. Seeing something original really does just make my heart skip a beat. It’s lovely. And I think that’s what’s really important with our designs—they were just so fresh. You’ve really got to have faith in yourself, have no fear, and be prepared not to have any money for a while. We started with absolutely nothing. We started at zero, and months later we [earned] 200 pounds. And then we bought some more leather and then we sold it … and then we had 400 pounds. We never had a proper job, so we didn’t know what money was.

You didn’t know what to charge?

You really must be prepared for the fact that it takes a long time before you can really have a life. You just make jewelry all the time. You have to be prepared to work really hard; but to enjoy working really hard, have passion. And just like having initiative, I guess.

You guys are hard wired for business. I think it’s just in you. You’re artists, but you’re hardwired to be entrepreneurs, leaders.

I think entrepreneurship is a really creative thing. There’s business and then there’s being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is the creative side of business. Because business really is creative. You can manipulate and point it to any direction you want.

To learn more about Tatty Devine and their collections, visitwww.tattydevine.com.

Interviewed by Kaylene Peoples

Merrell McGuinness Handbags – Making the Functional Handbag Fashionable

Merrell McGuinness Handbags – Making the Functional Handbag Fashionable

“I was working in a 9-5, and the only bags they had to carry were in black. They were so unattractive. All the beautiful designer bags that I loved were either too short, not wide enough, or didn’t have enough pockets.”
—Merrell McGuinness—

Handbag designer Merrell McGuinness received her inspiration in fashion from her mother’s (Marilyn Hubbard) vintage collection. Ever since Merrell was a child, she insisited on expressing her own personal style. At age 3, she wore fur-trimmed beige leather boots to preschool—not at all uncharasteristic of the years that followed. Both women’s (Merrell and her mother) creative backgrounds and love of all things beautiful was the impetus of Merrell’s intuitive designs. Once she started designing her handbags, word spread quickly by word of mouth, and orders flooded in. Merrell, while holding down a full-time job, and maintaining a growing business, realized the need for a functional bag that still expressed a personal style. She succeeded in creating a leather handbag system that had style, comfort, and functionality, clearly meeting the needs of a busy woman’s lifestyle. Since its inception, Merrell Handbags have been featured in Lucky Magazine, Atlanta Peach, Splendora, Daily Candy, AOL: Style List, Chip Chick, Fashion Newspaper, WWD, and more…

Your focus was to make handbags more functional for women?

I was working in corporate America, and I never really had a way to channel it. With designing handbags, I never really had a background in it, but felt like I studied them from a consumer standpoint. I was working in a 9-5, so to say, and the only bags they had to carry were in black. They were so unattractive, and so the idea came … all the beautiful designer bags that I love were either too short, not wide enough, or not enough pockets, so I did a lot of things [that had not been done before.]

What were some of those things?

Our signature layered piping in the front. That was inspired when I was outside in the country with the symmetry and the lines in the country. Two layers of piping is not ground breaking, but the way it is laid out is kind of unique. Some of the pockets on the front, we even had to take the pockets off some of the bags because it was too mystical to the pockets and it wasn’t feeling right. Our “Sarah Clutch“… that’s definitely unique. The “Margaret” bag has a very functional wallet inside the bag.

How long have you been designing bags?

It’s been a three-year research process trying to figure out how I wanted to make them, and last spring was our first season.

How has it been going since you’ve been selling your bags?

It’s gone so well. People respond to it and say, “It’s a great idea! I love the detail.”

I think you really accomplished what it is you set out to do. Because I just opened the box and I thought the bag was beautiful…like the choice of leather, the coloring … there’s a lot of texture, and the look of it.

Thank you, for spring we went with a very neutral color pallet, and for fall we went with a much darker color pallet. We have 44 stores that are listed online, and one that’s in California (La Jolla). People can definitely buy it online.

What direction do you see your bags going in for this [fall] season?

We have the “Raquel” and the “Eloise” design, and they are inspired by vintage bags from the 60s. But they also have the 40s feel to them. I was just keeping it a clean line, simple, but interesting shape.

Sounds like you had a pretty good job before. Was it a struggle for you to quit your job?

I am doing handbags full time, and it wasn’t a hard decision. I have a habit of biting off more than I can chew. Once we really got into full swing, I realized that I never really liked being in a cubicle. It was really challenging, but great. My husband asked me when [my designs]were going to make a profit. It’s been very interesting. I’ve taken a lot of risks, but I have also seen a lot rewards.

