Alain Mikli: Natural Business Man and Creative Genius

Fashiona, while a Virgo by sign, has a Gemini-like dual work personality. She loves making money...who doesn't and she loves being creative. Her two alma maters: Florida A & M University honed the business side and Parsons rounded out her creative side.

This is part of the reason she is fascinated by Alain Mikli: an optician by trade and a self-taught eyewear designer. Alain who is of Armenian and Lebanese heritage and raised in France was one of the first designers to bridge the gap between functional eyewear and fashionable accessories.

Alain's new line is called "Glam" and it channels Jackie O and modern bling.

Yes dearies, those are indeed Swarovski crystals on the frame. Snag your pair at www.mikli.com.


Thankfully it is supposed to be sunny this weekend so Fashiona can don one of her many pairs of sunglasses.

Fashiona

Fashiona on Loving Diamonds

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of Fashiona’s favorite movies because it really is a visual treat from start to finish. However there is one scene in that iconic movie that Fashiona doesn’t agree with:

Holly(Audrey Hepburn) and Paul (George Peppard) were in Tiffany’s and Holly says that she was too young for diamonds and “they look vulgar on someone under 40.”

Since Fashiona has been “collecting” diamonds since birth…this sentiment is sacrilegious.

Photo Credit: Breakfast at Tiffany's

Audrey Hepburn

Now diamond loving Fashiona usually attends weddings in shifts, last year she attended two. 2006 was a banner year…she attended so many weddings and anniversary parties she lost count…the baby shower invites should be rolling in shortly. June is still a very popular month to get married and is usually when Fashiona starts thinking about weddings and marriage again. Whether she is dating anyone…or not she designs engagement rings every year… after all a girl must be prepared.

These days Fashiona is loving vintage settings and has been leaning toward to princess and asscher cuts.

Just look at the bauble she designed at Abazias!!!


Isn’t she pretty?


Uhh…no unfortunately Abazias does not a have fiancé builder. But since high maintenance girls just can’t live by diamond rings alone… Abazias has accessories, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and watches.


Fashiona

Fashiona on Parsons School of Design

Fashiona thinks of her alma mater, Parsons School of Design once a month...when she pays her massive student loans. The school is a private art school within the New School University and located in Manhattan so it is a rather pricey place of learning. But as significant as the bills are, so were her many life changing experiences. As a student, Fashiona met Topaz (who wants to remind everyone that she is really a diamond girl but topaz is her birthstone) and Day, the sometimes photographer, who insisted that Fashiona "adopt" as her other little sister.

After Fashiona graduated she met and hired Raeana, class of 2010, for her first internship. Years later Raeana, just back from Parsons Paris is on her way to Denmark as part of the Saga Fur Convention this summer; read about her experiences in her blog the StyleCon.


Raeana is on the left and Fashiona on right.

Fashion voyeurs at large, know Parsons as the school attached to the hit show and sometimes train wreck Project Runway but current students and alumni have a much more personal attachment to the institution. So it was only natural that Fashiona beamed with pride when she saw in Womens Wear Daily, that Parsons Associate in Applied Science Department gave out their first ever AAS icon award. The ever colorful Betsy Johnson presented the award to Fern Mallis, vice president of IMG Fashion.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Photo/WWD

From left to right Fern Mallis, Betsey Johnson
and Jen Kao(who received the Stacey Nipps Alumni Award)


Now, Miss Raeana will most certainly compete in the next year's FIT/Parsons design competition...FIT better bring it on because the StyleCon and Parsons certainly will.


Fashiona

Fashiona on Hanky Panky and Essie

Fashiona's Sis, umm, loves the spa and one particular well-appointed spa loves her too...she gives them so much business that she is financing at least one person's college education. Last month, this spa had special on Essie polish...proving that even the well-off love a deal.
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Hanky Panky, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend, brings us "Panties & Polish" with Essie polish of course.

You get two panties either low rise or original rise and matching nail polish.
Fashiona so loves a matching palette.



These cute little tubes are perfect for carry-on bags or overnight bags...to create your own hanky panky.


Please see these and other Hanky Panky items at http://www.barenecessities.com

Fashiona says ...be safe in all things this weekend!!

