12TH Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Talent Retreat Alan Bronstein – Color: The Rarest of All?

The past few months have been filled with award shows ranging from the American Music Awards to the Golden Globes. And if you have been paying attention to the media at all, it has become obvious that our celebrities are walking away with more than just trophies. We recently reviewed an award event that gave away 40,000.00 per gift bag per celebrity who attended. Well, the SAG Awards is no different. January 28, 2006, I visited the Shrine Auditorium backstage the day before the big event, and caught a glimpse of what our Hollywood royalty would be getting this time.

There were only a select few gifting for the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, but these goody bags carried a lot of weight. There were perfume, skincare, makeup, laser eye surgery gift cards, CD/DVD players, etc…. But the most exquisite and rarest present of all were fancy colored diamonds. I spoke with Alan Bronstein, the color diamond expert who is among the world’s most trusted advisors of colored diamonds to leading jewelers, fine jewelry designers, and private investors. He is the respected curator of the world’s most famous natural fancy colored diamond collections, the Aurora Collection and the Butterfly of Peace Collection. He lectures widely ranging from the United Nations to the New York University, and he has published two seminal books, Collecting and Classifying Colored Diamonds – An Illustrated Study of the Aurora Collection and Forever Brilliant: The Aurora Collection of Colored Diamonds. Alan explained just how rare and precious these gems really are.

Alan Bronstein has worked in the diamond business for 25 years as a diamond broker in the diamond business. Somebody came along with a yellow diamond, which was beyond his understanding. It changed the whole course of his career in terms of what he wanted to do with his life. He decided that he wanted to focus on these rarest of diamonds that existed in the world. He had never known that diamonds came in colors (most people don’t know). It became his mission to explain to people that diamonds do exist in different colors: yellow, pink, blue, orange, and green. Honored with such an experience, he wanted to let other people know that they existed, too. So, in the process of the last 25 years, he made a diamond collection, which has been in the Museum of Natural History in New York for the last 16 years. It is considered the finest diamond collection in the world. This has become Alan’s passion and his dream. He has become the advisor and spokesperson for the Natural Colored Diamond Association, an organization that wants to get the message out that diamonds come in different colors, that they’re made by nature, and that they can also be made by man.

“We want to differentiate, and we want to let people know that there’s a difference between natural colored diamonds that come out of the earth (that were made by Mother Nature), and something that can be created in the lab by mankind, which you can make as many as possible and are not rare at all. I want to give you that same experience I had when I first saw the first colored diamond. I was so awestruck, and I wondered what I was looking at and how it came to be. It became my desire to learn as much as possible about fancy colored diamonds.”

Alan was holding a necklace that had pink, blue and yellow diamonds. He put it in my hand and told me that this was the way they came out of the earth: they were cut by man, but created by God. When I looked at the diamonds for the first time, I was speechless. They were exquisite. I had no words to describe the beauty I was holding. It was literally breathtaking.

“The public does not know that diamonds exist in colors. For the most part, they know that diamonds are colorless objects. These are 99% of what exists in diamonds. One of the reasons that people don’t know that color diamonds exist is because they are so rare. They come in every color that nature has created flowers, seashells, and butterflies. That’s the beauty of nature. Nature has no limitations. There are 100 different brown, bronze, walnut and chocolate, cognac, and champagne colored diamonds. We brought to the SAG Awards for the presenters and award winners a bronze colored diamond in a necklace that we will be gifting the presenters and award winners.”

Fancy colored diamonds are so unique that most people will never get to experience them in their lifetime, unless of course, they see them in a jewelry store or museum. It’s not a terrible thing that people should have to spend a fortune on fancy colored diamonds, but to at least know that they exist in nature is Alan’s goal, to raise the consciousness of those who might not have known otherwise.

“I see it like a documentary. If somebody makes a film and takes me 2 miles down into the ocean and I see fish that I had never seen before, it would be my challenge to bring to the public something they might not have been able to experience.”

Even though these diamonds are pricey, Alan shows us the one silver lining in his collection. The chocolate or cognac colored diamonds which are in the orange and brown families, are actually affordable to the public. He wants to bring that to consumers’ attention so that they have options. When they go into jewelry stores, they might be able to buy something different than the white diamonds that they’re used to.

Fancy colored diamonds can cost a million dollars a karat for very rare green or red diamonds. They do not have to be very big either. It can be a 1-karat stone, which is not really that big, costing upwards of 1 million dollars. Alan emphasizes that the average person will not see these particular diamonds, but someone who knows what he/she is looking at will have the opportunity to see them. He wants to educate people so that they will know what they are looking at when they do see them.

