Project Runway Premier in Los Angeles

The A-List of LA's fashion crowd descended upon Remedy Lounge and Provecho Restaurant for the premiere of the sixth season of Heidi Klum and Harvey Weinstein's 'Project Runway' now showing Thursday nights on the Lifetime Channel. Wow! What an exciting night and event for downtown LA and for my good friend Jae Joseph, who hosted the event. Sponsors arranged for the evenings festivities included 'Project Runway', Glow cosmetics and DOWNTOWN LA Fashion Week.

As you may or may not know, the current season of 'Runway' was filmed in and around the boroughs Los Angeles that literally steal the show from older step-sister in cool, New York City (yes, we know NYC is called the mainland's home to fashion by many but give LA some real thread props here -- there's more going on here than the Dodgers and churros!).

Graced with Jae, I was invited to walk the event's red carpet where I was interviewed by several of the fashion media and, get this, the Hollywood Reporter(!). I also had a photo opp with the adorable young actress starring in the thriller, 'Orphan'. Once inside, I rubbed shoulders with design students, designers, fashion retailers and event VIPs -- founder of Downtown LA Fashion Week Leanna Lewis, fashion communications Specialist Barbara Graff, desiger Octavio Carlin and designer Lloyd Klein. We gleefully sipped mojitos and munched on delicious fare while talking about everything fashion and the upcoming Fashion Weeks on each coast --- New York's is September X to X and LA's October 11 to ?. As the evening would down, I made three new BFFs! They call this the City of Angels and these three are indeed adorned with wings -- Robin is a stylist, Christopher is an up and coming stylist and Roni is a model/actress who has projects in works at Paramount.

My evening was made complete by a marvelous gift bag put on my wrist by the hardest working man in the business -- Jae (thank you for thinking of me!). It was great fun to be part of a night that allowed me to discuss my work with so many and an event that showcases the creatvie talent here in Los Angeles --- oh how I love LA (and yes, you too New York)!

2009 Fall Trends

Even though thoughts of falling leaves and cold nights are still far away, it's not too early to start the hunt for this fall and winter's fashion trends. Here are what the designers have in store for what to wear in fall/winter 2009/2010:

- Muted metallics. Muted tones of copper, pewter and iron are making a splash on the catwalk. Pair them with earthy shades in tweed, linen or leather to keep the shine subtle.

- Thigh-high boots. This coming season sees designers taking boots to new heights. Paired with skinny jeans or leggings, these certainly make a statement. Very sexy, if somewhat impractical, they need to be paired with a more conservative outfit to be pulled off.

- The fitted coat. This flattering, perfectly-tailored, old-world sophisticated staple
highlights a refined silhouette.

- The boyfriend jacket. Conversely, this jacket is cut to look like it is on loan from your man, with stronger shoulders and sharp tailoring. Just like the boyfriend jeans seen last spring, this jacket is a throwback to the '80s.

- Tudor ruffles. Tufted and ruffled necks and structured bodices are big this fall. Skinny jean coupled with Tudor-style tops in silks, brocades, and jacquards and embellishments of lace, sequins and tassels are the rage. Designers seem to be saying "more is more" when it comes to lavish trimmings.

- Jewel tones. Enough with the black already! Bright, saturated gem colours made a big splash on the runway. Ruby, amethyst, emerald, sapphire, and topaz are big either for accented accessories or for full-length gowns in satin and silk.

- Fierce fur. Faux and otherwise, fur plays heavy into fall's fashion picture. Both elegant and relaxed — and practical for Canada's winters —_fur is making another comeback this time in stoles and boleros, as well as jackets.

— Source: Prime Retail

CLINK! Toast The Hosts With The Most

Jeremy Jae Joseph, Cedd Moses, Rebecca O'Leary, LeAnna Lewis, Brady Westwater and Tammy K. Billings --- what would these players have in common? Together they threw a phenom bash at the top of Loft Seven in the Haas Building in downtown LA set amid the rooftops. Swooping in was cool DJ Donovan Leitch who mixed the the scenesational sounds and swooping down was the coastal marine layer, draping lit clocktowers in all directions with Batmanesque comic book fantasy -- a midnight blast right out of Gotham. KA-POW! Hey, wasn't that Adam West?