Fashiona on Celebrity Make-Up Artist Toni Acey's Purple Carpet Affair

Miss Fashiona has been in ATL for about 3 weeks, and last night was her first official night out on the town. Mr. Baller, the good sport that he is is, drove downtown and let Fashiona leave her car in Buckhead(the high rent district). So Fashiona and Mr. Baller went to the Street Lounge for celebrity make-up artist Toni Acey's Purple Carpet Affair book launch Makeup FAQ and her jewelry line Purple Flower Jewels.

Here is the umm purple carpet at the entrance.

Mr. Baller, who cleaned up nice, was rewarded for his presence with two lovely ladies wearing makeup, bodypaint and not much else.


Fashiona personally prefers bangles and stones in her jewelry but marveled at the handpainted leather earrings and cuffs.

Obviously besides make-up, purple is Toni Acey's passion....
Check out more of Toni on My Black is Beautiful on BET.



Fashiona

Karl Lagerfield: Flair for drama and nostaglia

Fashiona loves drama in all forms...in except her personal life. But as for as fashion shows go, the more dramatic the better. Karl Lagerfield's resort show last week in Venice... more than fit the bill.

The 2010 resort show was a nod to the late 1920's ~ early 1930's and Coco Chanel; when women bobbed their hair for the first time and rebelled against corsets and who knows what other unnecessarily restrictive garments. The models of all ethnic backgrounds (take notice "Miranda") peddled their wares along a wooden boardwalk with their hair wildly chic and their walk fierce. The clothes have all the pomp and fluff that you would except from Karl Lagerfield
...after all he does wear a ponytail and sunglasses at all times.

Photograph: Soeren Stache/Corbis

German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld

Here are Fashiona's favorite looks from the much touted show:

Chanel Resort 2010

All Photos by Davide Maestri:

Just one question has anybody seen his eyes...ever?


Fashiona

Fan yourself in Style

One of Fashiona's core beliefs is to do everything in life stylishly. In this global economy it is more possible than ever for Fashiona to achieve her goal. Something as simple as a personal fan...can be both functional and elegant.

Photo by Courtesy Photo

Fan from the Louis Vuitton-Rossy de Palma collaboration.

Louis Vuitton and Rossy de Pama (seen below) have designed some such elegant fans (see above photo) in a limited edition that will go on sale Monday May 18, 2009 with a percentage of the proceeds going to OrphanAid Africa, a San Francisco based charity.


Photo Credit:
www.zarzuela.net/ref/reviews/cortevalen08_spa.htm

Rossy de Pama

Not be outdone, Victoria Abril, another noted Spanish actress, has teamed up with Modz.fr to lend support to OrphanAid Africa as well. Now Fashiona's French is a bit rusty but from what she can translate: For a limited time ~ 1 euro or about $1.30 from each order on the site is donated to OrphanAid Africa.


Fashiona found this movie poster with Victoria and another Spanish Actress Penelope Cruz...perhaps they could use a fan.


Don't Tempt Me Photo
Copyright © First Look Pictures Releasing

Victoria Abril (L) and Penelope Cruz (R)

Fashiona

Pretty in Pink: Michelle Obama and Desirée Rogers

Last week, people from Fashion Ave to Hollywood to Political heavy weights attended the much anticipated White House Correspondents' Dinner. President Obama won rave reviews for his gift of humor and comedic timing. His jokes and sometime self-deprecating humor was much more tasteful than Wanda Sykes' "shock and awe performance". Fashiona, like her Facebook friends, were wondering just who invited her...

The guest list was 2500 deep, included a well-heeled Kerry Washington

Photo by Kyle Samperton

Kerry Washington in J. Mendel.

Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Designers included were: human muppet Donnatella Versace, Kenneth Cole, Jason Wu, and Narciso Rodriguez.


The First Lady, Michelle Obama, shined in a sleeveless pink Michael Kors dress and her partner in crime White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers in a pink full-length Halston Dress.

Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Michelle Obama in Michael Kors.

Photo by Kyle Samperton

Desirée Rogers in Halston and Valerie Jarrett

Now Fashiona usually not a fan of grown women wearing pink...give these looks the proper kudos they deserve.

The (sometimes fan of Michelle's outfits) Fashion Industry is even honoring the First Lady on June 15 at this year's CFDA awards...nice!!

Fashiona

Fashiona weighs in on the Miss California drama

Fashiona doesn't really watch pageants anymore like she used to as a child...however she just couldn't resist weighing in on the recent Miss California drama.

