STYLE360 Covers Every Angle When Producing NYFW

A-List Communications is known for producing one-of-a-kind celebrity-centric special events across music, fashion, film, and TV, including their own branded entertainment programs.

So when it came time to showcase CONAIR STYLE360ʼs Fall/Winter 2013 Collections, at their annual fashion show event held during New York Fashion Week, President of A-List Communications, David Manning and his team were runway ready. 

New York Fashion Week STYLE360 is a multi-day branded entertainment environment providing activities and opportunities for fashion designers and sponsors to come face-to-face with the principal tastemakers, celebrities, musical talent, media and consumers during New York Fashion Week.

Rapper/Record Producer, Trina 

This year’s CONAIR STYLE360ʼs Fashion Week kicked off with theYARNZ Presentation and Launch Party, held at Haven Rooftop at the Sanctuary Hotel, hosted by Carmen Electra.

The scene at Haven Rooftop included a mix of fashionable celebs like, Micah Jesse and Angela Simmons, in addition to performers such as Lily Halpern, Wynter Gordon, and Early Morning Rebels. Special DJ duo, Posso’s beats kept guests in party mode, while drinking Becks Sapphire, Russian Standard Vodka cocktails and prosecco. On display at the ski chalet decorated event, was the latest collection from the accessories line, YARNZ, designed by Larry Wolfe.

The following two days were at the STYLE360 HQ’s, Metropolitan Pavilion.  A unique feature about attending STYLE360 is that you’re not just going to see fashion shows, but also, there are cool sponsor experiences and branded exhibits, live performances, and of course various celebrity sightings.

Ramona Singer wearing the Harmam/Kardon headphones.

RHONJ Teresa Giudice inthe Harmam/Kardon headphones.

While the designers and their production teams set up backstage, official sponsors Conair and Harmam/Kardon, set up user experience booths to introduce their new products to fashion show attendees. The New York Post/Dirty Sugar Live, had a fun ‘pop up’ photo studio, where they snapped pictures of NYFW’s finest. In addition, sponsor Jarlsberg Cheese Lite, had a lounge area to sample their cheeses.  

Starting off the day was Tumbler and Tipsy by Michael Kuluva with a Special Performance by Interscope Recording Artist, Colette Carr, presented by Infiniti Pro by Conair. The former ice skating pro had support from his fellow skaters including Johnny Weir, who walked the runway and Sasha Cohen who showed her love by giving the designer a standing ovation. A selection of models also showcased the new collection of InfinitiPro by Conair styling tools as they strutted the runway.

The Ashton Michael Fashion Show was next. His unforgettable fall runway collection mixed cashmere and leather with naughty and nice embellishments.  Zombie Boy strolled down the runway showing off the unique ensembles, while Former Real Housewife of NY, Alex McCord, Producer/singer and songwriter, Rico Love, and Early Morning Rebel looked on from the front row.

The day concluded with Front Row Couture by Shateria Moragne-el. Spotted sitting front row was boyfriend Rick Ross, Ramona Singer, Waka Flocka, and Trina. The collection that included leather ensembles mixed with sky high Louboutin’s had the audience cheering as the models strutted down the runway in their stilettos.

Rapper Rick Ross

The next day was the Voz & Maison De LaCour Fashion Show. The Voz Fall 2013 “eco-friendly” collection included hand-made pieces made of lush natural fibers and dyed naturally for minimal environmental impact.  Models strutted down the runway in oversized ponchos, sweaters and tunics, while additionally wrapped up in long and winding scarves with tribal patterns. The Maison de Lacour Fall 2013 collection included eco-friendly pieces mixing plaid wools with silk shirting and safety pin embroidery. 

The next show on deck was Boy Meets Girl by Stacy Igel presented by Harmon/Kardon with a Live Performance by Epic Records Recording Artist Leah Labelle.

Stacy Igel and Rosario Dawson

This high-energy, electric show featured not only the popular Boy Meets Girl® Classic Collection but two new collections, Boy Meets Girl® University and Boy Meets Girl® GIRLS. Stacy was also inspired by the sleek and beautiful design of Harman Kardon® headphones and created 4 looks for the collection after the new Harmon/Kardon white headphones and also used the headphones as functional and fashionable accessories.

Midway through the runway show, Leah Labelle took stage to perform as the adult models then continued to circulate around her, showcasing off the array of colors and patterns in her fall collection.

The final STYLE360 show was Junk Food Art House and Sony Pictures presents “Le Smurfette” curated by Lois Sakany & Sami Grand-Pierre of HighSnobette.com.

The “Le Look Smurfette” fashion show included Smurf inspired attire by the Junk Food brand.  The theme included color palettes from the Smurf’s with inspirations from the movie’s Paris storyline.  The clothes ranged from tops cut in an array of shapes to mod dresses and sharp trousers.

The “Le Look Smurfette” After Party concluded fashion week with CONAIR STYLE360 at Rosewood NYC with blue lighting within the interior, blue and white cupcakes, scenes from “The Smurfs” shown on a television and an array of Jarlesberg Cheese. 

All fashion shows were styled by Conairʼs professional hair team led by celebrity stylist, Ric Pipino. James Vincent was the key makeup artist with official makeup partners, Kevyn Aucoin Beauty and AOFM PRO.

For more information on STYLE360 or A-List Communications, or the sponsors, you can contact Talent Resources.

Event Coverage by Danielle Marshall. Pictures by Danielle Marshall and  Thomas Concorida

The Indie Fashion Market Meant Business at Nolcha Fashion Week: New York

Twice a year New York Fashion Week takes place, giving designers from all around the world a place to display their upcoming collections. On February 13^th, Nolcha, one of New York’s leading platforms for independent global fashion designers, held their Fall/Winter event at Pier 59.

Returning for a second consecutive season, the presenting sponsor RUSK, who’s philosophy is “Fashion + Culture + Attitude”- is a professional hair-care brand globally known for both product and approach. The creative drive of Rusk and innovation of Nolcha makes for a perfect partnership and led to another impressive day of runway shows.

Rusk was joined by Official Sponsors: smartwater, CLEAR, RealBeanz, DON Q Rums, FOCO Pure Coconut Water and American Airlines, WeConnectFashion, FashionStock, and ‘WichCraft. Aside from these branded sponsors, Monster Energy, Cavoda Vodka, and Esarsi Shoes, (who provided some of the shoes for the models to wear during the shows), were also in attendance.

The event featured 3 runway shows, and 13 global designers, based out of China, Sweden, The UK, Brazil and across the U.S.

Seated in the front row at the 4:30pm show, we watched the models introduce the collections from indie designers: Diana Simaan, Studio 6th Sense, Andressa Leão, Adolfo Sanchez and Michael Fenici.

The Michael Fenici show featured NYC’s most notable businessmen, making their catwalk debut to illustrate how Fenici’s bespoke suits are customized to different types & styles of men. Nolcha’s own President, Arthur Mandel, was even seen walking down the runway in the presentation.

Many celebrity appearances were made at the event. Jersey Shore’s Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola, and Rapper Waka Flocka were spotted at the 4:30pm show.

A few other celebs arrived clad in clothing by the designers. Dawn Olivieri from House of Lies rocked a bold and beautiful Tess Johnson coat and was sending tweets to Tess about the “sick jacket” the night before the event. Kacie Boguskie, from The Bachelor, sported looks of designers Diana Simaan and Lilly Lorraine.

Earlier in the day, during the The Vanity Project’s 1:30 show, (which featured shoes by Cat Footwear), celebrities walking in that presentation included rock-band “Early Morning Rebel,” Tight-end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Steve Maneri and defensive-back for Atlanta Falcons, Robert McClain.

Some other familiar faces seen throughout Nolcha were Carrie Keagan of VH1, recording artist Masha, the female R&B group Allure, Style Network’s Glam Fairy, Briella Calafiore, Broadway star Krystal Joy Brown, recording artist Guinevere and James Anderson of the Carolina Panthers.

This Wild Rabbit Partnership Is No Longer So Elusive

If you have been following any of the celebrities or brands, making appearances at the Sundance Film Festival, you may have heard, hip-hop iconNas, performed at TAO Nightclub’s pop-up event, over the weekend, while Hennessy V.S presented “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete”, starring Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson.

However, before Nas and Hennessy headed out west, Nas performed a private concert in Times Square, where he announced his partnership with Hennessy for their second annual Wild Rabbit campaign.