“For every 10,000 colorless diamonds that exist, there might be one colored diamond. This is a number that has been around for the last twenty-five years. They are the most beautiful gemstones in the world. This is the trend that is taking place in the jewelry market. Fancy colored diamonds is the trend at the higher end, and we want to be able to show people that they are also available in modest prices from $1,000.00 to $5,000.00, which is affordable and in different colors. These lower priced diamonds can be just as beautiful also.

“People looking for fancy colored diamonds, can go into their local jeweler and ask for them. If that store doesn’t carry them, that jeweler should be able to make them available for their customer. I think in the coming years, you’re going to see a lot more of the fashion jewelry with fancy colored diamonds in all stores.

“Cartier, Harry Winston, Van Cleef and Arpels, Graf carry the more valuable stones. The champagne and cognac colors can be found at Zales, Bailey Banks and Biddle, Fortunoff, and the metropolitan areas. Most mom and pop stores, AGS (American Gem Society stores), do have something to show in fancy colored diamonds. Most people who walk into jewelry stores walk past them because they have no knowledge of what they are looking at. It’s very hard for people to ask questions about something if they don’t even know what it is they’re looking at.”

Alan feels that the jewelers need to start educating the customer that these gems do exist. Then you will see how the trend will take off with fancy colored diamonds.

I was curious about actually finding these diamonds in their raw form. I asked him in which areas in the world can these particular diamonds be found.

“Most blue and yellow diamonds are found in South Africa. Purple diamonds are found in Russia. Pink diamonds are predominantly found in Australia, as well as champagne, bronze, and cognac diamonds. Australia is the major source of fancy colored diamonds. Violet diamonds, which are extremely rare, are also found in Australia. Australia seems to be a place in the earth where there certain elements and formations of the ground. Thoses are where the rare colors in diamonds exist. So, Australia and South Africa are the major places where fancy colored diamonds are found.”

The collection of diamonds that Alan referred to basically sits in museums. It’s not set in jewelry, and has taken twenty-five years to assemble. It has been an ongoing project. It can be seen in the London Natural History Museum. This rare diamond collection tours the world, and goes to different museums.

“The Natural Color Diamond Association will be having an ‘over the top’ jewelry collection at the Oscars this year, and we should be dressing quite a few stars. We will be at the Mondrion Hotel.

“Some of the companies that specialize in setting these diamonds are Diatraco in New York; the company that has put together the bronze colored gift is called Mouawad out of New York. This is the company that created the 10,000.00 brassiere that Tyra Banks wore in her final Victoria Secret Runway show last year. It’s an example how diamonds do not have to be big, or valuable to be beautiful. We are very proud of this piece. We want to spread the message that, Brown, bronze and cognac diamonds are very chic too wear.”

Alan put the necklace set with a few brown diamonds in my hand. Even though the gems themselves were quite small, they really stood out as unique.

“Fancy colored diamonds are rare, beautiful, and chic. We want people to be aware that they exist.”

To learn more about fancy colored diamonds, visit: www.ncdia.com.

(Other gift items selected for the Talent Retreat included:
Amouge, Beverly Hills Physician.com, Coby Electronics, Lamarthe USA, LeVian Time®, Marchon Eyewear, PHYTO, Shu Uemura, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts French Polynesia.)

Interviewed and written by Kaylene Peoples

Showtime® Style 2006 Review

Showtime Style® 2006 Review

Page 1.

At the Showtime Style 2006 Retreat, celebrities like Angela Bassett, Darryl Hannah, Andrea Bowman, Kathy Hilton, Kristen Bell and Tichina Arnold were spotted testing products, getting treatments, and walking away with bags and bags of goodies, from micro-dermabrasion kits to cashmere hoodies to laptops to exquisite and exotic jewelry. Many enjoyed the spirits of Margarita King and Star Ice, and ingested the non-alcoholic inner skin treatments from Borba. I watched like a voyeur as other celebrity personalities got eyelash extension treatments and vacation packages to exotic lands. I went from booth to booth and decided that I wanted to know what these vendors, inventors, designers, and founders had to say. I tested, tasted, felt, and learned all about these fabulous products myself while my photographer followed me and captured the essence of the afternoon at the Luxe Hotel’s Penthouse Suite.
Barbara Moore with DPA, manned the only table that had products from vendors who could not be there, like Dove, and Lykovouno,FouFouDog.com – Designer Doggy Wear, and an assortment of other goodies. Showtime offered a DVD pack, which included several of their shows: BROTHERHOOD; LIZA WITH A Z; SEXUAL HEALING; and HUFF the second season.

