It's a "3 Days of Fashion" Boy Runway Walk Off!!!!
First was San Francisco and now...Continuing with my Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising 3 Days of Fashion 2011 "tour", the next stop was Los Angeles!!! It was a very hot and sunny day in LA this past week when I was asked to be the "Very Special Guest" at the FIDM LA Campus' 3 Days of Fashion Finale. I was scheduled to show some of my NIKOLAKI gowns and Red Carpet Dresses and talk about all that I learned as a former Fashion Design student at FIDM--as well as owning a Fashion business for ten years.
This time, the organizers decided to have my event outdoors, at the FIDM-adjacent Hope Park. There was a FAB open-air stage and mini-runway set up as well as a "paper carpet" set up for my models so when they made their walk toward the stage, my gowns would not be soiled.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkEZzFHkVh8ZBm4ZP6Z72I9YYm8HvXZSYn0m4hyphenhyphenKB13sBNL_ODicETlGneSY4Fmy8D55oMizBxo_8_eAzsV709c-odzBm8_hfK3mWMG71yZdMGlx1ly_hGy3d91zjSNm1inqVILRjS2yt/s600/Nick_onstage.jpg)
My "MC" was the wonderful Blaine Vebros, who introduced me as I began to say "Hi" to everyone as well as tell my "How I Got to Where I Got" story. I then introduced my models who sauntered out in my NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Gowns that I brought especially for this event. FIDM was generous enough to provide me with the same models who happen to be on my NIKOLAKI website, Amanda Fields and Lauren Gish.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoQCNtqBWEVla08J8kUF93gk14hAP3HkcCNk-O4Yt5f-c33k5YCFOWFYY3TqtXjRzySCrLYYAPGUF-4pqYAiqtAv1nSS4VAbJ_YtrhbmWqEPz0FoSY2l_hHnwhmDf2-zi9W6rEpVS_J50/s600/NickAmanda_onstage.jpg)
I think the 300+ audience comprised of mostly high-school students and some of their parents, loved my "mini" fashion show and seeing the Couture-worthy gowns that I brought.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIURKEKU06fum1dsyAgv1bKk42vRW3yD7ZQFgVp7-qUVe1cI_W5477qyqY2_iidS0FkEW7J75NOdod4d-5TnpEv751vg9SrRRksActD-MBuT27KKE4uis9GIfyelX0GRGLyu9L5_fr3nVR/s600/Lauren_Nick2.jpg)
As a "special bonus" to the day--in addition to having my favorite models and showing my gowns--was that Lauren (one of the models) brought her Mommy, a United Airlines Flight Attendant (and you know how much I love flight attendants!). She had just flown for about ten hours straight in on a Seoul Korea to SF flight, caught a connector flight from SF and came to LA to visit her daughter--and to see me!!! (love her!)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihh-HgJVLhhauvGyl7UKZv4-C2aAqzXcTiec1sQQzjDLmxAO2HdtSJ4wvPctEXd8ctD2RblOf2rllpRJ4ClVKIZbyrL7uuVV3ClhGD5HWXW4J39XZ44b_SFY31WGfDUpOxM5HDp97UwYp/s600/FIDMLA_BoyWalkOff2.jpg)
Soon after my NIKOLAKI Fashion Show ended, I decided to get the audience "going" so I looked out in the audience and saw that they were only about 8-10 boys. I brought them all up onstage and began an impromptu "Runway Walk Off", and subsequently, let the audience decide--by applause--who the best Runway DIVO was.
I would NOT be exaggerating when I say that: It was a BIG HIT!!!! The audience went MAD! Loved it! My "Male Runway Model Contestants" were so FIERCE it was BEYOND words. This was not a planned thing but the FIDM organizers quickly got the finalists and winners some great prizes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQyhP7cwiEPKY8Cr6VMicyAKhq3hQID1WCS9VuAEpZ0MIIc7JvZpiNRe1F3-3yZbxqoiMNVYXp3mJEpr-ZTpeQ9VqKq0I3flqMPLkLeqpqffWAAk2wVhJKGtvl7-_1hVVanOKPf-Kz3AR/s600/FIDMLA-Line.jpg)
Afterward, as always, I spent the next couple of hours, signing autographs and taking those "Oh God, I hope I look good" Facebook photos. Everyone was so sweet and generous and most of all, patient (it was a LONG line!!!) The Mom's and Dad's were especially excited (love them!).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZVcUG2EhYQ0k8ncM8z-FUN8Y50liXe77PDw4dVfN8Iv523yVqPzDMM7whfcTtmO7VGnggSJPQd_AiRTClrJvVf9JeI6vXqgGSVo_bysWcjREq7UnRodUXcmnUiNXeygvZ-O2ZI7LM21g/s600/Nick_ring.jpg)
Thanks to everyone for making this FIDM LA "3 Days of Fashion" so much fun! Especially my "Runway Walk-Off" boys....Much Love!
Below is a short video of Lauren Gish modeling one of my NIKOLAKI cocktail dresses at FIDM Los Angeles 2011 3Days of Fashion: