holiday wishlist!

harper's bazaar just launched their holiday gift guide for december and i am absolutely OBSESSED with everything they have featured. seriously, it's as if they went inside my head and sought out to come up with a list that would be perfect for ME, lydia russo. most of these items consist of BOOKS, but they are very affordable and actually, educational! [that's how i'll pitch them to my parents!]

above: photo album for every month of the year, color coded!
why it's awesome: these albums, which are incredibly cute, will inspire you to take a little bit of time to go to the local CVS and develop all your favorite facebook pictures. not only will you have a nice case to present the pictures in, but a fashionable one. the rainbow is going to be so cheerful to look at and will grab everyone's attention from across the room.

above: Louis Vuitton Art, Fashion and Architecture... An anthology of the fashion house's most visible collaborations with artists, architects, designers, and photographers. $63.75 at barnesnandnoble.com.
why it's awesome: this anthology of louis vuitton is actually pretty affordable and will be an awesome addition to your coffee table. not only fashion lovers will appreciate this, but artists and architects.

above: Kate Spade Occasions Book... For the hostess, this illustrated guidebook to throwing the perfect fete — no matter its size — will be much welcomed. $19 at barnesandnoble.com.
why it's awesome: this is the ultimate book for a girl in her 20's. designer kate spade gives tips on how to throw an elegant party. the book is a little less than $20, so it's perfect for college budgets.


above: The Little Dictionary of Fashion... Secrets of style and timeliness tips from Christian Dior. $15.96 at barnesandnoble.com.
why it's awesome: um, i wish i had this book for the 'definition' assignment we had for fashion research & communication! this is definitely a must-have for fashion majors. christian dior has taken the time to inform girls of key words to know in the fashion world.


to see the complete holiday wishlist, visit here: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/luxury-gifts-for-women

true life: i am addicted to shopping.

so, i gotta say--- my closet is something i'm definitely not too proud of. i am the absolute definition of a addict shopper. i love the feeling after i have just purchased something new and shiny. even if it's not necessarily something i need, if it somewhat catches my attention---it has to be mine.

although the closet looks like it would be an instant headache, it is my favorite place to take refuge. many nights, especially when i am on the phone with a friend, i sit on the floor of my closet and feel calm as my clothes surround me.

2 years ago, i moved into a new house and vowed to myself that i would remain organized and keep my closet under control. since the time of my move-in, my closet has grown to be an empire of collected garments.the sad thing is, i'm not even showing the full view. the floors of my room are completely hidden with clothes.

goal or winter break: straighten out & organize! i'm sure many things can be donated to charity...

the scoop on Iradj Moini!

[featured above: naomi watts with Iradj Moini ring]

a few years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to jewelry designer Iradj Moini, who designs elaborate pieces of wearable art. in the past, Iradj has collaborated with Oscar de la Renta, but most recently launched his own store in NYC. his designs have been seen on many a-listers such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Beyonce, and even Oprah. although his pieces can be a bit pricey (they range anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand), they are definitely worth it. this intricate jewelry will definitely get you noticed in a crowd.

here's a look at some of Iradj Moini's pieces:

[featured above: Beyonce with Iradj Moini necklace]

[featured above: a closer look at the Moini necklace Beyonce is wearing]

Fashionably Yours

By Lydia Russo

Dressing models backstage at a fashion show in thirty thousand dollar gowns, escorting Jennifer Lopez to the V.I.P. room at a red carpet event, and helping the Redskins football players put on their ties correctly... just a typical day for a member of the Marymount University Fashion Club. The Fashion Club, which consists of over one hundred and sixty members, is the largest student organization to ever exist at Marymount. The club focuses on volunteer work in the metropolitan area for fashion-related events such as fashion shows, movie screenings, special exhibits, benefits, and galas. By participating in these events, students not only gain a deeper knowledge of local happenings but also an expertise in social networking.

In the past year, Fashion Club has participated in over two hundred events, which has totaled over 4,000 hours of community service, a personal record for the club. Students have participated in a wide variety of events such as the Washington D.C. premiere of “The September Issue” (a documentary on Vogue’s Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour) and the grand opening of the W Hotel, which is located across the street from the White House. The W Hotel opening, which was also attended by Grammy Award winning musician John Legend and actress Emmy Rossum, was an exclusive volunteer opportunity offered to the Marymount University Fashion Club. At this event, students helped serve as ushers, photography assistants, and greeters. In return, once they were done with their assigned task, they were invited to enjoy the private invitation-only John Legend performance on the rooftop with DC’s hottest socialites.