Jennifer Chang of Kumi Kookoon graciously showed me her assortment of linens. I felt the soft silk and envied anyone who possessed one of these bedding sets.

“We do loungewear for the home, bedding, embroidered butterflies, slippers, eye masks, and we’re giving away drawstring pants for the Golden Globes. We’ve been in existence a little over three years, and we’re based out of Los Angeles. We sell all over the world—we have a big celebrity following. I used to be a CPA, and I just hated it. My mom used to be a designer, so I thought I would do something I liked with my life, and here I am. It’s amazing how fast the company has grown. Gwyneth Paltro, Halle Barry, Debra Messing, Adrian Brody, and the like call all the time to order stuff.”

–Jennifer Chang

To learn more, visit www.kumikookoon.com.

As I turned around, I almost tripped into a woman wearing a lab coat. She was applying a micro-dermabrasion treatment, Derma New, to a woman’s hand. I looked on as she skillfully swirled the white tool around. When she was finished, her patient’s right hand looked at least five years younger than her left—it was amazing to watch! Well, needless to say, I wanted to try it for myself, and as the clinician worked her magic, she explained the entire process to me.

“My husband and I created the concept out of our former Day Spa in Beverly Hills, called Dean Rhodes for Hair, Skin and Body, and we’re going to be six years old this year. We’ve taken the clinical micro-dermabrasion procedure and created a way for consumers to get the same results at home. The crystals from the machine are in a cream base, a very super anti-oxidant rich cream, and we’re working the crystal cream onto the skin with a battery-operated tool. Now, when we apply a moisturizer or toner, your skin absorbs it so much more naturally. It’s about getting clinical procedures and results at home without having to go to a clinic. We’re literally polishing wrinkles, fine lines, hyper-pigmentation, sun damage, acne scars, and we’re also reducing pore size. The kits retail starting at $80.00. For less than the price of one micro-dermabrasion clinically, you can have a whole 30-day supply at home. It’s really affordable, it’s very safe, very effective, and it’s for all skin types. We think micro-dermabrasion is for everyone, even those with sensitive skin because we’re able to uncover fresher, newer skin that may be clogged, or may be congested on the surface. There may be dead skin cells; there may be excessive oil production. It’s all about finding the right type of exfoliation. If you’re not exfoliating, you’re not taking care of your skin. Initially, use it every day for five days in a row, and then take five days off; and then it comes back into your regimen two or three times a week after that.

“There is a complete skincare system that complements each of the systems. For instance, the sensitive skin system has sensitive skin care that nourishes that newly resurfaced skin. There are nourishing skin systems for all types and other formulations that nourish hands and feet. We can be found at Sephora in the USA and France, Alta nationwide, select locations at Nordstrom on the West Coast, and we’re in fine salons and spas all over the world in twenty countries.”

–Amby Longhoffe

To learn more, visit www.dermanew.com.

After my treatment I turned to my left and was immediately drawn to this bag of gummy bears. You see I was starving. I hadn’t had anything to eat all day. So I plopped a few of those gummy bears into my mouth. They were delicious! Scott Vincent Borba watched me and smiled. Then he offered me some water to wash them down. Okay, I’m game. Delicious! I looked at the calorie count and was shocked to see a zero with tons of nutrients. The bottle of water alone practically filled me up. He then proceeded to tell me all about his product.
“Borba is the first ever, new critical skincare water. Every bottle has 4 million nano spears, and literally, as soon as you drink it and put it into your trachea, it goes 100% into your blood stream. It attacks not just your face, but your back, your chest, legs, wherever there are issues. When you drink the product, within seven days, drinking it twice a day, you’ll see a result. Everything is clinically proven. We’re the first water that actually hydrates you. We’re actually four eight-ounce glasses of water in one bottle. All your supplements and vitamins are in one. All of your skincare is in one bottle. The packaging was made by the same manufacture that makes Louis Vuitton purses, so you have that texture. There are no calories, no carbs, and no sodium. It’s 100% organic. So for people that never take care of their skin, you can drink your way to clear and anti-aging skin.
“We have many different formulations: Anti-acne formulations 62% reduction in 28 days twice a day; 30% reduction on fine lines and wrinkles; 66% increase of hydration. It’s great for eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, and sensitive skin; one for cellulite stretch marks; and it also burns calories, so you lose weight. Borba is great for before and after sun damage. Then we have topical products that synergize the benefits. So when you use the topical products along with the internal products, you’re getting a whole synergy. It’s literally communicating and breathing and allowing the two to synergize to make it heal faster. Then we have the first ever skincare candy, gummy bears and jellybeans, using the same technology as the other products. I am a gummy bear fanatic. They have half the calories of normal candy, and the more you eat, the better your skin looks. You can buy this at Sephora, Nordstrom, and Magnolia Bakery in NY.”

