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Emmys Gifting Suites: Nick Verreos and Jay McCarroll???

Jay McCarroll: Not A Emmys Gifting Suite Virgin Anymore!!! Plaid & Polka Dots: Nick Verreos and Jay McCarroll, Kari Feinstein Emmys Gifting Suite


Last week was Emmy Awards Week, and boy was I busy: Last-minute meetings with stylists, working on my new line, as well as rehearsals for TV Guide Network Emmys Fashion Wrap. Somehow I found the time to attend several gifting suites.
For most of these suites, I had a special "partner-in-crime": Jay McCarroll, Season One Winner of Project Runway. He's in town for a "secret project" which at the time I couldn't talk about. But the secret is OUT: Jay McCarroll will be one of the contestants on Vh1's Celebrity Fit Club. I know: SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! According to sources (from the internets), he will be joined by Bobby Brown, Kevin Federline and his ex Shar Jackson, among others. Hope my Jay is getting PAID lots of money!


SLS Hotel and Secret Room "Think Pink" Style Lounge:Nick's New BFF: Jay McCarroll and Brittany Flickinger, Winner of Season One "Paris Hilton's My New BFF"

The SLS Hotel and The Secret Room Events "Think Pink" 2009 Emmy Awards Style Lounge
benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Tiger Lily Foundation was our first stop. We both enjoyed an AMAZING facial and posed with elegant watches from Jorg Gray (the one that President Obama wears). I wore one on my TV Guide Fashion Wrap taping. There were skin care products from a French line called Absolution, as well as the Aloe Vera-based Lexli 30-day Starter Kit Skincare.
The Fanny Pack Is Back: Nick Verreos sports his new leather hip belt with designer/creator Tali Morrison
Last but not least, Tali Morrison, designer/creator of Beltali let me have a HOT leather hip-belt. At this suite, Jay and I ran into Brittany Flickinger, Season One Winner of Paris Hilton's My New BFF (I don't think she had ANY idea who we were!).

Debbie Durkin's Eco Emmys Green Gifting:


Rock Icon Boys: Nick Verreos and designer/creator Ryan Trujillo with Rock Icon T-shirt


The following day, I headed to the Eco Emmys Celebrity Green Gifting and Wellness Chateau at a private estate in LA. This suite benefited several charities including GreenWish, SPCA, Free the Slaves and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It's organizer, Debbie Durkin is always so wonderful so I had to come and support! I saw some cool graphic t-shirts (made of 100% bamboo) from the line Rock Icon. It's creator/designer is a graduate of FIDM. Launch My SINGLE Line: Nick Verreos with Single Designer Galina Sobolev


I also ran into one of my favorite LA designers, the ever-so-sexy Galina Sobolev , founder and designer of the line Single, who had a booth set up at this Suite. JLo and a bunch of other celebs wear her breezy printed dresses and tunics. She's also caught the "reality show bug" and will be a contestant on Bravo's Launch My Line.

Kari Feinstein's Style Lounge
What Do You Think Of Season 6? Nick Verreos answers questions for the media


Next up was the "A-List" Kari Feinstein's Style Lounge at Zune L.A. Lots of the vendors here were obviously big fans of Project Runway because they were all very excited to see Jay and I. When we arrived, Maya was there, as well as "Entourage" actor Kevin Connolly and I said "Hello" to Samantha Harris, co-host of "Dancing With The Stars", who has worn my NIKOLAKI gowns. Vintage Havana gave me a great plaid shirt and I got fun socks from Modern Amusement. I heard they were "giving away" T-Mobile Sidekicks at this suite, but I guess both Jay and I were too "D-list" to get them (yes there's a "Gifting Suite Caste System"!). I was excited when I saw the teeth whitening system, Opalescence and even more excited when the Ultradent people were kind enough to gift me with some.

The London Hotel: Madison & Mulholland Gifting Suite: Suite Threesome: Jay McCarroll, Rex Lee and Nick Verreos, Madison & Mulholland Charitable Suite


To round out my Emmys 2009 Tour of Gifting Suites, I drove to the London Hotel in West Hollywood for the Madison & Mulholland Charitable Suite. This event was special in that celebs (I use the term VERY LOOSELY for myself!) went from vendor to vendor collecting products which we then put into a gift bag for public auction with proceeds benefiting a charity of our choice. The auction is live on CharityBuzz from September 23 to October 13. I even brought an autographed photo and a very special fashion illustration to include in my bag (hopefully, they are still in there!).

All Stars Who: Korto Momulu, Nick Verreos, Jay McCarrol and Jerell Scott

Here I ran into Korto Momolu and Jerell Scott from Season 5 Project Runway. I guess this was the unofficial "Project Runway Gifting Suite". I also said "Hello" to another client of mine, actress Brenda Strong of "Desperate Housewives" and one of my "boyfriends", the always so sweet, actor Rex Lee from "Entourage". There were some great items here, including S.T. Dupont luxury lighters, pens and leather goods, Lacoste Eyewear, SmartMouth Mouthwash, and Johnny Vincent Swimwear.

Click BELOW for a video of Jay McCarroll at the SLS Hotel Emmys Gifting Suite (Be warned: Jay is being a potty mouth, of course!)