Feb
09
2009
Even with the mysterious absence of Rihanna and Chris Brown…the Grammys went on last night without a hitch~ ever entertaining Justin Timberlake filling in with a last minute performance.
Fashion wise, Paris never fails to be the most photographed half-naked girl on earth.
Photo Credit:Albert L.Ortega / PR Photos
Kim Kardashian looked great in her mini dress.Photo Credit: Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos
Fashiona also watched her giving interviews on the Red Carpet…A for effort but she needs more practice.
Adele won the Best New Artist and looked smashing with her black dress by Barbara Tfank and well placed brooch. Poor girl was so nervous she forgot to spit out her gum before accepting her award…Fashiona forgives you and bought Chasing Pavements anyway.
Whitney wins the “I finally passed rehab” award. 
Kate Perry is just adorable and Fashiona doesn’t normally like bubble gum pink but Kate truly wears this Basil Soda dress so well. She, like Winona Ryder are natural blondes but look better as brunettes.Photo Credit: Albert L.Ortega/PR Photos
There was a 4 way tie for “The Hot Mess” award between Bai Ling
Natalie Cole
Paula Abdul
and MIA. At at least MIA is 9 months preggers and performed on her due date.
Photo Credit:Albert L.Ortega / PR Photos
Jennifer Hudson…Fashiona is so glad that you are back singing with such passion and congratulates you on your Grammy win. She liked your red carpet dress but the shoes just don’t match…nope not even if you squint…and close one eye.Photo Credit: Albert L.Ortega/PR Photos
Now the dress that you performed in was spectacular, very Billie Holiday…brilliant.
Fashiona’s Top 3 dresses:3…Fashiona never noticed how curvy Leona Lewis was…maybe she found an American boy(who cooks chicken and rice) Leona…we got the memo you delivered in the halter style Randi Rahm dress… British girls across the pond have body too. Photo Credit:Albert L.Ortega/PR Photos
2…Kate Beckinsale has been looking great at the last few awards show and last night was no exception…wearing Reem Acra- a go-to designer for the stars. Photo Credit: Albert L.Ortega/PR Photos
Carrie Underworld is a pretty girl, no question (and secret tire slasher…listen to Before he cheats)and won her third Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Fashiona’s Best Dressed award hands down last night in this gold sleeveless gold floor length gown by Zuhair Murad.Photo Credit: Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos
Let Fashiona know what YOU thought of the awards and her picks.
Jan
18
2009
Fashiona will cease her “All Things Obama” momentarily to preview what she will cover in February. Update: Beyoncé is singing “At Last” for the Obamas first dance…according to CNN.
Fabulousity…yes Fashiona just made that word up. So why is February so special?
Hmm…it is Black History month and Sis’s birthday. On the fashion front:
- New York Fashion Week
- The 51st Grammy Awards
- The 81st Oscars
- And possibly this year’s most fashionable film: Confessions of a Shopaholic
So January won’t be too jealous…Day and Fashiona will cover the first UNDISPUTED TALENT event in New York City at The Delancey. The monthly event promoted by Media Arrow showcases models and fashion companies from New York and upcoming bands competing for prizes to be awarded that night. January show is on the 30th and begins at 8pm. The show features:5 fashion designers 15 models, and 5 bands.
Think Project Runway, America’s Top Model and American Idol all rolled in one night.
The following is from Media Arrow’s press release:“On January 30th, the winning model will receive a professional photo shoot, demo reel, and website from Bossman Productions, and the winning band will receive a $1,000 production package from Radian Records and a music video shoot by Bossman Productions. Both winners will receive a cameo in the upcoming film Platinum Dreams, as well as a six month free membership to David Barton Gym.The featured fashion designers are Farrah Bhalloo, Gwen Beloti, Ayesha Hakki, Nicole Laborante, and Dean John NYC.