–Scott Vincent Borba

To Learn more, visit www.borba.net.

So are you getting the picture yet? Everywhere I turned, there was something exciting going on. And they were all things I really wanted and needed to know about. As I enviously passed the three cosmetologists giving manicures, pedicures, and facials, I forged ahead. I passed through the hallway, and to my immediate left were these gorgeous handbags. They looked very expensive and they were unique in their design. They were the Moonsus / Marsuscollection from Canada, and the line, which is only four years old, has already been covered in fifty magazines.
“A lot of women are looking for a stylish bag in the market. There are not many stylish but functional bags available in the market. The interior has a sleek lining, which is mostly for laptops. The fabrics are designed for water and stain resistance with Jaguar fabric, which is one of the most durable. The men’s line, Marsus, is created along the same premise. But they are in the style of a backpack, which is preferable for men. The fall line is with traditional black leather, and the lighter colors are for spring. And new accessories come out once a year. You can buy Moonsus / Marsus online, at high-end boutiques, and department stores. They retail for $250.00 – $390.00. They are a nice quality, nice design, and affordable.”

–Christine Kuo

To learn more, visit www.moonsus.com.

Showtime® Style 2006 – Showtime & DPA Present Luxurious Pre-Golden Globe Celebrity Suites

SHOWTIME® Style 2006

SHOWTIME & DPA Present Luxurious Pre-Golden Globe Celebrity Suites

Nathalie DuBois and Sharon Stone at DPA's Last Years' Emmys Suites

No dollar amount is too high, especially when it comes to our “A-list” celebrities. The cast of shows like “Desperate Housewives,” SHOWTIME’s “Sleeper Cells,” and even the French film “Joyeux Noël” are all prime examples of those celebrities who will be in attendance at the SHOWTIME® Style 2006. These lucky “celebs” will receive some of the most elaborate gift bags ever given for a single event. The gift bags total a whopping $40,000.00. The event is being held at the Luxe Hotel in Beverly Hills, January 14th and 15th.

Host SHOWTIME® has much to celebrate at this year’s Golden Globe® Awards. For the first time in the network’s nearly 30-year history, one of its original series received Golden Globe® nominations in two major categories—Best Television Series-Musical or Comedy and Mary-Louise Parker for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy forWEEDS. In addition, Elizabeth Perkins was recognized for her supporting role in the critically acclaimed comedy with a Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Televisionnomination. Also, SLEEPER CELL was nominated for Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.

In an unprecedented move, SHOWTIME® will distribute to celebrity guests some of the network’s most anticipated new 2006 original programs, including the new drama series BROTHERHOOD, and the remixed, re-mastered Bob Fosse 1972 landmark film LIZA WITH A Z, among other award-winning programming.

“SHOWTIME is hosting gift bags for the first time for a celebrity pre-Golden Globe Awards suite in partnership with my company DPA,” says Nathalie DuBois, its founder.

DPA was built specifically to strategize exclusively for people in the entertainment industry: everything from marketing to production to publicity worldwide.

When I asked Nathalie which celebrities had confirmed, she said she was only at liberty to say who had been invited. I guess that serves for the element of surprise. I am very curious to see which lucky celebrities will be in attendance.

Some of the invited guests are Sharon Stone, Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, directors and producers Charles MacDougal, Amy Winter, and Catherine Houston.

Nathalie DuBois, who is no novice when it comes to celebrity gift suites, has successfully brought together a staggering number of companies from across the globe to participate in this unique and extraordinary weekend event, and the list of companies is mind-boggling.

Designers:

Maggie Coulombe, a Maui-based designer who will be providing a multi-purpose wrap and a modernized traditional couture Japanese kimono. The New Zealand based clothing line, Untouched World, is gifting a vast array of clothing and beauty products made from botanical extracts found exclusively in New Zealand. Von Dutch will be premiering two new lines for men and women, in addition to their new line of sunglasses called Kustom Eyes, and their new energy drink. CO2, along with their their new line of Cashmere sweaters for men and women. And last but not least is J. Gerard, whose gift bag includes an Avanti Silk Brocade Jacket and one of their fabulous couture gowns.

Jewelry and Accessory Designers:

Jewelry and Accessories Lounge are Niessing, offering tension rings, as well as a necklace, valued at $3,700.00 to one of the guests; Energetix, a German-based jewelry line will provide gifts to the celebrities, and to their pets a magnet therapy pet tag. Fileena will present her as well as gift guests with one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art. Isis Jewels will also present their designs with a gift of jewelry. Goldenbleu will also be presenting guests with a variety of gifts, which include couture handbags. And finally, Moonsus/ Marsusfeatures their line of stylish but functional laptop bags, and Moonsus, the female line of laptop bags, will present each guest with a bag. Marsus, the men’s line, will also present our guests with a men’s laptop bag.

