White-Wash and Mother Nature: the Binetti s/s2011 Collection PREVIEW

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

Yesterday, as I thought back to my IM conversations earlier in the week with friends PR maven, JONO WAKS, and CASI DENSMORE COON, Editor of www.cupcakemag.com, it hit me.
I LOVE THE PRE-SHOW ASPECT OF FASHION WEEK BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME OF BEING A KID AND GETTING READ TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS 14 AGAIN, AND THE MOST PRESSING THING ON MY LABOUR DAY AGENDA WAS TO ORGANIZE THE OUTFITS [AND ACCESSORIES!] I'LL TAKE WITH ME ON WEDNESDAY A.M. when I check into the Cornell Club and officially start s/s2011 fashion week. THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE VERY ENTERTAINING ASPECT OF BEING A FASHION WRITER/EDITOR, IS THAT I'M WEARING FALL, BUT I'M PREVIEWING SPRING DESIGNS I WANT TO WEAR RIGHT NOW.

AFTER VIEWING THE SUPERLATIVE s/s 2010 PREVIEW ARTICLE in www.nymagazine.comFASHION TRIBES FRIEND, WRITER MARK BEHNKE EMAILED ME AS A "MUST READ" - I'M EXPECTING A FASHION WHITE OUT FOR SPRING. BY WHITE, THOUGH, DESIGNERS ARE EXERCISING A LOT OF CREATIVITY WITH IT, NOT JUST THROWING A BORING WHITE LINEN SUIT YOUR WAY OR WHIPPING UP DRESSES THAT YOU'D HESITATE TO WEAR FOR FEAR OF BEING MISTAKEN FOR A BRIDE.
TAKE BINETTI. Buenos Aires born Diego Binetti tenured at Bulgari and Jill Stuart, and later founded his eponymous line in 2001. The Benetti bohemian chic collection is sold in over 60 storefronts across the United States and 22 countries worldwide.
His upcoming collection will feature an "air" print, white chiffon infused with black china ink, and "the Bodice" mixes textures of metal beaded work and organza cutouts of fish scale shapes, all over delicate white tulle. After flipping through the 100 preview images from NY Mag's "The Cut" [referenced above], it seems that white + nature inspired detailing = a novel and romantic approach to wearing white and banishing black come spring.

Clarasonic Skin Care Demo, and Hilary Rhoda Plays Gran Turismo 5 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim

Some of the most fun parts of my few short days during this latest Miami Fashion Week took place not at the actual shows, but in-between events.
Saturday night was a long day, a day at the laptop and a botched opportunity to meet KENDRA WILKINSON followed by the now-it’s really getting old chaos at the door of each and every show. Sometime between the True Religion and Ed Hardy shows, Clarasonic’s fabulous HELEN MILLER, got me in for a full facial treatment with the Clarasonic wand/brush system. The whole treatment, took under 10 minutes and I got off the spa bed in the back of the booth and inspected my face in the magnified mirror the technician put in my hands. The fine lines around my eyes did not disappear but my skin DID feel significantly more hydrated, as if my tight pores had suddenly opened up and allowed much-needed moisture in. Mind you, this was after only one treatment. The key here is daily use, much like oral hygiene. If you floss, you’ll keep the tartar build-up away. If you use CLARISONIC, you’ll gradually get rid of the build-up on your skin, and the products you use will penetrate and actually do what they’re supposed to do.
After relaxing and chatting with Helen and a stiff sea breeze cocktail, I reluctantly pulled myself away and peeked over to see if I could get in some eye-makeup tips over at the MAKEUP FOR EVER.
I passed on the free touch up booth, as the line was overly long. Instead, I reapplied my latest favorite products, MAKE-UP DESIGNORY’S “Mahogany Lip Pencil [tremendous staying power] topped with BECCA’s new GLOSSY LIP TINT in “MARSALA”. I was one of the few women at the Raleigh with “grown-up lips” on, ie: not stripper-like sticky candyfloss pink gloss on. My nails, which I painted in the room with NAILTINI’s “BORDEAUX” held-up beautifully, despite the cloying Miami heat and humidity – no chipping here.
Because I left early, I missed-out on seeing my favorite model of today’s generation – HILARY RHODA – have some fun demoing MERCEDES-BENZ’s between shows, when she got behind the wheel and played Gran Turismo 5 poolside, at the Raleigh. She was there to join Lisa Vogel, creative director of LUXE and co-president of RAJ Manufacturing, to
Raise Money for Oceana to 
Raise Money for Oceana, the largest international organization focused solely on protecting the world's oceans.

