Trying To Get Paris Hilton's Dior Sunglasses

My Brush With Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie

A couple of months ago, I received a call from a producer with Bunim/Murray Productions, the company known for creating The brand that has become MTV's Real World. At first , I was afraid, were they going to ask me to be on some sort of Real World: the Fashion Designer Edition? Well, I certainly would have said "No", especially if it would involve me taking my clothes off and jumping into a nasty hot tub with a bunch of useless 20 year old beer-loving kids! Next! Instead, the producer was asking me to be a Judge in an upcoming episode of Paris and Nicole's The Simple Life, another show produced by Bunim-Murray. For the new season, the girls were going to camp, and for this particular episode they were teaching little girls how to be beauty pageant winners. OK, my ears perked up. I was suddenly interested.

Then, he proceeded to tell me that there was a twist. The final pageant would NOT be for the daughters--but for their mothers instead. To coin Miss Paris Hilton: That's HOT! On several levels. I would get to meet THE Paris Hilton, and Miss Nicole Ritchie, all in one quick swoop. And judge a mommy-daughter beauty pageant. I had died and gone to Perez Hilton Heaven. We filmed in a Hilton Hotel(what a surprise) in Woodland Hills and had a fun time doing it. Paris and Nicole were a kick to say the least. When I was introduced to them, Nicole spoke up first and said "I love you, you were my favorite on the show", and Paris then added "You should have won..." This was all off camera so it was nice because they didn't have to say that. I was a bit distracted by the their over sized Dior sunglasses and brighter than bright ensembles, but somehow I still managed to say "Thank You". In fact, when the cameras finally went on, they asked us (the judges), what they could do for us to make their pageant girls have a winning edge? I quickly responded: "Can I have your Dior sunglasses and your Chanel bag?" (Think of the RECORD SCRATCHING SOUND right about now). They respectfully said "No". Divas to the end.

E! Entertainment is playing this "Beauty Pageant" episode currently as well as all the new season's episodes. Check your local listings or go online to E! Entertainment for times and dates. You can also click below or HERE and watch excerpts from my episode.

Tony Party and 7th Annual Auction of 1000 Stars

Two weeks ago I was invited to The Actors Fund Tony Awards viewing Gala at the Skirball Center here in sunny Los Angeles. My bff, Louie Ancondo, who happens to be Director of Special Events for the Actors Fund was out here for this special occasion and he needed a date, I was available. I have to admit that besides being a "closet" Figure Skating fan, I also "loves me" a Broadway Show, (but don't tell anyone!). The night which included a silent auction and dinner was fabulously hosted by comedian/writer Bruce Vilanch who would drop in during commercials and give hilarious Paris Hilton updates. The highlight of my night was meeting (for the 2nd time) Grand Dame, Diva of all Diva's Carole Cook and I, of course, could not pass up this photo opportunity. What else could you ask for? Comedy, drama and lots of jazz hands!
And here is another special treat for Broadway fans. The Actors Fund is doing there 7th Annual Auction of 1000 Stars. I have donated 2 Fashion Sketches (one of my winning Project Runway Barbie and the other is a Nick Verreos interpreted sketch of Edie Beale from Grey Gardens). In addition, in this fun little package, you will get a signed headshot of Moi. You can check it all out HERE. Remember it goes to a great cause. You can read all about the Actors Fund HERE. Let the bidding begin!

West Hollywood meets Silver Lake!

Forgive me if I have not been posting lately but Uncle Nicky (that's me, yes, writing in third person!) has been busy traveling across the country (New York) to film some more of my MSN fun fashion segments and San Francisco where I made a "special appearance". But I really wanted to post all these photos from two recent events I attended.

First up was the GoWeho.com Launch Party at Eleven in West Hollywood. GoWeHo.com is this great website that will feature fashion , art and entertainment in West Hollywood and highlight special events , designers, stylist, artists, making a special mark in this great city. I was asked to host this event so of course, I brought Amanda Fields, model/muse/rent-a-date extraordinaire, who came over to my Atelier and I lent her one of my flirty silk dresses to wear for the event. I decided to feature my recently-purchased deep v-neck tee from one of my favorite stores in Soho, Lounge. But, I didn't realize how DEEP that V was until I saw these photos. Oh Dear! I am sorry if I offended anyone by my gratuitous display of non-cleavage!

Others in attendance were the sexy Wilson Cruz, April Clark from "Stomp The Yard", Bootz from "Flavor Of Love" and "Charm School", actress/comediane Judy Tenuta as well as actress Elaine Hendrix from "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion" . Amanda is a "huge" fan of Elaine's so I had to get a photo of them together. I think that made Amanda's month!

Next up, it was Gay Pride Los Angeles. My friend Woody Woodbeck, whom I befriended as an associate producer last year when Bravo was filming some Project Runway segments for the Third Season, asked me to be a "special guest" at his first annual Trevor Project Presents "Reality Check" at MJ's in Silver Lake. Well, as quick as you could say "Gay Hipster", of course I joined in on the fun. As you can see, I decide to wear my white jacket--AGAIN--since, by the looks of it, I have NO OTHER JACKET in my closet to wear! But this time, I made sure to pair it with a more demure crew-neck style t-shirt.