Spas and Salons:

Their Treatment Spa will present each celebrity guest with a gift as well as special in-house treatments, ranging from micro-dermabrasion to high-end manicures. Frederic Fekkai Salon and Spa will offer up-dos, blow-drys, and conditioning treatments for their in-house treatments, and they will also present each guest with their new Protein Rx PM Repair Strengthener, as variousFrederic Fekkai products. DermaNew, a new line of resurfacing cosmetics, will provide our celebrity guests with an Oxygen-infused micro-dermabrasion procedure, and a gift bag full of their products. In addition, Lucy B Cosmeticswill provide a variety of lip products such as Lemonade Lip Balm, and Lip Bar with celebrity make-up artist Patrick de Fontbrune. Varnish Nail will treat each guest to a manicure and pedicure with Champagne and Rose Petals, as well as 24K Gold flecked nail polish, and an assortment of other products. Borba skin care from within offers each celebrity guest a week’s supply of their Skin Balance Water and Gummies. Xtreme Lashes will provide a lash extension treatment to each guest, and they will also provide a lengthening mascara and curler. Kemado Body Opulence and Cosmetics, a line of ethno botanical cosmetics made from essential essences, pure extracts, and superior natural ingredients, will present guests with their vast array of products. FinallyBiotene, a line of French dental care, will provide a dental care kit in addition to a variety of products.

Vacations and Exotic Companies:

The Patio of Dreams will feature gifts ranging from silk linens from Kumi Kookoon to vacations from Pearl Resorts in Tikehau and Bora Bora. Kumi Kookoon, a line of fine silk linens, will give an expensive travel pack perfect for a long flight. And for selected guests, they will provide a complete set of bed linens. Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort and LeTahaa Private Island and Spawill present an exotic, elaborate vacation stay for selected guests.

SHOWTIME® Style 2006 Gift Table:

Gifts from Lykovouno, London Sole, Fou Fou Dog, Ting Bling and Bullies in a China Shoppe DÈcor. The Bar will include beverages from Badoit,Volvic, Han Asian Vodka, The Margarita King, Izze, Star Ice, and Dove Chocolate. Han Asian Vodka, Star Ice, The Margarita King, and Dove Chocolate will also provide gifts.

I guess the question is, “Are our celebrities worth all this extravagance?” The answer is yes. After all, kings and queens have had gifts bestowed upon them for centuries, so why shouldn’t our own brand of American royalty enjoy a taste of those same luxuries!

Written by Kaylene Peoples

Additional information provided by Nathalie DuBois of DPA.

12TH Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Talent Retreat

12TH Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Talent Retreat:
The Contributors

Backstage Creations, specialists in award show gifts, and custom backstage talent retreats, created the talent retreat for the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, simulcated live on TNT and TBS Sunday, January 29th at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, 7:00 p.m., CT at 6:00 p.m. MT. Presenters were thanked for their time and participation by visiting the talent retreat during rehearsals, to select specific gifts from the following product lines offered by the participating companies:

Amouage combines the 2000 year perfumery heritage of Arabia with modern French perfume technology to create a unique product. Learn more by visiting: www.amouage.com.

Beverly Hills Physician.com is one of the largest plastic and cosmetic surgery practices in the nation. They specialize primarily in plastic surgery and host a large network of physicians and aestheticians in the categories of beauty and wellness. They provide highly trained surgeons, medical staff, spa-like facilities, and patient services. They have over 100 years of combined experience, and have a clientele base of over 15,000.

“We’re giving away today, a free Lasik eye surgery. One of our clients is Dr. Glen Caleb. He’s one of the foremost laser eye surgeons on the MTV reality show with Jessica Simpson. He did her eyes. She said it was like an act of God. He’s operated on Mary Pierc. She won the French open recently, Last Friday he did David Kerridine’s eyes, and he also did Tate Bigs. He’s very renown for his celebrity clientele. He’s one of the founders who has done over 35,000 procedures.

“The best candidates for this kind of surgery go case by case. But what we try to do is get each individual to come in and get their eyes actually checked to see what is their plausibility of having the Lasik surgery. We’re very honest as to whether or not they need it. It’s a free consultation for anybody, and from there they decide if there’s something further that can be done. If you wear glasses just for reading, you’re not the best candidate. However, those who suffer from near-sightedness and far-sightedness are definite candidates. For example, a tennis or baseball player will be able to see the ball better, therefore improving their game. One of the Seahawks who will be in the Super Bowl next week, was just operated on by Glen. Glen continues to have 100% success rate with all his patients.” Learn more by visiting: www.beverlyhillsphysicians.com.