The models set to appear include Nissa B, Cindy Beato, Sofia Falleroni, Allison Gayne, Victoria James, Nicole M. Nieves, Victoria Ortiz, Jolita Sakmanaite, Shanae Strachan, Ruth Testman, and Diana Vrankovic.
The bands slated to perform are Across the Aisle, Angry Old Man, Hungry Tiger, Maslow, and Witches in Bikinis. The guest judges for the evening are Kimberley Williams from MTV Networks, Jenna Rubenstein from Jellybean Music Group, and LP Anderson from Volume Music Entertainment.”
Tickets are priced at $10 and can be purchased online at www.MediaArrow.com
Jan
14
2009
There is a saying that if you can make in New York you can make it anywhere. Fashiona isn’t really sure where that saying came from but she truly believes it.
Why are the stakes so high here? New York City was built on commercialization and hasn’t given up on that reputation. People come here, in droves no matter what their dream is, to make it happen. On the positive side, the hubs of many industries are here, the institutions of higher learning are top notch, and the talent is high at every level. Of course there is a negative side as well, rents are always high, barriers of entry are numerous and depends largely on who you know and the talent pool keeps growing while jobs are least in a down market are shrinking.
This is where the shakeout happens. Some people stay and some fight harder and smarter. Fashion is an industry that will NEVER die. Cost of goods go up, manufacturing hubs change, companies get by with fewer people but the facade is still there. The design houses that ultimately survive just get smarter and more strategic about how they do business.
Free PR goes a loooooong way…which is why designers across the globe are knocking themselves out to dress the Obamas. Designers have been catapulted to household names because an upcoming person or a well loved established one wore their creation. Think Maria Pinto, Michelle Obama likes her and will continue to wear her clothes and as a result many more people will also.
The late Jacqueline Kennedy was a blue blood that could have afforded any gown for her wedding to JFK. She chose to use Ann Lowe’s
design, a black woman that her mother worked with as well. People loved Jacquie and as a result Ann got more business and a revered place in history, even though Ann actually lost money making the dress for the future Mrs. Kennedy.
Last September, Fashiona covered New York Fashion week and attended several shows previewing Spring 2009. Fashion week is coming up shortly with Fall 2009 Collections showing from February 13 - 20 and many designers are opting out of the large shows in Bryant Park. While the shows are great fun for Fashiona to watch and cover, she fully understands the expense of putting on such a extravagant show and the end of day even fashion with the glamorous wrapping is a business and their end goal is to make money.
This is one of the thoughts that Fashiona leaves with every mentee and student that she encounters (so if you are taking her class next month keep this top of mind) Will Fashiona attend the Fall 2009 Fashion Week?…absolutely and you will hear all about it right here.
Most stars went for glam but Heidi Klum took a risk with this architectural gown by Roland Mouret. Fashiona thinks that she pulled it off well. 
She went the vintage route ~ Pierre Balmain.Taraji P. Henson 
wore Robert Cavalli very well and jewels by Fred Leighton. Fashiona loved Taraji’s entire look from her hair cut, to her flawless make-up to her subtly red clutch.
If Fashiona ever makes to the Red Carpet, Reem Acra may very well be her designer of choice.
Of course Brad and Angelina looked stunning also…as usual.Biggest Disappointment:Philip Seymour Hoffman wearing a skully on the Red Carpet…come on…unacceptable.
but doesn’t think it was a proper choice Queen Latifah. Any thoughts?
at the tender age of 26, really “gets” the Oscars…always elegant. She has held her up high even through much publicized break-up with her ex-boyfriend/con-man and Fashiona loves her for that.Pretty is as pretty does~as the Southern saying goes. Anne wore Armani Prive.
Angelina Jolie wore Elie Saab for a change…a favorite of Beyoncé; and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry. Fashiona’s favorite color is green and was completely drawn to those tear drop earrings all night.Photo Credit: http://www.oscar.com/redcarpetPhoto Credit for Lisa Rinna and Anne Hathaway: http://justjared.buzznet.com/ 