Where do you see Merrell Bags in five years?

Well, I see Neiman … the whole 9 yards … expanding through wholesale channels.

To learn more about Merrell Handbags, visit the website:www.merrellbags.com.

Interviewed by Kaylene Peoples

“Heels that Heal” – Shoes & Charity Equal Shoe Frenzy 2007

“Heels that Heal”
Shoes & Charity Equals Shoe Frenzy 2007

In the early hours of Saturday, May 19, several hundred women snaked around Veterans Memorial Complex Auditorium, Los Angeles, for the annual event known as “Shoe Frenzy.” Featuring over 5,500 pairs of donated designer shoes, boots, sandals, and slippers, the venue is converted into a virtual shoe warehouse lasting a few hours and ending by noon. During this timeframe shoppers enter “in a calm fashion” as his/her lottery ticket numbers are called, much like a number system at a deli. L.A.P.D. officers are on hand for “security reasons”. The booty: Uggs, BeBe, Nine West, Michael Kors, Dansko, and Calvin Klein to name a few of the generous donors. No pair is over $50 but our team seized $30 Ugg mules and $15 Killah and M.O.D. wedges to name a few. Other “deals” included two pairs of children’s shoes for $5. To put that in perspective, you can buy a pair of shoes for roughly the price of a cappuccino.

In addition to this fabulousness, ALL proceeds go directly to the Women’s Clinic & Family Counseling Center. Admission is free and for $1 you are entered into a drawing for a giant gift bag which this year included a satellite cable package, passes to museum events, movie tickets, yoga accessories, a spa gift, jewelry, and various popular DVDs.

Another reason for the police enforcement–this year’s promotions read the following: “By attending this event, I acknowledge that shoe shopping can be an

inherent strenuous activity and that no event is without risk. I also acknowledge that when high quality footwear is heavily discounted, shoe shoppers can become overly zealous, and may run, push or shove. I have consulted with my physician regarding physical capability to participate in this event.” We didn’t experience anything near hysteria–just satisfied shoppers trying on shoes.

The Women’s Clinic & Family Counseling Center offers medical services such as annual exams, birth control and family planning services, therapy and counseling services by licensed physicians and marriage/family therapists. Special programs offered include support groups and workshops. The services are administered in a private doctor’s office atmosphere with a caring, astute staff.

For more information about the event, the Center, and how to participate in Shoe Frenzy 2008: www.shoefrenzy.net andwww.womens-clinic.org.

Reviewed by Pamela Heath

A Shout Out to I. E. Fashion

Talking Chic
A Shout Out to I. E. Fashion

I live in Rancho Cucamonga, California, a city revolving around commerce, raised trucks, and some of the best hot wings around (Buffalo Wild Wings, people). About 20 minutes from Pomona, where I grew up and lived for the majority of my life, and just over an hour east of the heart of Los Angeles, lies Rancho, one of the more uppity cities of the Inland Empire, you might say.

And whether in the beautifully diverse neighborhood of P-town or amidst the elderly dog walkers at my Rancho condo complex, I am finally overcoming my usual complaint: How does a fashionista truly exist when she’s surrounded by more drive-thrus and liquor stores than the preferred boutiques of Beverly Hills?

Well, considering most stylish beings are guided by an irrevocable light of creativity and hope, the end is never close. This said, I believe that I. E. gets too much of a bad rap when it comes to fashion, quite honestly. I am over the chunky-streaked hair, big Rocket Dog flip flops, and a “wife-beater” tank all wrapped into one played-out ensemble, yes . But I’m gonna go ahead and give a woo woo to some of my favorite local outlets, such as Target, Bebe, Macy’s, Off Saks, Forever 21, and Urban Outfitters. Yes, they do actually exist here, offering me options galore.

These shops give me the affordable styles, color, and designer touches that help me regain my strength and peace after a long day behind the computer. The confidence I need when I’ve gained five pounds. The rewards I need when I’ve lost five pounds. And most importantly, the luxury of quality without having to leave the I. E.

Because when it comes down to it, I don’t want to feel that the only place to find pieces worthy enough to update my wardrobe is the city of Los Angeles. Sure, if I could scour through the musty shops on Melrose or grab a bite to eat at the Farmer’s Market before hitting the Grove off 3 rd and Fairfax without having to spend my entire week’s lunch money on a single day of gas, I’d be all over it.