Recap Fashiona style:

During the finale of the Miss USA pageant, Miss California, Carrie Prejean, 21 spoke her mind about gay marriage and why she doesn't believe in it.

Photo: AP

Miss California may have lost her shot at becoming Miss USA, but she’s nevertheless emerged as a star.

Shocker...Perez Hilton and other gay activists were taken aback. She lost and Miss North Carolina won the title. A few days later, pictures of an underage Miss Calli appear on-line; she is wearing some (tacky) lacy underwear. Donald Trump, basking in the all the free publicity, allows Miss California to keep her state title and all is well.


Fashiona's comments:

1. Miss California's answer to the gay marriage question was honest but poorly executed. She could have said essentially the same thing without being so abrasive.
2. Having said that...she is entitled to her opinion and America still supports freedom of speech. We as Jane Public have the right to listen...or not.
3. Although the pictures themselves aren't that bad...she was under 18 and when she took them and "forgot" to disclose them. This is where Fashiona has a problem.
   

Since Carrie is claiming free speech; she also needs to claim responsibility for her actions. Fashiona hasn't seen that. As a beauty queen, Carrie is a role model for the younger set and should be held accountable as such.

Before Fashiona leaves her soapbox for today...she would like to remind the world of the Miss America pageant circa 1984. A very young and beautiful Miss Vanessa Williams was the first black woman to win the crown and then forced to resign over nude photos that she took around age 19.

Photo Credit: Miss America.com



A nine year old Fashiona watched the pageant from start to finish and was very upset when Miss Williams had to resign. Fashiona also remembers how Miss Williams took responsibility for her mistakes and quickly turned her notoriety into fame of the good kind.

Today Ms. Williams is a noted actress, singer and the mother of 4 beautiful girls. She has appeared on Broadway and is now the Queen of Mean, "Wilhelmina Slater" on ABC's sitcom Ugly Betty.

Photo Credit: Ugly Betty


Fashiona regards Ms. Vanessa Williams as one of her earliest role models.

Fashiona

Fashiona on the State of Denim

News flash everyone, Fashiona has always been vain...she was born two weeks late and the family joke is that "she was doing her hair". She is also a natural snob...even as a toddler she picked out the most expensive dress in any store unassisted. Fortunately for the world at large, Fashiona's parents wisely instilled in both her and Sis, an unstoppable work ethic...to enable them to afford their expensive tastes.

Fashiona's snobbery, which knows no bounds, extends to denim also...after all she was a denim designer for years and trained under some of the best denim gurus. As a result, her designer denim collection is vast. LA's Seven For All Mankind was the first of the triple digit priced jeans but alas Fashiona's curves are better matched for Diesel, Joe's and Miss Sixty.

While Seven is launching their limited edition Eiffel Tower jeans in May; Italy's Diesel opened their first restaurant, Circle, in Milan last week.

No...Fashiona isn't planning an Italy trip again this year but the next time she and Sis go back, they will don their Diesels (meaning Sis will permanently borrow a pair of Fashiona's) to gallivant around Milan and of course drop into Circle.

Photo by Courtesy Photo

Inside Diesel’s Circle restaurant


Fashiona

Fashiona's Happy Mother's Day Greeting

glitter-graphics.com

Fashiona wants to wish all the mothers out there a very Happy Mother's Day....especially her own Mom who is referred to simply as "Mom". Fashiona has many Mom memories that are worth sharing but an ancient one and a relatively recent one comes to mind.

Fashiona has always been the super independent type...she drove herself (on the street) to her friends house at the tender age of 4 in her little toy car. Using her 4 year old logic,she had a car but grown-ups had a bigger car...poor Fashiona was "lost" on the differences between the two.

Skip forward 25+ years to when Fashiona needed to have a surgical procedure done. She had gotten several opinions, scouted out hospitals and decided on a capable surgeon. Fashiona was going to spend a few days at Topaz's to recover and dear Topaz was going to accompany her to the hospital. On the day of the surgery, Fashiona woke up and was preparing to go when she just had to call her Mommy... and the floodgates opened up. All of Fashiona's rules about crying went out the window...she immediately wanted to cancel the surgery and beam herself home like in Star Trek. Mommy let her cry for a few minutes and reminded Fashiona that she was indeed a tax paying bonefide adult and she would be okay....and she was. Surgery went off without a hitch and via cell phone Mommy had to calm down Topaz who was in the waiting room.

