Beach Bunny - the Kardashian Sister Collaboration – the Swim 2011 Collection Show & Pre-Show

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Runway Images, Courtesy of Edward James, www.fashionwatch.com

Sometimes, the show is about the pre-show. This was most definitely the case when it came to the Beach Bunny show. Prior to the actual event,
Photographers clawed at the PR girls guarding the backstage entrance. Once in, they crouched like tigers by the fuchsia media wall backstage in hopes of getting the money shot of the notorious Kardashian sisters. The more sparkly nude lip gloss and cleavage showing, the better. Tempers were flaring in the photo pit at the White Sands presentation, in the preceding time slot next door, which was running behind schedule. The problem – that the shooters wouldn’t have enough time to get down the antiquated penthouse elevators at the Raleigh and check in backstage for the Kardashian photo op.
As I had the luxury of not HAVING to shoot them, I was happy to go on a recon mission backstage to see if the K girls had arrived.
By 7:00p.m. I reluctantly gave up my prime spot in front of the media wall and got in line to check in for the actual show. Two minutes later the K girls strolled in – splendid in nude lace + black skintight dresses, glossy black hair and kohled eyes, with full on security to face the photogs.
It has always annoyed me how celebrities like to claim that they “hate the paparazzi”. The truth is that without photographers vying to take their picture, they would fade into oblivion, and cease to exist.
Let’s give the K sisters some credit here. Yes, they were headed backstage, but they walked, VERY SLOWLY across the parking lot to get there, giving anyone who was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time, the opportunity to snap-off an image. [I was even able to get an image of Kim and her entourage].
The show was sadly, a disappointment, and as a colleague pointed out, “all over the place”. It’s difficult to produce a cohesive show with three different designers [four, if you count Beach Bunny’s actual Design Director], at the wheel. Design is like cooking, if you have too many ingredients you end up with slop. In this case, the result was unfortunately something that resembled hooker-wear. Who can tell though? Celebrity may be enough to get the cash registers ringing when the clothes hit the retail floor, providing the show, and the girls are still smoking hot.

And a Toast – To “the Family”!

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
I’m a veteran of the fashion industry, and proud of it. It really struck me just HOW LONG I’ve been in this business while hanging out with “the Family” [no, not the Cosa Nostra/Soprano one]. The family I’m referring to is the loosely linked group of mostly New York-based editors and photographers who cover fashion in New York and cities such as Miami, LA, Toronto, and Europe.
Here’s the thing, it’s not easy to break into the family, and some never do. Once you’re in though, you know you’ll be taken care of. Over the years, thanks to them, I’ve been able to gain access to shows and backstage I was confirmed for and yet denied access once I arrived. As chaos at the door is a given, there’s nothing that beats the feeling when a friend steps up for you and says to the overwhelmed PR’s “ She’s with me”. Runway photo King and Queen, Dan and Cory Lecca, have done their stuff for me more times than I can count on two hands over the years. We met while I was PR at Michael Kors, back in the days of “Minimalism”, and we’ve followed one another’s family milestones, the births of children, and grandchildren, ie: the really big stuff.
EDWARD JAMES of FASHION WATCH-TV and my long-time collaborator, Richard Spiegel, [now the Editor of THE FASHION TRIBUNE.com], have both many times used their bulk to propel me forward ahead of rude editors and TV crews trying to cut in front of me for my long-scheduled designer interview– most recently at CUSTO BARCELONA. Ed Kavische, of FASHION WIRE PRESS, and I bonded in the press lounge of a long ago Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, when he offered to help me, a total stranger, figure out a tech problem with my laptop.
Last night, while packing and eating a midnight dinner of Cuban takeout in the room at the Shelborne, with Richard and Edward, Ed remarked, “Vivian, whether you like it or not, we’re family.”
I don’t mind it at all; in fact, I like it – a lot. Thanks guys, and the rest of you, you know who you are. See you in September.

Oribe In Las Vegas - THE SHOW - 'Donna Arp' Glamour!

TEXT: VIVIAN GALTIER KELLY-VAN ZUTPHEN
Video of ORIBE in Las Vegas- the show, courtesy of Zaki Amin, Oribe

"I don't want to be a craftsman, that's boring. I want to be an artist....Donna Arp -it's made-up but the idea isn't. I want to reinvent glamour."
-ORIBE CANALES -

The show in this video clip is a must-see if you love any of the following: glamour, hair, John Waters, Vegas Glitz, Oribe.

I've always longed to sport the beehive bouffants shown in this video and shut my eyes and pretend I'm Kim Novak on the set of 'Vertigo'. When I'm in Miami this July for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, I'm going to make my annual pilgrimage to the Oribe salon off Lincoln Road and let the crew there give me a wonderful hair cut and a beehive set. MAYBE, just maybe, I'll be able to duplicate it back at home with a combination of Oribe's NEW PRODUCTS.
THE PRODUCTS
1. Soft Lacquer
2. Super Fine Strong
3. Dry

Note to Oribe - Not to worry! You've been the Glamour God of hair from your 'Chrome Hearts' Days of the nineties to today in your "cleaned-up" version.

For more information on the products and Oribe salons, visit www.oribe.com or call 1-800-ORIBE-99
The Miami Beach Salon is located at 1627 Euclid Avenue
Tel:(305) 538-8006