The ED HARDY Resort & Swim Show at the Raleigh

The ED HARDY Resort & Swim Show at the Raleigh

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

It’s no secret of what my regard is [not] when it comes to the Ed Hardy franchise. I’ve watched, blogged and yes, sniped from the sidelines since attending my 1st Christian Audigier show at Mercedes-Benz LA Fashion Week around three years ago.


Sitting front row usually guarantees you a goodie bag, but in my case, someone had already swooped in and taken my blinged-out ball cap, which I might have worn as a joke during New York Fashion Week. One of the Account Reps from PR Firm TARAINK, kindly took my name and contact info and promised he’d try to get me one. If nothing else, I walked-out impressed with this firm’s level of courtesy.
While I can't say I was feeling the female models' hair, I did like the guys' mini surfboards. Many of the models were surprisingly meaty. Could this possibly be a new trend?
Audigier’s all-woman design team piled it on: the colorful rubber watches, the studded strappy cone heels and Betty Boop round toe pumps. There were definitely those in the audience who most enjoyed the parade of “Jersey Shore” style beachwear. The business guys seated front row's eyeballs practically fell out of their heads and rolled across the runway like a stack of marbles, as the models swaggered down the runway. The suits got progressively skimpier and bling-encrusted as the show rolled on.
The show ended SO appropriately, with the song, 'I Want to be a Billionaire' by Travie McCoy. Christian Audigier may well make this his theme song as he's accomplished this goal on the back of the graffiti, Love Kills".
The “Most exciting moment in show” goes to getting to gaze at the Claudia Schiffer look-alike who stood out from the crowd of dark haired girls. The only thing I wondered about while exiting the venue was why MTV hadn't brought the Jersey Shore gang to sit front row at this show. It would have made a great addition to their Season 2 Debut.

True Religion Swim 2011 - at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Images, courtesy of Edward James, www.fashionwatchtv.com


You just can't go to a TR show and leave in a bad mood. The mood is carefully choreographed to create that laid-back feelin' good True Religion Vibe. You've got the great 6O's and 70s soundtrack, w/ songs like "I was born a Ramblin' Man", the aviators, the fringed suede cowgirl vests, the bare feet, the sexy bedhead hair , ankle bracelets and go to hell tans we all aspired to back before the sun was pronounced to be "evil" by all practicing dermatologists.
The staples were there, namely the faded denim jean cutoff and hand-tooled wide leather belts that keep the $ $ coming-in at retail. As far as the suits, the bottom are a tad skimpy and there are lots of cutouts on the one-pieces for the women, but the TR girl has the bod and the attitude to pull it off. The guys are as all-American as it gets in their surfer dude hair, necklaces and long board shorts. Although the line screams "Cali", it would play just as well in any surfer community across the globe.

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.

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