–David Canter

Coby Electronics “Coby Electronics is gifting presenters and award winners with a TF-DVD500, a sleek, stylish, ultra-compact portable DVD/CD/MP3 player with a 3.5” screen that offers entertainment and convenience at the same size of a personal CD player! Winner of a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Innovation Award, the unit makes the ideal companion for traveling business executives or college students and young people looking to enjoy their favorite flicks. The player also comes with an adjustable stand (which doubles as a battery pack), remote control, headphones and carrying case and are available in many retailers including Fry’s, J&R Music World and on Amazon.com. Coby produces over 300 consumer electronics products including innovative portable DVD players and MP3 players designed for every lifestyle.” Learn more by visiting: www.cobyusa.com.

–Van and Laura
Coby Electronics

Lamarthe USA creates handbags from Paris. They are designed and crafted from fine Italian leather. This European line is debuting its Spring/Summer selection at the 2006 SAG Awards™. Learn more by visiting: www.LamartheUSA.com.
LeVian Time® offers four collections: Duo, SoHo, DeLano, DeLano Midi. Some embracing an elegant classic look, while others have trend-setting sporty shapes in stainless steele, or with exotic straps in muted, traditional and fashion colors. LeVian also offers a chronograph and two time zones. They are available in Barneys and Sak’s Fifth Avenue.

Learn more about Marchon Eyewear by visiting: www.marchon.com.
PHYTO does hair care, and has gifted certificates to a Malibu salon. Learn more by visiting: www.phyto.com.

“Shu Uemura is a Japanese makeup artist who started in the fifties in Hollywood. He worked on such stars as Shirley MacLaine, Marilyn Monroe, and Frank Sinatra. He started creating product in the sixties, and we had the number one selling cleansing oil and eyelash curler in the world. We work with a lot of celebrities. We custom make all of Madonna’s and Oprah’s lashes. We just made a $10,000.00 diamond eyelash for Madonna which you will see on her next single. We have over 70 eyeshadows. We have something for everybody—It’s all about options. We cater to teen up to more mature women.

“Shu Uemura launched their first cleansing oil in the 1960s, which is still the number one selling cleansing oil to this day in the world. We sell one piece every 30 seconds worldwide. But what we’re most known for is the eyelashes, cleansing oil, and eyelash curler, and in honor of the SAG Awards and our fifteen-year anniversary, we created a 24-karat gold version of our eyelash curler. ‘Cause you know it’s all about the bling!” Learn more by visiting: www.shuuemera.com.

–J.P.McCary
Director of Artistry and Education

Starwood Hotels and Resorts French Ploynesia have Bora Bora vacation packages at luxurious Bora Bora Nui Resort and Spa, or the new St Regis Resort Bora Bora—the most lavish resorts in all of French Polynesia. Six days, five nights in an over-water villa which include: Tahitian Blessing spa ritual for two; Robert Wan Tahitian Black Pearl jewelry, and upgrades on Air Tahiti Nui. Learn more by visiting:www.starwood.com.This event was put on by Karen Wood’s Backstage Creations. Additional information provided by Backstage Creations.

Interviews with Beverly Physicians.com, Coby Electronics, and Shu Uemura conducted by Kaylene Peoples.

12TH Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Talent Retreat

12TH Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Talent Retreat
Alan Bronstein – Color: The Rarest of All?

Ridin’ Out Her Vision – Maggie Barry

When you’re unfamiliar with a designer’s style and her background in fashion, it’s practically impossible to be disappointed with what’s being flaunted on stage. Most people would argue that it’s all art anyway, whether deemed as “good” or “bad” by the masses. And most people would also say that Los Angeles designer Maggie Barry is one of those good ones. In fact, her Spring 2006 ride-em-cowboy collection is a visionary tale worth telling.

Showcased at the Twin Springs Building off Spring Street, Barry was among the many-featured designers that took part in the P.KABU L.A. Fashion Week Runway Series, a low-key and less populated event than Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios.

Strapless side cutout dresses in vibrant shades of reds and blues, paired with cowboy boots, buckled hip huggers, and fringes swaying in the wind kept things oh so interesting. With a model walking the walk with guitar in tow, the evening was an entertaining look at sexy western wear and her unique interpretation of casual fashion meets glam. White jeans, mini-skirts, short shorts, and eclectic accessories were spunky and right on.