SHOPPING NOTES:
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CLARISONIC is THE ORIGINAL Sonic Skin Care System, and Sonicare is a registered trademark of Philips Oral Healthcare Inc. The system is available at www.sephora.com
With this as with anything else, get the ORIGINAL, not a shoddy copy – your skin is worth it.

To buy Becca glossy lip tints, shop www.beccacosmetics.com

MUSINGS FROM MIAMI - WHATEVER DO KIM KARDASHIAN AND KENDRA HAVE TO DO WITH FASHION? EVERYTHING.

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
An old friend asked me on Facebook, “WHY and are the Kardashian sisters STILL hot?” I didn’t have to reflect at all before answering; “Most definitely”, while narrowly avoiding crashing into a group of rappers headed the opposite way on Ocean Drive. The Kardashians, love them or hate them, are as necessary to what fashion’s become today as white blood cells are to your [blood] plasma. Over the past 10 + years, fashion has become a media circus. Initially, I was mildly disgusted, but now I’ve moved solidly into the acceptance stage. The bottom line here is that the Girls show up, the photographers show up, the public shows up. THEN, if all goes well, the public’s enthusiasm extends to popping into Macy’s and buying [in this case] a Beach Bunny Swimsuit.
Yesterday, I emerged from a daze after hours on my laptop in the blissful silence of my SHELBORNE hotel room to the madness at the HOTEL GANSVOORT, three blocks up Collins Avenue. I didn’t think being late would be a problem – since when are celebrities on time, anyhow? Apparently, these days they are extremely punctual, probably thanks to the many handlers, PA’s and PR’s who attend to them. KENDRA [Wilkinson] had come and gone by the time I arrived, but there was still a fair amount of activity in the plush ballroom, strangely located directly next to the David Barton Gym. Suites such as this are a good opportunity for small designers such as KRISTINA ASHLEY, who had a table with some of her cute ruffled bikinis, to get some media exposure without blowing her annual budget on a publicity outreach. Her strategy is working. The press handout was stuffed with edits in Lucky Mag, Ocean Drive, and WWD.
While I walked away minus a copy of SLIDING INTO HOME to review, I did walk away with samples of BOTRAN RESERVA RUM being repped by RCP Brand Market Specialists, which my husband pronounced "exceptionally smooth".
As far as Kendra, the PR organizing the event, Helena Goldglantz of Helena Renee PR, suggested that I “can go and buy the book at Borders”. After my initial shock [as press, I usually get the book in question, no problem], I reflected that making another sale at Borders or Barnes and Noble, etc., is really the point of the whole book signing exercise anyhow. What I regret though, is missing the opportunity to meet a girl who pulled herself away from the pack of pretty Hefner PlayBoy Bunny-dom and turned herself into a brand. Kendra, represents the thousands of pretty blonde girls who hit the streets of LA hoping to be discovered. It will be interesting to see how she continues to evolve. I guess I’ll be making a stop at Borders to see what Kendra, Phase II – the Mom – is all about. After browsing the inside jacket on www.amazon.com, I've put this book on my reading list. Kendra is a survivor. The big question is, ‘Will there be a Kendra, Phase III, what will it be, and will we still care?’
Note to self – take a page from the new celebs and be on time!