Not only do I pride myself as a sassy lady, but a smart fashionista as well. Don’t get me wrong, when I am craving a drive out west in dire need of a little R&R shopping, I make a date with my sister (and now my little niece) for a shopping excursion, making our trip to the City of Angels well worth the ride.

But until the day that I have a driver waiting for me outside eager to take me into the majestic land of lush boutiques and swanky eateries, you will find me striding into “Tar-jay” after work. I may be tired from running around the office in heels all day, and hungry because I’m back on the low-carb lifestyle, but I will be in heaven. This is because as I sift through the new Mossimo and Isaac Mizrahimarkdowns on display, I know I am just up the street from my day job and down the street from my home.

Aaaaaaahhhh… the peace from avoiding the 10 Freeway and the 101…!

Elana Pruitt (www.talkingchic.com)

Cool and Comfy in Rails

The beauty of California goes beyond lusty ocean waves, the chill of winter mountaintops, and breezy months of spring. It’s being able to wear what you want pretty much when you want. Of course, give and take your basic layering pieces.

And speaking of basic, newcomer Rails offers refined relaxation to anyone looking for cool and comfy additions to their leisure-wear wardrobe and dress-up-dress-down pieces. Designer Jeff Abrams launched Rails during summer 2006, proving that he most definitely knows a thing or two about form, fit, and feel. Because really, looking good doesn’t have to mean compromising your body into unflattering and uncomfortable pieces. (Wearing a style that feels awkward opens the door for a bad day anyway.)

With delicate textured screen-print tees, super soft hoodies, simple sweaters, and boxy caps, Abrams’ no fuss spring 2007 collection includes unique styles for the likes of both men and women. Having quickly made its way on some of Hollywood’s most notables, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Alba, Adrian Grenier, Ellen Pompeo, and Evangeline Lilly, Rails can be found in boutique favorites across the country. Think yummy shops like Kitson and Fred Segal.

Growing up among a family of artists and holding degrees in political science and business, this 2001 U.C. Berkley grad eventually found his way to Europe after working several years at a major L.A. television studio, a job where he helped launch brands that targeted the same youth demographic that has inspired his direction withRails. And alas, as he worked three years in Italy, soaking in the influences of art and travel, all the while maintaining his desire to creatively explore a new area of interest, Abrams’ vision of this contemporary unisex line took ground. And over here at Agenda, we’re so glad it did.

A line that is influenced by European couture fashion and youthful Southern California lifestyle? And blended into a collection that captures a sophisticated spirit and carefree attitude all at once? Check it out. You’ll be all over it.

Written by Elana Pruitt

Keepin’ It Real with L.A. Style

Tart – Keepin’ It Real with L.A. Style

Everyone remembers his/her first of something, be it a horrifying moment or merely a teaser of the excitement that sits around the corner. As forTart’s head designer Sherry Wood, if her first fashion show at Smashbox Studios is any indication of what lies ahead, count her in!

“I loved every second of it,” she proudly admits. “It was the most fulfilling experience in my career.” Wood was 100 percent involved with the models, accessories, hair and make-up, and every other detail that can either make or break a fabulous show.

And yes ma’am, she did it all while wearing her finale design – that beautiful low-cut, peach number which graced the floor and proved sexiness, comfort, and versatility are treasures worth making a dime off of. Describing it as a “micromodule design,” Wood knew that it would be a perfect dress to run around in.

“Fashion, like life, is in a constant state of evolution,” the Los Angeles-based designer has said, which sets the stage for her spring 2007 collection. “Even if cycles repeat themselves, there’s always the opportunity to reinterpret fashion in new ways, and as opportunities for self-expression.”

This season, Tart is aimed at creating a “chic and confident” look, according to its design leader. With an undeniable statement of ultra cool, 70s-inspired sexiness, Wood’s collection featured deeply shaded solids, ranging in the likes of navy, purple, orange, chocolate, and with, of course, a springtime accent of white. Jumpers, leggings, below-the-bosom belts, and mini-dresses (a “Lolita feel”) are soooo Southern California on-the-go appropriate.

Most women barely have the time to actually walk into a Starbucks these days for a quick java, strictly opting for drive-thru java instead. So finding extra moments to change outfits throughout the day? Um, yeah right.