The event was held at New York hotspot, R Lounge, where guests enjoyed an interactive cocktail demonstration with Hennessy Mixologist Jordan Bushell. Bushell shook things up, when he introduced onlookers to the Hennessy V.S “Big Apple” inspired by Nas.

On site was Rodney Williams, Senior Vice President, Moet Hennessy USA. Mr. Williams was proud to announce the partnership between Hennessy and Nas. He was quoted saying, “Our ‘never stop, never settle’ mantra communicates a value at the core of who we are as a brand and resonates with our consumers: pursuing one’s potential comes from an inner drive to continuously grow, continuously improve and seek greater levels of mastery.”

Before his performance, Nas sat down for a Q&A session, moderated by Hot 97’s Miss Info. Fans were able to connect with Nas, by submitting questions to Hennessy on Twitter (@HennessyUS).

“This partnership with Hennessy has been almost two decades in the making,” said Nas. “I am honored to be included in the group of previous partners Hennessy has selected over the years and hope this campaign will inspire others to ‘never stop, never settle.”

For the event, Hennessy partnered with Livestream, to capture the concert for fans worldwide. The concert was then made available for download via Facebook.com/Hennessy.

Hennessy is an example of a brand that actively engages with fans across multiple social platforms. Online, fans can engage with Hennessy on Facebook (Facebook.com/Hennessy), Twitter (@HennessyUS), and at Hennessy.com. For those who prefer interactive imagery, fans can follow @HennessyUS, on Instagram.

The Wild Rabbit campaign (spotlighted inspiring tales of such masters as Manny Pacquiao, Erykah Badu and Martin Scorsese), received several major awards since breaking last year, including the Cannes Silver Lions Award in Film Craft, the Impact Blue Chip Brand Award, and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America Out of Home Media Plan of the Year Award. (via PR Newswire)

For more footage from the concert, or to follow all things Wild Rabbit, use hashtags #wildrabbit or #HennessyxNas.

Event coverage by Danielle Marshall

GIRLS Branding Reaches Far Beyond The Home Box Office

HBO may stand for “Home Box Office,” but when it came to promoting the highly anticipated second season of Girls, marketers deviated from the norm and decided to get social. Honing in on the fact that like the characters, a majority of the show’s audience relates to the lifestyle of a twenty-something female, so in order to reach the demographic, an advertising campaign involving hands on events and social media was developed.

From New York to Los Angeles, HBO offered an interactive viewer experience that was highly unique by partnering with brands such as Urban Outfitters (URBN), SoulCycle, and the hair salon Drybar. The distinct promotion seduced GIRLS fans everywhere, and anticipation of Season 2’s premiere spread like wildfire. Cultivated by hyped fanatics and HBO’slaunch of #WhatShouldWeCallGirls, a Tumblr inspired by the trendy #WhatShouldWeCallMe Tumblr meme, GIRLS took a prevalent stance on the social media scene.

The following is a complete list of the retail tie-ins, developed with media agencies PHD and Civic Entertainment Group, to promote Season 2: (HBO provided Businessweek.com)

The Hair salon, Drybar offered free blowouts through out its 25 shops during HBO’s “Happy Hours,” Jan. 11-13. The promotion was so popular when it was announced that Drybar’s site crashed.

We had the chance to do a Q&A with Michael Landau, co-founder and CEO of Drybar, who told us more about the partnership with HBO, as well as, where we can plan to see the Drybar brand in the near future.

Adweek: How did HBO approach Drybar for the promotion?

Michael DB: We’ve been working with HBO directly and indirectly for a while now, including Entourage shooting a scene at one of our shops and Drybar doing touch-ups at HBO’s Emmy Event. We were flattered and humbled when they reached out to us to help come up with a creative new way to promote the upcoming season premiere of GIRLS and Enlightened. It was a no-brainer for us to agree to partner with HBO on this as we are truly very big fans of GIRLS and it was such a great brand fit.

Adweek: Has Drybar partnered or sponsored events in the past? Does it plan to in the future, because of the how successful the GIRLS promo was?

Michael DB: We have, although we’ve tried to be super selective and only work with brands that we sincerely admire and like. One recent one before HBO was a promotion we did with Skinnygirl Cocktails, which was also a big success. We definitely plan to do similar promotions so long as there’s a natural, organic fit.