Thanks to my experience with the Fashion Club, I can truthfully say I am very prepared for the fashion industry. For the past two years, I have served as an officer for this philanthropic student organization. In my junior year, I served as Public Relations officer, and now, I am currently in my senior year serving as President. Altogether, I have volunteered and coordinated over one hundred and fifty events within Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. My duties have ranged from working backstage at a fashion show, dressing models, handling guestlists, and making sure an event runs smoothly. The club has even given me many opportunities to meet some of the most respected figures in the industry such as shoe designer Christian Louboutin and Chief Creative Officer of Liz Claiborne and Project Runway host Tim Gunn.

One particular event, which was special to me amidst the others, was my first encounter with designer Nanette Lepore (who I have now met three times). In the Fall of 2008, the Fashion Club had the opportunity to work at the Nanette Lepore boutique opening in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Throughout the night, we helped with sorting out the guest list and distributing the customized Nanette Lepore cupcakes among the attendees. Once we were done with our tasks, we were able to join Mrs. Lepore and her family as they danced the night away to the boutique-turned-nightclub. When she finally sat down to take a quick rest, I introduced myself as the coordinator for the Fashion Club. Mrs. Lepore was so grateful for our help that she invited all of us to visit her showroom. Last Spring, about forty students from the Fashion Club took a trip to the New York City showroom to take a behind-the-scenes look at the Nanette Lepore clothing line. The whole experience was completely surreal. Once again, the Fashion Club’s networking opportunities benefitted the Marymount students and made it possible for students to gain access to some of the most important contacts in the fashion world.

The Marymount University Fashion Club has become more successful as the years have progressed. Each year, the club strives to do better and work harder than its predecessors. The club fully invites anyone and everyone at Marymount University, not only fashion students, to join and immerse themselves to the world of fashion and its opportunities that come along with it.

what's in this season?

purple, purple, purple! lately, everywhere i've been going, that's the only color i see. not that it's bad at all, i'm absolutely in love with the color purple. last week, i was walking around campus with my friend mehrosh and we bumped into yaritza, who is a student at marymount studying english. we were so impressed by her fall layering (with accents of purple!) that we had to snap a few pictures of her. please take a look at how she takes a simple black skirt and shirt, then "gets sassy" with it. the headband, the scarf, the belt, the tights, and the shoes bring so much flavor to the outfit that you can't help but turn your head around when you pass by her to get another look. layering is highly suggested, especially in the fall, to all fashion lovers. please experiment and try to make your outfit stand out with bold accessories!

an evening with designer Jason Wu!

last thursday, i had the honor of meeting designer Jason Wu at an event hosted by Capitol File and Neiman Marcus. if you haven't heard of him---it's okay. consider this your fashion101 on him. he is a very, very new designer who recently received a lot of buzz for designing first lady Michelle Obama's inaugural gown last January. Jason Wu, a graduate of parsons school of design, is only 26 years old and has already launched a successful clothing line, loved by many A-listers. when speaking with him, he was incredibly nice. i told him he was a "fashion icon" and he answered, humbly, "no i'm not! i don't have enough experience!" if you're dying to get some of his beautiful fashions, they can be found exclusively at neiman marcus, friendship heights.

a day with Christian Louboutin!

[marymount fashionistas + neiman marcus employees with Mr. Louboutin]

this weekend, i had the pleasure of meeting world famous shoe designer, Mr. Christian Louboutin (yes, his name deserves capitals!), at neiman marcus, tyson's corner. the event was open to anyone who had purchased a pair of louboutin's within the week at that particular location. (keep in mind: a pair of his shoes usually costs between the prices of $500-$1,500!) luckily for me and two of the other fashion students, dana doughten and kelliann caulfield, we staffed the event and in return were able to meet him as a thank-you from neiman marcus. 