Now take a quick step back. An FIT graduate from New York City, Barry went from starting her own accessory line to starting her own company, Van Buren, to emerging as a solo designer in 1996, then launching the Maggie Barry collection in 2000. With outrageous success during the Van Buren era, having custom created designs for musicians Donna Summers, Lenny Kravitz, Billy Idol, and Cher, Barry catered to the “body conscious consumer of the 80s and 90s.” She was known for “clothing celebrities and wanna-bees in edgy leather jackets, pants, and bustiers.”

Now her self-titled collection embraces the more feminine side of fashion, like using soft rayon lycra jersey just flowing over a woman’s curves, and featuring light, flowing separates and dresses. All in all, Barry keeps things modern, versatile, and what else, but hot.

Written by Elana Pruitt

Feelin’ Pretty in Louis Verdad

Our bodies are our temples, or so we’ve heard. And with springtime rapidly approaching, pushing aside fox fur collars and velvet blazers of fall and winter, the sense and sensibility of Louis Verdad fashion means remembering what it’s like to sit upright, with your legs crossed.

Couture designers, season after season, are proving that looking sexy and feeling feminine can succeed without desperately coveting cleavage and bare midriffs. And Verdad’s Spring 2006 collection takes that up about 10 notches––vamped up vintage, Sunday bests, yet tailored, crisp, and rich-bitch-vacationing-in-the-Hamptons all in one. His highly anticipated runway show during L.A. Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios was a teaser of sorts. A grass-bordered catwalk with oversized flowers insinuating the arrival of spring, front-seater excitement, and the show’s opening antics as unique as Verdad’s vision kept my virgin eyes frantically wanting more, more, more.

It was just another day for gorgeous, skirt-suited Ms. Master, only being held back by her doggie’s sexy nanny pushing the puppy’s pink stroller ever so slowly. With this opening act worth remembering, the rest of the show you not only couldn’t forget, but why would you want to? Feelin’ pretty in Verdad fashion seems like a cinch. Belted up to here, snug right there, and topped with a wide-brimmed hat or satin gloves, he knows that women love to make statements of style. Especially when the weather warms and skin begins to bare, the female silhouette is one worth adorning.

It was a black, cashmere two-piece that aroused a Hollywood stir. Madonna wore his design for the MTV Music Awards show a few years back when she shared “the kiss” with Britney. Hardly a best-kept secret, many would say that Verdad’s rise to fame took off from that very moment. Notably, the American-born Mexican designer has dressed starlets like Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, and Cate Blanchett. And with Paris Hilton, Garcelle Beavouis, Lucy Liu, Gina Gershon, Aisha Tyler, and a soiree of Tinsel Town sitting up close and personal during his show, it’s simple—this designer’s got somethin’.

But let’s do it different than all the rest, he declares through bib tops, A-cut polka dot dresses, ruffled “my mom made me wear this” tiered skirts, secretary pencil skirts and blouses, sophisticated culottes, and belted jackets galore. His blushing pinks and lavenders, polka dot combos, striped-and-floral pattern mixing, and sharp shades of gold and silver contribute to his sassy and eclectic spring collection.

Written by Elana Pruitt

Agenda Magazine Features the complete Spring/Summer collections of the following designers from San Francisco Fashion Week:

San Francisco Fashion Week, Spring/Summer 2006 offers clean lines, an array of color pallets, and an impressive line-up of emerging designers.

Enjoy celebrated couture wedding and evening designers such as Christina Hurvis Couture, Frenchhaute couturiers like Colleen Quen Couture, and Americana Levi’s Jeans. See what San Franciscans take for granted with luxurious style, beautifully tailored ensembles and fresh new playful attire with an intense array of colors juxtaposed with faux furs, leather, and familiar cotton and denim. Clear out your closets and consider a new wardrobe San Franciscan style!

Ana Mulford, Christina Hurvis, Colleen Quen, Emerging Stars
Erin Mahoney, His by Her
Levi’s, Lily Samii
Mel Rose, Oda
Richard Hallmarq, Saffron
Shivani K, Sweat Free
Teshub, TOUCH Vintage
Valentine, Wee Scott

San Francisco Fashion Week, Spring/Summer 2006 Photographed by Arun Nevader

A Runway Rundown at Smashbox

When Fashion Week rolls around, there’s rarely a dull moment at Smashbox Studios, even when a designer produces fewer “hits” than “misses” during his/her runway show. Time spent checkin’ out the new digs of Spring 2006 is at least a moment of entertainment for each attendee piling through, whether standing in back or taking the empty seat no one’s claimed yet. Take the first-ever Fashion Week beauty show from Smashbox Cosmetics and Sephora, teaming for a presentation themed “Exotica.” Celebrating the beauty of the rain forest by showing spring makeup trends proved to be a stage spectacle, no doubt. It was belly dancing, glittered body paint, bronzed skin mania, feathers, knitted bikinis, and oh yes, a makeup show amongst it all.