Everywhere you turned, eye candy appeared starting with the trio of artists from Hit & Run silk screening shirts, amazing food from 12th Street's J Restaurant/Lounge and an eclectic fashionable crowd (Mohawk Man and Pencil Moustache Player you guys were great -- you know who you are!). And yes girls, plenty of Boy Wonders too.

As I meandered, Tres Generaciones Jamaican Margarita in hand, I shook hands with Donovan (yes, we almost bro hugged!) who graciously gave me his headphones for a photo opp with him. What a great experience -- love him and his father's creative legacy! Will definitely seek out his DJing venues for he's found a fan. Trundling downstairs I came across a class act -- LA's famous fashion designer, Louis Verdad (Madonna wore Louis Verdad the night she kissed Britney Spears on the MTV Video Awards!) Love you, Louis -- let's continue our conversation and cut the cloth TOGETHER! Perhaps a show?

I'll save the close for a few words on Marc Lotenberg and his 944 publication (a lifelong friend of my husband's is a major investor in the pub) -- you guys really know how to throw an event and leverage your media presence & brand to pull great people, of all creative persuasions, together. From a guest's perspective you did everything right and, in speaking for my husband, it's been fun watching you grow into a major force. Congratulations Marc (and Eric).

Hated to turn the page on this adventure, as it was so much fun, but we'll create another one, villains, heroes, Gotham and all. KER-PUNCH!

Blue hues great fashion news

By Linda Miller

Get in the mood for blue. Waves of aqua and sky, navy and cobalt, marine and turquoise, each as tempting as a dip in the Caribbean Sea, swept down the runway during the summer 2009 designer shows. It was as if designers knew eight months ago that women would need a vacation now, even if only a mental one.

"Blues are just really beautiful this year,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

Blue purple started showing up last year and has morphed into the many colors making a statement this season. Blues are calming, a welcome feeling with the economic issues and the swine flu spread. People need to take a deep breath and think in terms of being near the water and clearing their mind, she said. "Blue is evocative of all those things,” Eiseman said.

Palace Blue, one of the institute’s Top 10 colors for summer, is a cross between sky blue and navy. It’s a color that works with almost any other — pink, yellow, lavender or green, according to the institute.

Plenty of other shades of blue vie for attention, including blue-greens and turquoise. Eiseman said turquoise isn’t as calming as some blues, but it’s a lovely color to look forward to in summertime.

"Teals and turquoise look beautiful against so many skin tones,” she said. "Everybody just seems to glow when they wear those ... blue-turquoise colors.”

Turquoise tends to make your skin look rosier, and it’s so flattering that women gravitate to it without thinking about it, she said. That’s one reason turquoise jewelry is so pretty against the skin.

Blues are showing up outside fashion, too. Mesmerize by Essie is a cool blue nail polish. Tropic, a new eye shadow by Nars, is matte teal with silver particles.

Mix blue with the nude hues, another strong trend for spring and summer, and it’s like a sand-and-sea love fest.

Casa Blanca Couture Looking At You

Beauty arrived in my mailbox this morning in a satin, lavender package - it was the fabulous Casa Blanca Bridal Couture Fall 2009 catalogue. The entire Casa Blanca Couture wedding dress line -- out of this world fabulous, by the way -- is accessorized with necklaces, bracelets and earrings from my Spring 2010 vintage couture collection. Take a look at a preview of the photography at http://www.margaretrowe.com/press.php# - on page four.

The designer of the line, Lily Paul, was so pleased at how well my jewelry complemented the dresses that they chose my line again for their 2010 Spring couture collection -- just shot on gorgeous models at a gorgeous Pasadena estate. The good fortune of calling the Casa Blanca family my friends plays into the celebratory hands of ten years of hugs and handshakes I've had outfitting numerous brides, mother's of the bride and bridesmaids.

Viva La White Ice & Pearls! Viva La Beautifully Adorned Bride! Viva La Wedding!