by the time the event started, there were at least 300 people in line to meet Mr. Louboutin. at first, the line was barely moving and everyone was complaining. literally, within the first hour, only about 10 people actually passed through the line. for those in a rush to go somewhere, it wasn't exactly the best situation but for those who had the whole night free (like me!), it was actually a good thing. what customers didn't realize (until it was their turn), was that Mr. Louboutin was taking his time with each customer. once someone would go up with their pair of shoes, he would not only sign them but briefly tell them a little history about that particular style of shoe. to Mr. Louboutin, every shoe has a story behind it and he wanted his customers to know just exactly what it was. in addition, he wasn't just scribbling his name... he actually took the time to sign his name and then go back and color in certain areas (like the center of the letter o) with other markers. talk about customization!

overall, it was a wonderful event and i have so much respect for Christian Louboutin. all of his shoes are so wonderfully crafted and thoroughly designed. he takes an idea and then pushes it to the extreme. the fact that he took so much time with his customers reflected real well on him. he did not get up once from his seat to go to the bathroom, he did not stop for a quick lunch break, he did not make any absurd requests. from 1pm to 6pm, his time was dedicated to his fans.

[top neiman marcus sales employee with her special reward solo shot with christian louboutin]

One Final (Cat)Walk Down Bryant Park…

[Copyright: Pictures above taken by Lydia Russo]

After sixteen wonderful years, Mayor Bloomberg recently announced that this will be the final year for New York City’s Fashion Week in Bryant Park. Although many designers and fashion insiders tried to fight the obliteration of the tradition, they ultimately lost to the Town Council and the Bryant Park Corporation.

According to the New York Times, the Bryant Park Corporation stated that New York City Fashion Week “disrupted plans to operate a skating rink in the winter and public use of the main lawn in the late summer”. Although a large amount of space remains public during the event, they believed the tents blocked the city from public activities.

It is true that a majority of the green space and the Fountain Terrace are closed off, but the public is still able to enjoy other areas of the park. Every single day at 1:15pm, Bryant Park does completes a lunchtime count of visitors at the park. According to an employee of the Bryant Park Corporation, who actually made a very contradictory statement to the company’s decision, “Our daily lunchtime count totaled 3,086 people and a number of free activities occurred that day, including Pétanque lessons, Ping Pong, and Piano in Bryant Park, which were all well attended by park patrons. Other popular activities not impeded by Fashion Week’s presence include bi-weekly Tai Chi classes, Meet the Birds in Bryant Park, knitting lessons, and poetry readings. Le Carrousel also remains open with normal operating hours.”

It is pretty much understood that the Bryant Park Corporation decided to discontinue the location because they were not making as much money during Fashion Week as they would be on a normal day. Although the park could still be used, they were financially better off to just end the tradition and remain completely open during this time. According to an IMG executive who spoke on condition of anonymity because the company does not typically release any figures, “IMG pays only $1 million to $1.5 million to use the space each season”.

It is proposed that the new location of New York Fashion Week be right by the New York State Theatre. Although designers will now get 25% more space in the tents, this also might mean that guests will have to walk at least a city block back and forth to shows.

Sources:
http://gothamist.com/2009/02/03/say_bye_bye_to_bryant_park_fashion.php
http://blog.bryantpark.org/post/190445039/fashion-week-in-bryant-park

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/fashion/03TENTS.html

the uniform project.

i really miss the days when i was required to wear a uniform to school. i'm sure that you're probably thinking that this is super horrible of me considering the fact that i am majoring in fashion. but the thing is, uniforms aren't bad--- it's actually the test of someone's fashion savvyness. think about it: how can one stand out in a crowd of a hundred, all of whom are wearing the same thing?

well, ever since i heard about 'the uniform project', i've been quite impressed with the number of things people can do to make their uniform stand out. akanksha, the mastermind behind this project, has dedicated herself to wearing the same dress everyday for one year (365 days). to make things a bit interesting, everyday she has to totally reinvent the dress and give it a new meaning through layers and accessories. not only does this project encourage creativity, but it also promotes sustainable clothing.

all the money she makes in donations during this project goes to the akanksha foundation, which supports children in india.

for more information (and to see the uniform stylized in many different ways!), visit http://www.theuniformproject.com/

bow & arrow.

calling all brides! professor katz just recently launched her own bridal accessory line, bow & arrow. she has completely reinvented stereotypically mundane garters and veils --- and instead, made bridal accessories that are playful and cute. although the website is still in the process of being constructed, those who are interested are urged to e-mail her at elizabeth@bowandarrowdesigns.com for more information or check the bow & arrow website for future updates. http://www.bowandarrowdesigns.com/