Nick Verreos Hosts Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010 Bahamas Day 2: In Search of The Next Oscar, Indashio, Oliver Tolentino!!

Welcome To The Bahamas Club!

Turquoise Hosting: Nick Verreos poses at Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010 Red Carpet

Darlings: We're now onto Night Two--or "Runway 2"--of The Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010. This was the night I was to host the "In Search of The Next Oscar" Fashion Design Competition. After the previous evening's great start, with the NextGen Designers and Eco-Fashion Designs Presentations, I didn't know how IOTFW would be able to "bring it", but they sure did! They OUTDID themselves!!!

My day began, as I pulled the curtains in my hotel room and witnessed one of the two BIGGEST Cruise Ships known to man: The Royal Caribbean Allure of The Seas. The one with Central Park in the middle (along with REAL birds in it!), a skating rink and like 25 floors! Yep, THAT ONE! (see above photo). It was just arriving into Nassau as I was trying to make my morning coffee! They need to have a fabulous Project Runway-esque show up in there--and hire me to host it! Just sayin'...

Well, now onto the Second fashiontastic night of Islands of The World Fashion Week:

Caribbean Cocktail Hour: Tomas Frenes, Nick Verreos, Beverly Taylor, Oliver Tolentino, Owen Bethel and Louis Sarmiento, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

The night began with a VIP Cocktail Hour where attending fashion designers, editors, and fashionistas alike got to mingle and discuss the wonderful Bahamian weather, hospitality, and yes, the fabulous fashion! I opened the night's festivities with my "DIVA" (I have to put it in quotes thank you very much!) runway walk "blessing" and then we were off, starting with the "In Search of The Next Oscar" Design Presentation.

Violet Sequins: A Design by Georgina Esther Dominican Republic, Finalist "In Search of the Next Oscar" Design Competition

This Contest was created to find the next great Island Designer and was coined after Dominican Republic-born Oscar de la Renta. The Finalists were Georgina Esther from the Dominican Republic, who showed cocktail and evening wear, and Raynelis Howell from the Turks & Caicos, who showed sportswear separates as well as cocktail ensembles:

Models showing the designs of Raynelis Howell, Finalist "In Search of The Next Oscar" Design Competition

Both had their own unique point of view and the judges--Simon Collins Dean of Fashion Parsons The New School of Design, Louis Sarmiento, Senior Director for IMG Fashion, and Fashion Designer Jay McCarroll, had their work cut out for them (Thank goodness I was just hosting!).

Nina Michael Heidi...What Do You Think: Nick Verreos hosts "In Search of The Next Oscar" Design Competition Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

I brought both Georgina and Raynelis out--with their model muses--for a Q&A session--a la Project Runway--with the judges, which turned out to be a big hit with the audience--maybe not so much with the finalists who were a bit , shall we say, nervous. The announcement of the Winner would actually happen on Day Three so stay tuned...

Red Bull Barbie: Indashio takes his Finale Walk, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

Another highlight of the evening were the Runway Shows of Guest Designers Indashio and Oliver Tolentino. Indashio--whom you might remember winning VH1 Glam God Reality TV Show, is a stylist/designer out of NYC. Miss THANG pushes buttons. And huney, he sure did in The Bahamas. For his final walk, he danced his way--holding a Red Bull--in full DRAG bubblegum pink feathered dress, wig and make-up! The Crowd went CRAZY!

Strike A Pose: A look from Indashio modeled by Miss Bahamas 2010 (and Top 20 Finalist at Miss World 2010) Braneka Bassett, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010 (photo courtesy of Adrian Richards)

As for his collection, it was very colorful, Club-Kid cool, and just the right side of H&M-meets-TopShop; lots of sexy neon-colored mini dresses, printed one-shoulder Resort-wear for that stylish girl arriving on to the Bahamas via the Royal Caribbean Allure of The Seas.

Six-Pack Sailor: A look from Indashio, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

And he didn't forget the boys: They were either wearing a THONG swimsuit or sexy low-slung colorful pants. Next up was Philippine-born Los Angeles-based fashion designer Oliver Tolentino. He was the complete opposite of Indashio--in terms of his Ladies-Who-Lunch...and Black-tie Gala Collection.

Fashion Designer Oliver Tolentino and his Muse, model Tutay Maristela, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

Oliver has dressed former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos, and was also a Finalist in the Oscars Designer Challenge: Behind The Dress Competition at this year's Academy Awards. His Collection was elegant, showed lots of intricate draping, bows and ties, and used fabrications such as pineapple and abaca fibers.

He even flew in his muse, Filipina model Tutay Maristela, who STOMPED the runway OVERTIME in his gowns. Take a look at that pose above which she did at the end of the runway: WOOOORK!!!!!!