Adweek: What is one of Drybar’s resolutions for 2013?

Michael DB: Well, we’re introducing a line of hair styling products and tools in March at 75 Sephora stores and on QVC, which we’ve spent the past 2 years perfecting. So successfully launching that is a major priority and focus for right now.

Pictures from SoulCycle East 63rd Studio. SoulCyclers Jackie Markowitz and Kaitlynn Fish are pictured with Instructor Amanda Max (pictured in the middle), who encouraged her class with positive words, while riding to the GIRLS’ theme song “Anything Can Happen,” by Ellie Goulding.

SoulCycle dedicated a week of “Free Girls Rides” to spinners of New York and L.A. During the promotional week, the classes cycled to music featured on the show and distributed Girls themed gift bags and co-branded sweatbands. These soulful spin classes were in such high demand that the studios added an extra ten “Girls Rides”, each containing 35 to 65 bikes, said SoulCycle spokesperson Gabby Cohen.

Urban Outfitters and HBO are holding a social media contest on Instagram to win a year’s worth of $24,000 for rent and a $5,000 gift card. In order to enter this enticing contest, simply follow these guidelines: “Follow Urban and HBO on Instagram, upload a #selfie (self-portrait) in your apartment and tag it #UOxGIRLS.”

Aside from the social media contest, free character-inspired nail art, by Incoco, and download codes to watch episodes from season one were made available to fans.

Ten nail salons in New York and L.A. gave away free manicures using a line of Girls-inspired nail polish. Another 100 nail salons were outfitted with Girls posters, emmery boards and TV trailers.

The show’s tagline “One Mistake At A Time,” need not apply to HBO’s marketing campaign for this season. The success of the Girls-related marketing is likely to open doors to individual branding opportunities for the show’s stars. As reported on WWD, costume designer, Jenn Rogien, the show’s costume designer, will be the new fit-and-style expert for the American Eagle sister line, Aerie.

The Girls-related marketing efforts, may be running the social conversation (and the world, according to Beyonce), however, HBO did not forget to socially secure its other popular shows. Since second screen experiences have become in person realities for many viewers, HBO has helped to make it easier for fans to connect and watch their favorite shows anytime with HBO Connect and HBO GO. Almost all of its regular programming has some social platform presence, with eleven programs featured on HBO Connect.

Promotional coverage by Danielle Marshall

Adidas Rolls Out Red Carpet for NYC’s Newest Sports Lounge, The Royal

Those who attended the grand opening of Union Square’s newest sports restaurant and lounge, The Royal, were definitely given the “royal treatment,” or as close as you get to it, when at an upscale sports bar.

New York’s “nightlife royalty,” mingled and munched on crispy chicken wings, crispy quesadillas, and Maryland crab cake sliders, by chef Daniel Parilla, who works as the executive sous chef at Minetta Tavern. Bartenders were busy concocting drinks consisting of Belvedere, Glenmorangie, while attractive servers passed out Moët & Chandon, in honor of the special occasion.

It made sense that Adidas sponsored the party for this new kind of sports restaurant. Like Adidas, The Royal is innovative when it comes to providing a specific customer experience, while engaging in sporting events. For example, the venue contains 43 LCD TV’s, so whether you sit on the chocolate leather banquettes, in the front at the cocktail tables or at the red maple-topped bar, you won’t miss a play. In addition to the grey wood walls reclaimed from a Pennsylvania barn hosting an art installation, the purplish neon backlights set the mood, making it every stylish, sport fan’s dream den.

DJ Sal Morale, kept guests in the game with his set, while Brooklyn Nets star Kris Humphries, Cleveland Browns tight end Alex Smith, Washington Nationals pitcher Christian Garcia and Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Popeye Jones, filled the roster for athletes in attendance.

Guests like Gustto Handbags designer Agathe Planchon and Style Network’s Glam Fairy star Sharie Manon and Restaurateur Scott Sartiano, prove that The Royal will be an arena where sports and style come together.

Dan Rieger, Mike Russell and Stafford Schlitt of RSR Hospitality Group and Brian Krawitz and Eric Sherman, formerly of The Forum, are no rookies to nightlife, and The Royal, will surly be another all-star in their lineup.

Event coverage by Danielle Marshall