So Mom...as grown as Fashiona gets...she is never too old for your soothing voice and warm hug.


Fashiona

Fashiona's advice for a happier prom season

When Fashiona first started her blog career way back...okay a year ago, she went into detail about how she chose her dress and the all important accessory her date. Although her prom days are long gone, she can't help but to take a gander at the prom dresses on the market every year. Call it either nostalgia or blatant curiosity...she even chuckles when overhearing the mom and daughter spats that almost always happen before the final gown purchase.

Girls...here are a few tips to help curb the Prozac inducing breakdowns:

• For mom, start with some pictures to show her first to gauge her reaction and test the budget waters.
  
• To prevent seeing yourself in triplicate, maybe arrange a combo trip where you and your tight girls can all shop together.
  
• Finally and most importantly... go shopping when Mommy is ready... if that means she likes to get up before the rooster starts crowing then turn off your cell phone and get your hinney in bed and set your alarm clock. Remember it is the capsule of your high school legacy...those pictures last forrrrrever.....

On a lighter note, merchants are actually taking into account the tough economic times and are offering some chic and budget friendly choices.

Fashiona's fav is JCPenney's Blondie Nites Black and White Trumpet Prom Dress :


Photo by JCPenney.com

• Features all-over high-contrast black and white floral print
• Sweetheart neckline and SECURE spaghetti straps(MOMS like this)
  
• Vibrant fuchsia sash accenting the waist
• Floor length trumpet skirt

A prom look from J.C. Penney.

Photo by Courtesy Photo

Pretty huh...have fun but make curfew!!!

Fashiona

Fashiona on Desirée Rogers and Brand Obama

Fashiona's friend Miss A. admitted to her a few weeks ago, that she wanted Desirée Rogers' job and... according to her research Miss A certainly has a point.

Desirée Rogers, the White House Social Secretary is a triple threat: with beauty, brains and that elusive but all important attribute...class.

Photo By Courtesy Photo

White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers on the cover of WSJ. magazine.

Desirée's Pedigree:

• Beauty ~ Fashiona attributes that to the man upstairs and her parents of course.
  
• Brains ~ Desirée went to Wellesley for undergrad and is a Harvard MBA. Michelle and Barack are both Harvard Law Grads.
  
• Class ~ Fashiona says Desirée was born with it and just fine tuned her brand of urban chic through her life experiences. Ms. Rogers hails from New Orleans and has been on the Chicago social scene for years. She was also noted in Vogue in 2004 as being an chic executive.
  

Desirée's White House Social Secretary Job Description:

• Arranging events ranging from British Style Tea for the First Lady to the dinners with Heads of State
• Produces official invitations from the White House to events
• Coordinates non-political functions of the presidency
• In general coordinates political events for the President, the First Lady, and senior political staff.
• Creates a visual for the Obama brand and leaves no detail unturned.
  

Fashiona is wondering if Ms. Rogers needs an Social Networking Secretary...

Fashiona

Fashiona on the 135th Kentucky Derby

After less than a week in her new digs, Fashiona is still getting used to the South...again. She is loving the fact that EVERYBODY is friendly so far anyway and that she has Direct TV for the first time ever...making watching the Derby a whole new experience for her.

Fashiona is full of quirks...she is scared of cows and when she sees them...she is ready to go from whence she came to the soothing sounds of honking horns and street noise. Funny because as citified as she is...she has always loved horses and is a pretty decent rider. Fashiona has been to the Belmont Stakes while living in NY and it was a thrilling experience. She and her bloggy friend Kelly from 30 Something are determined to go to the Kentucky Derby at least once.

Photo Credit: http://derbyartgifts.com/



Fashiona loves everything about the Derby from the tiny men that are winning jockeys to the quirky names of the horses including this years' winner Mine that Bird to the super fantastic hats. Not only was the race thrilling from start to finish...the track was a soggy mess...making the victory so much sweeter for both jockey Calvin Borel and Mine that Bird.

The rainy dampened some of the hat action this year but this one beat all:

Photo Credit: David J. Phillip / AP

Mixing stripes with spots and feathers with fabric, Wendy Haight of Louisville, Ky. hat a little bit of everything on her Kentucky Oaks hat on May 1, 2009.

Fashiona is thinking that Ms.Wendy was channeling Designer Cecil Beaton's all-black-and-white Ascot scene in My Fair Lady


...what say you all?

Fashiona