Wood is all about bringing a woman from day into night in a single outfit; offering styles that, really, are for ladies who know their bodies and are not ashamed to wear fashion that embraces their femininity.

As depicted in Tart’s debut fashion show, a woman shalt not leave behind the support of her accessories. Clutches, handbags, wide brim hats, oversized sunglasses can add the right touches in the right places. “Wearing accessories makes an outfit your own,” Wood says. She cites Halston as a major influence on her collection, gracing the season of spring with “Grecian Goddess” styled pieces that offer a “clean, sophisticated silhouette.”

For the woman who started her professional career in retail by working out of the men’s department at Nordstrom because “it was easier on the men’s side,” her passion behindTart seems to be the new cure for the very self-loathing feelings and woe-is-me mentality that exists in nearly every woman’s fitting room: “I know where women want to emphasize and de-emphasize.”

A fashionable lifestyle means many things to many people, and in committing the past 20 years to a variety of facets of the fashion industry, Wood is planted in spreading the seed of L.A. style.

“I feel like there is a lot of talent here,” she says, giving a shout out to local favorites like Ashley Paige and Jennifer Nicholson, both of whom are no strangers to fashion week. “There should be more support for L.A. designers.”

Yet despite her vision of a time when even more buyers and celebrities turn out for great SoCal fashion at Smashbox, having people like Stacey Keabler, Samaire Armstrong, and a brunette Josie Davis arrive for her debut event…well, that ain’t too bad for a first time and all.

Written by Elana Pruitt

Xtreme Lashes™ – Made for the Low Maintenance Beauty Junkie

The Beauty Agenda

Xtreme Lashes™ – Made for the Low Maintenance Beauty Junkie

As I lay on the table in the stark white room, the skillful technician placed one eyelash at a time on my lids. I closed my eyes and imagined just how lovely I would be in the tropical islands that I would be visiting on my trip to the Caribbean. Some people thought that what I was doing was indulgent, but I saw it as self-preservation. After all, I wouldn’t have the time to apply false eyelashes after a long day’s excursion in Key West, Cozumel, or the Caymen Islands. I had to look glamorous. Why? Because I was on a cruise! I had to dress up for dinner and be elegant for at least half of my meals.

You might think that spending $250.00 for eyelash extensions is extravagant. But it reallypaid off big when I received compliment after compliment, and stare after stare. A couple of people even commented on how gorgeous my eyes were. I am not an unattractive female, but never before have I received so many comments directed at my eyes. What made the eyelash extensions so wonderful was the fact that I could go scuba diving, disco dancing, jet skiing, and sunbathing, and never once did I have to worry about my eyelashes. My makeup might have worn off a time or two, but my eyelashes lasted the entire trip. The only problem I encountered was the extreme humidity of the Caribbean. Instead of my lashes lasting two months, they only lasted three weeks. They started to fall off shortly after I returned home from my vacation.

Xtreme Lashes™ is the product that I used. This was an experiment to see if I could go without those cumbersome false eyelashes and enjoy the freedom of “naturally” long eyelashes.

Xtreme Lashes™ is a relatively new product that lengthens and thickens eyelashes. They are semi-permanent eyelash extensions that are individual synthetic lashes designed to replicate a natural eyelash, and are applied one eyelash extension at a time. They not only extend the length of your original eyelashes, but they also thicken at the same time.

To apply one set of eyelash extensions, the procedure takes anywhere from 90 to 150 minutes. When I got my eyelashes extended, I was comfortable—I had my iPod for entertainment, and it was over before I knew it. Touch-ups can be done in as little as 15-45 minutes.

Xtreme Lashes™ uses HP-3 high performance bonding agents. It has all the key featuresneeded in superior eyelash extension glue. It is odorless and bonds stronger, dries faster and lasts longer. The primary agent of HP-3 is the same substance used for closing wounds without stitches. And to remove these lashes, you use the Xtreme Lashes™ Specialty Formulated Bonding Agent Remover. This is a gentle remover that quickly and gently removes the bonding agent without harming your natural eyelashes. It is a medical grade that smells great and contains antibiotic agents.