Conveniently cushioned between Single and Louis Verdad on the first day of Fashion Week, energy kept a flowin’ from attendees all around. The heat was rising, Lightbox included . . . it was hot in there! And when it comes to baring it all, the Sheri Bodell show said good-bye fall fur fashion, and hello spring sexiness. Front-row rocker Tommy Lee may have caught serious attention before lights dimmed, but as models walked, gushing turned to the designer’s collection. Rooted in neutral browns, whites, and pinks, and, tastefully, a touch of just enough black, Bodell’s influence stems from 1960s vixens and starlets of the big screen, like “Sexy Brigitte Bardot slip dresses, Marianne Faithful blouses, and Mia Farrow minis.” And quickly rising to fame is 28-year-old designer Desanka Fasiska, whose artistic quality kept celebrities Mena Suvari, Aisha Tyler, and Taryn Manning entranced by her spring collection. Influenced from “African and tropical prints,” Desanka’s safari theme also included smock-style dresses, opaque leggings, flowing cotton voile jackets, and shades of soft pinks and greens.

Saja directly followed Desanka fever, as designer Yoo Lee kept the creative juices rumbling. The girlish optimism of childhood depicted through subtle embellishments and delicate details are said to have inspired Lee’s seasonal collection of vintage beauty. Bold colors, Bohemian-inspired knitted cover-ups, and dress-up-or-dress-down floor-length flowy dresses would make you start to wonder. Can I really pull all that off with rolled-down socks and my pointy flats? Well, according to the spring Saja collection, the possibilities of fashion continue to be endless.

And when it came to closing the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios, there was a first. Retail leader St. John hit the Main Tent, right where Kevan Hall jumpstarted the whole event on day one. Redefined and redesigned, a company known for its sophisticated women’s knit suiting and professional wear brought youth and vibrancy to Los Angeles for its first show at Smashbox. Angelina Jolie, the newest face of California fashion label St. John, was a no-show, but the collection still claimed its original stance of excellence. Belted knee-length dresses, tons of black evening wear, and tans, whites, and striped pieces added sex appeal as well as a touch of modern sassiness and youthfulness. And in turning the corner from fall and winter to spring, St. John is bringing them back-––sharp lookin’ hats for extra pizzazz. The perfect shoe may always be a gal’s mantra in completing her outfit, but remember there’s a fashion first time for everything.

Written by Elana Pruitt

Dear Adina

Your 21st Century Dear Abby

I am a 35-year-old woman. I have a friend who talked me into making a sizable “no-risk” investment to have a business service done—so he said. Well, I gave him a few thousand dollars upon his strong urging. Bottom line, I lost all my money, and at first, he said he could refund my money. So I waited patiently. Finally, I started reminding him little by little to get my money back and he said he was working on it. Needless to say, he has never repaid me. It has been over two years now, and I am very angry about it. I feel like I was duped! He acts like nothing happened, but I cannot forget that I threw away a lot of money (that I could use right now in fact) every time I speak to him. I am afraid that if he doesn’t make an effort to refund my money soon, I can no longer be his friend. Oddly, I feel like I was betrayed, even though he claims that it was not his fault. It’s just that he promised me that I would get my money back, or the service for which I paid would be done. Neither has happened.

Adina, I really need your advice. How do I continue to be this person’s friend feeling the way I do? Or is the friendship doomed?

Stupidly Duped,
Linda

—Adina’s Response—

Dear Duped,
I’m sorry to say, but you are just going to have to let go of the money. You made an investment and it didn’t pay off. I know it’s hard to accept that the money is gone, and it is even more painful when you think about all the fabulous shoes you could have bought with that money. But the bottom line is that you took a risk and made an investment; the money that you gave your friend was not a loan. You mention that your friend “strongly urged” you to make the investment, but ultimately it was your choice. Now, you just have to come to terms with the consequences of your choice. I know this doesn’t make losing the money any easier, but trust me—there is a lesson in all of this. They say that mixing friendship and money is a recipe for trouble, but there are a few other ingredients in that recipe if I recall. I think it involves a cup of accepting responsibility for your actions, a teaspoon of not blaming others, and just a pinch of learning from your mistakes.

After letting all of this bake in your mind, you can then ask yourself if you still want to be friends with the bad investor. This is a decision only you can make.

Head Chef with many recipes up my sleeve,
Adina