Ready For Some Gifting: Nick Verreos prepares to get "ExfoliKated", at Kate Somerville's White Room" Emmys Gifting SuiteNick's Emmys Gifting Suites Recap:
This year, I was covering the Emmy"s for SOAPnet as well as doing post Emmys Red Carpet Wrap Up for TV Guide Channel, and I got invited to several of these suites.
It's a world not so many people get to partake--and frankly before Project Runway, I had no idea of what these "suites" were all about--Celebrities (the term is used very loosely in my case) get invitations--either on their own or through their publicists/managers--attend, take a photo with product, and if they are lucky, get something in return. It's a way for these companies to get publicity and build up their "PR book"--or have these celebs wear or use their products and be seen with them---like in UsWeekly, InTouch, or People. Here is my recap of my Emmys Gifting Suite experience...
Nick Verreos and Kate Somerville at her epomynous LUXURIOUS Spa on Melrose PlaceKate Somerville:
Because of my crazy schedule--and the fact that I am smack dab in the middle of making a collection--I singled out the Friday before the Emmys as the day I could visit the Gifting Suites. I was invited to Kate Somerville's Spa on Melrose Place, near the Marc Jacobs Collection Stores, as well as Diane Von Furstenberg and Oscar de la Renta. Here's the deal, last year, at this same event, I received a product called Kate In A Jar (now re-named ExfoliKate)and after bringing it home, used it, and instantly DRANK the Kate Somervillle "Kool Aid". It was AMAZING!!!My partner David and I were fighting for it! We even bought some more online!!! My reason for returning to Kate Somerville was to tell them how that one product really changed my skincare life!!! ( I am sounding like a darn infomercial!!!) and of course, to see if I could get some more!!
Inspecting the Seams: Nick Verreos samples a silk chiffon leopard-print gown from La Perla by Alessandro Dell'Aqua's The Kate Somerville "White Room" , as it was called this year, was visited by actors Kerry Washington, Felicity Huffman, Will McCormack, Debra Messing, and my secret crush, from Pushing Daisies, actor Lee Pace. When I was there I recognized actress Perrey Reeves, who plays "Mrs. Ari Gold" on HBO's Entourage. Once at the Spa, I sampled a brand new skin care brush called Clarisonic, developed by the same person who created Sonicare toothbrushes and visited the La Perla room which had gorgeous to-die-for Alessandro Dell'Aqua designed leopard print silk chiffon red carpet gowns and silk cocktail dresses (see above).
I filmed some footage for the Spa, spoke to the skin care DIVA herself--and received some more of my favorite Kate Somerville products. One of these days, I promised them, I will come in to get the full-on Kate Somerville Spa treatment. For now, I will have to just fight David for her products!
Oprah and the Gays: Oprah greets my friend, Ross Matthews, the fabulous "Tonight Show Intern" at Emmys Gifting Suite---yes, even Oprah Does Giftin'!!!Platinum Publicity Melanie Segal's Emmy Gifting Suite
My next stop was Platinum Publicity's Emmys 2008 Gifting Suite on Queen's Road, near Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood. My goal now was to see if I could find a dress shirt or tie I could wear for my Emmys Red Carpet moment with SOAPnet. And if I found one and wore it, I would give them a "plug". Once there, I saw the Perry Ellis room and ran like a little girl at the Barbie section at Toys 'R Us! Unfortunately, no ties or shirts, but they gave me a fabulous apple green "Man Bag" that I LOVED!!!! Realizing that there were no hopes of finding a tuxedo shirt-and-tie here, I then walked right to Make Up by Mandy, for some eyebrow fixin' and waxing (at least my eyebrows would look good on camera!). Lord knows my half Greek eyebrows needed it!!! I also picked up some beautiful towels from Distant Imported Home Decor. They are in Los Feliz/Silverlake and are owned by a half Colombian/half Turkish couple (sounds like Mom and Dad!!!) so you know I was all about their products. They said that they were towels, HOWEVER, they were so gorgeous, I am going to use them as scarves!!!!
Nice Fit: Proportion Of Blu Slim Boot Cut jean for womenBeing that we are in LA, the land of denim and t-shirts, there were several "booths" showing new brands of both. There were some great jeans from a brand called Proportion of Blu. The lovely pr girls noticed I liked my denim on the darker and skinnier side, and they were kind enough to give me two styles: The "Skinny" and "Slim Boot", both in a Japanese Denim dark wash.
Bootilicious: Back pocket design of Proportion of Blu, men's jeanYou know I will be wearing these to my events---along with my dress shirt and tie "Nick Look". Dussault Custom Ink Apparel had very Ed Hardy-esque hoodies, with tattoo-like graphic art, as well as leather accessories. Since I already "rocked" that Ed Hardy look YEARS ago (yes, even I went through the Trucker Hat phase!), I picked a beautiful leather wallet and belt with a not-so-obvious skull-and-crossbones. Here, I ran into choreographer Chris Judd.
GBK Mondrian Gifting Suite:
My final pit stop was the GBK Gifting Suite. Since I was already near Sunset, I made my way to the Mondrian to see if there, I could find my "Emmys shirt and tie". I didn't. However, there was better! As I was led through all the various suites by my trusty (and sexy) handler, before I realized it, I had a Keurig Coffee Maker (I know!!!) somehow stuffed in my own huge "Gifting bag". I also got some delicious cookies and cupcakes from a Pastry Company called Henrietta Poodlestones (isn't that THE MOST FABULOUS NAME??!!).
At another room, there were all these fabulous dolls from JAKKS Pacific. They are called JUKU COUTURE dolls and all I could think of was my niece, Casia and how much she would LOVE them (I privately wanted them for myself too!) The dolls are very high fashion--almost "collectible" looking---like John Galliano for Dior mini doll models! I must have stayed there for an hour with Michael and Anne-Marie of JAKKS Pacific, playing with the dolls, posing for photos and just being silly! Finally, there was a suite in the Mondrian, devoted solely to dogs and "Doggie Couture", from clothing, chokers, to bags and anything in between! All I could think of was my puppy Benny! I could just see him smiling and his tail wagging if "Daddy Nick" brought home a little couture for him. Alas, it was not to be. I guess I was too "D-List" to get any doggie gifts (now I know how Kathy Griffin feels!).
At the last minute though, one of the doggie suites, House Of Dog, did take down all my information and promised to have a "Benny Goodie Bag" to be delivered. Benny and I can't wait!!!!