It was a night of Reality Show "celeb's", and I use the term very loosely, including myself, thank you very much! Danny Bonaduce, all of a sudden rode up , all "butch", on his motorcycle, then the opposite of "butch"--Alex and Lynn, the two "Amazing Race" contestants, who have, in fact become acquaintances of mine, were also in attendance. I said "Hello" to Lisi, a contestant from this season's "Survivor: Fiji", in which my lovely sister, Rita, was also a contestant . Along with Andrae Gonzalo, I was supposed to do a Project Runway-inspired "Walk Off" with attendees. Instead , we decided to give away DVD's of our season, after they answered our impromptu Project Runway questions. Some of the questions we came up with were: "Where was judge Nina Garcia from?", "Who allegedly slept with Andrae?", and "What was the name of the place we lived in?". Colombia, Santino, and The Atlas, are the answers, in case you were wondering.

One of my favorite blog sites, Blogging Project Runway, sent one of their West Coast "reps" (don't it sound so official??") to the MJ's event in Silver Lake. Johnathan and his wife were the sweetest they could be, asking me questions and taking photos for the site. He is straight and married, which, of course, led to a fifteen minute soliloquy of teasing about how "all the gays would likely be pinching him!" Alas, Johnathan was disappointed: No one touched him, except me (I am South American /Greek, after all!) and his wife. The ubiquitous Amanda Fields was also there and we all had a "Reality Show" blast and made sure to check our no-excuse-to-be-a-Diva entitlement at the door, in lieu of having a great time---and I did!

Style Studio!

This week MSN's Style Studio was officially launched! I am so excited to announced that I am part of a very glamorous Glam Squad. Take a little dash of What Not To Wear and Queer Eye For The Straight Girl and add a healthy dose of any magazine's "tips" section on make-up, hair and fashion, shake it up, and VOILA! Fashion Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner is SERVED!!!!

Our Glam Squad leader extraordinaire, is Stephanie Greenfield , owner and creator of SCOOP. The one and only Helena Faccenda, hairstylist to none other than Miss Heidi Klum , will be the hair expert. Sexy make up artist , Troy Jensen, who lists Jacklyn Smith and Mary J. Blige as his clients and the elegant Laura Bennett, designer from Project Runway Season Three, round out the crew. I will bring my 13 years of styling, designing and dressing celebrities such as Nancy O'Dell, Eva Longoria, and all those sexy Miss California's, Miss USA's and Miss Universe's to this Glam Squad.

We filmed all these fun yet helpful segments in a spacious high-rise Soho Loft overlooking all of Manhattan. I hope that you enjoy them and that you will get some "tips" that will help you leave your humble abode feeling and looking like an absolute DIVA! The whole point is for us to inspire you to look better and not to "blend in". I hate when women get "bored" with the way they look or how they dress. There are options to make you look your fiercest and we are here for that. Consider us your guiding Angels of Style , make-up and hair. When you go out, we want you to "Own it", bring out your inner Beyonce is what I like to say! Dress Like You Mean It!!!
Click HERE for all the fun. And click HERE to read the posting by the Project Rungay Boys, Love them!

Prom Photos

Prom Memories...

I was so excited when I received an email from Mollie, a fan and a young lady with exquisite taste I might add. The email contained photos from her prom , in which she wore one of my fabulous Windsor dresses that I designed for Prom Season 2007. She had chosen the style appropriately titled "Summer", which was a bit of a hit with the girls when I did my in-store appearance tour of several Windsor Stores a couple of months back.

The dress was a version of the style I designed for the My Scene Barbie Challenge back in Season 2 of Project Runway. It was a light lemon yellow stretch satin, featuring ruching at the waist and midriff , twisted gathered bust and a high-low hem. Mollie said her friend loved it so much, she also bought it and wore it to her prom! Here are the photos. And if there are any more of you girls out there who wore one of my Windsor original designs for your prom and have photos, please send them to me and I will also post them up! Let everyone see how gorgeous you looked!!!

2 Bad Girls: Ripsi & Perez

Recently, my friend Woody sent me a photo that just made my day!! It shows him with my favorite cast member, Ripsi of Oxygen's Bad Girl's Club, one of my favorite brain-cell killing TV-watching indulgences of last Winter.

"Tipsi Ripsi" instantly became iconic, even though it was for all the wrong reasons. She would wake up and instantly have a shot of Patron instead of a bagel as her breakfast of choice, and her day would quickly descend from there. Ripsi's infamous drunken smack-down of a fight with some of her roommates then took her to another level. After the fight seen and heard round the world, Ripsi was quickly kicked out of the Bad Girls Club house and I stopped watching the show. So it was to great delight when I received a photo in my email "Inbox" from Woody showing him and Ripsi holding up a sign saying "We Love Nick". Nick "hearts" Ripsi too!!!!!

And finally, just a few days ago, I also received this other photo that appeared on PerezHilton.com, showing me with a group of UCLA students holding up a sign saying "We Love Perez Hilton". In case you have been living under a rock in Siberia, PerezHilton.com is THE celebrity gossip website that has revolutionized the industry with all those scandalous photos showing the likes of Britney and Lindsay doing things they should not be doing. It is, yet, another secret indulgence that I cannot go to bed without! About a month back, I hosted and judged a "Project Runway" Design Challenge event at UCLA, and afterward, some of the students decided this would be a perfect opportunity to give Perez a "Shout Out".