Matchy-Matchy: Host Nick Verreos and model Tutay Maristela (wearing Oliver Tolentino) at Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

It was a wonderful ending to a fantastic second night at the Islands of The World Fashion Week here in The Bahamas.
Stay Tuned for "Runway 3" or Day Three---darlings, there's even more from my fun time in The Bahamas to come!

Click below for the Finale of Indashio's Show:

Click below to watch me host "In Search Of The Next Oscar" Design Competition:

Islands Of The World Fashion Week 2010-Day One: Jay McCarroll Fashion Show and Much More!

Project Bahamas...

Triumphant Walk: Jay McCarroll takes his bow with model in tow at Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010 (photo courtesy of Lyndah Welles)

After I arrived in The Bahamas--to GORGEOUS weather BTW (thank you Weather Gods!)--we settled in, got to rest my weary jet-lagged head and attended the Exclusive Bahamas Screening of Project Runway Season One Winner Jay McCarroll's Documentary "Eleven Minutes" on "Arrival Day".

Island Fashionistas: Tomas Frenes, Vice President of Mode Isles/Islands of The World Fashion Week, David Paul and Nick Verreos, Designers NIKOLAKI

The following night was the real First Night--dubbed "Runway 1"-- of Runway Shows for the 2010 Edition of Islands of The World Fashion Week at the divine British Colonial Hilton.

The night began with a fiery and very sexy Opening Performance/Dance Number by Bahamas Dance Troupe "Silk and Steel" highlighting the Island Carnival Flavor (above photo).

Bag Crazy: Models show Harl Taylor BAG designs, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

This was soon followed by fashion shows from several Island designers including these gorgeous bags from Harl Taylor BAG from The Bahamas. Models sauntered in various colored catsuits but the fabulous straw bags--in all shapes and sizes--were the stars. They were adorned with gorgeous Mother of Pearl, seashells, gemstones and hand-carved Bahamian mahogany accents. In addition, there was also a sexy swimsuit runway show from ICandy Swimwear, designed by Margot Ga.

Catwalk Divas: Jay McCarroll's models take their final walk at Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010 (Photo courtesy of Lyndah Wells)

A definite highlight of this first night of runway shows at Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010 was Debut Presentation of Jay McCarroll's Spring 2011 Collection. He had not shown a full collection, well, since the one documented in "Eleven Minutes" so the anticipation was palpable in the capacity-filled Runway "tent" at the Hilton. It was well worth the wait: The clothes were gorgeous!

Violet Queen: Model wearing Jay McCarroll Spring 2011, Islands of The World Fashion week 2010

The Collection was SOOOO Jay McCarroll: The brightly hued colors, the simple sheath shapes turned complex with intricate seaming and fun details such as his "Jay" circles. The models were STUNNING and fabulously styled by the designer himself, down to last purse and shoe detail...

Caribbean Neon: Model in Jay McCarroll Spring 2011, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010 (Photo Courtesy of Lyndah Wells)

Speaking of shoes, the models platform heels were covered with colored socks found THE DAY OF THE SHOW, in a Bahamas Outdoors Market (Love that!).

Click Below to watch the Finale of Jay McCarroll's Spring 2011 Collection:

The Rest of "Runway Day 1", at Island of The World Fashion Week 2010:

Bahamas Reporting: Nick Verreos and The Bahamas Weekly Reporter, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

Besides the fun and very colorful presentation of Jay McCarroll's new collection, the first night of runway shows also consisted of the NextGen Designers Presentation as well as the Eco-Fashion Designers Presentation. The Competitions were judged by Simon Collins, Dean of Fashion Parsons The New School of Design, Louis Sarmiento Senior Director of IMG Fashion and Jay McCarroll.

Bahamian Cocktail: Model in David Rolle design, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

Final Bow: NextGen Designer Finalist David Rolle of The Bahamas and his model, Islands of The World Fashion Week 2010

The favorite in the NextGen Category was up-and-coming Bahamas designer David Rolle. I have a personal connection to David because he helped both myself and my NIKOLAKI design partner, David Paul two years ago when we showed at the 2008 Islands of The World Fashion Week. He was INVALUABLE. He was backstage steaming, pressing and holding up our gowns. He was so pro-active, always asking questions and never complaining. He was a Designer's DREAM intern and assistant at the time.

Proud Poppas: NIKOLAKI Designers David Paul and Nick Verreos with NextGen Designer Winner David Rolle

And so both David and I were so proud to see his debut collection. I joked and told him that we felt like "Proud Poppa's". His designs were both directional yet elegant and sell-able--all at the same time. He even hand-cuffed all the models:

Yep, I said HAND CUFFED them (look closely above!). A few nights later, at the Final Night of the Islands Of The World Fashion Week, David Rolle won the NextGen Award and a Scholarship to Parsons New School for Design. Congrats to "our" David Rolle!

Click Below to watch David Rolle win the NextGen Designer Award:

Next Up: "Runway Night 2" of Islands of The World Fashion Week...