If you are not into high maintenance, then eyelash extensions could be the answer. I highly recommend this product for brides. Imagine looking gorgeous with your semi-permanent lashes. And after you remove the elegant bridal makeup and gown after your special day, you still have those long luscious lashes. And when you board that plane, that ship, or that bus for your romantic honeymoon, you will be the envy of all women. No matter how extreme the temperature, your lashes will last. I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people whose eyes seem to disappear when they’re not wearing any eye makeup. Xtreme Lashes™ takes care of that problem completely.

I know this is starting to sound like an advertisement, and I am by no means being paid to endorse this product, but I can assure you, it is worth every dollar. Try it once, and you will be amazed. You just might get hooked as I did.

Xtreme Lashes™ has been featured in Redbook, Hairstyles, Hairdo Ideas, Spa Review, Inside Edition, Jane, Teen Vogue, OK Weekly; and has been worn by celebrities Diedre Hall, Bai Ling, Regina King, Cathy Hickland, Shannon Doherty, Miss Texas 2007, and Allison Janney.

To learn more about Xtreme Lashes, or to set an appointment for eyelash extensions, visit their website at www.xtremelashes.com.

Written by Kaylene Peoples

My First Photo Shoot

Talking Chic

My First Photo Shoot

I’m not sure exactly what turned me on to a day of outdoor modeling. Maybe I was tired of hiding behind the computer. Maybe it was to prove my sister right—that I really am the “cool auntie” my niece would grow to love. Maybe it was to explore a new art concentration. Or maybe, as an avid “America’s Next Top Model” viewer, I just wanted to see what all the hype was about… was it really that difficult ?

One word: YES.

Truth is, out of about 80 photos, only 20 were to my liking. Whether I got my money’s worth, whether I didn’t, whether I ever actually use the shots for anything worthwhile, or whether I hold onto them for my trips-down-memory-lane at 90-years-old, I learned more than I can really say.

To sum it up though, my experience in exploring this thing that we all know as modeling is something no lady of fashion can ever truly understand, or judge for that matter, unless she throws herself into the shoes of a model, especially if you think you can look even more fierce than winner Caridee in a single shot. (Yeah, good luck with that!)

So just do it—let go of all your inhibitions, choose a photographer you are comfortable acting a fool in front of, and realize that you are also choosing to do more than just model.

Because modeling involves much more than just “posing” for the camera, here are a few tips to amateurs who are yet to afford the luxury of hiring your own help or have yet to reach the status to be hired on yourself:

You have no assistant; eat something first! O. K., so the morning arrives and you decide that the only hard-core way to feel like a model is to skip breakfast and feel skinnier that morning. But guess what? Smack in the middle of working, you feel panicky because you ALSO forget your morning coffee. So in wardrobe (stiletto boots and all), you run into a local Starbucks for a quick java, all the while feeling ridiculous for being dressed totally inappropriate for a college-town coffeeshop.

Sorry, honey, no makeup artist for you this time! Ain’t that the truth. You love the job you did on your face with your new M.A.C. makeup, and you remember to bring nearly all of it to location. However, because you want to feel free in front of the camera, you leave EVERYTHING in the car. So as you go back and forth to touch up your lips and quickly combat T-zone shininess with powder, you are taking up too much time and losing all concentration because you are focusing too much on the outer beauty versus letting your inner beauty come through.

Without a publicist, you gotta make your own calls! So if you are serious about taking good photos and you happen to have an awesome photographer who says she will shoot as long as you have the time…don’t screw it up by cutting it short because you were supposed to meet a girlfriend for lunch. Do yourself a favor and keep the day as open as possible for your first day of modeling. And honestly, you will need about an hour to relax, EAT, and calm down from the excitement and stress that made your Saturday an unforgettable December 16th. Without someone next to you who can make that cancellation call for you, this means interrupting the shoot again to go find your cell and become an annoyance to both your friend as well as the photographer.

… And so many more lessons learned from this experience. As a writer who understands the loneliness behind a creative profession, I actually got a taste of the solitude a model probably lives through in order to play dress up and fully transform into that character, allowing herself to become vulnerable and weak in front of the camera. All this while trying to create a masterpiece of raw emotion—whatever that emotion may be.

Overall, it was an indescribable feeling, seeing myself in my favorite pieces (Fortunately, I DIDN’T have a stylist for my first photo shoot).

Because when it comes down to it, all that is really left is the photo…or the article. It is merely a point in time when you realize that you accomplished something you truly believe in, and a point in time when you know that the real accomplishment is simply having the guts to put yourself out there.

Written by Elana Pruitt