At the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills for the three days prior to the Golden Globes, presenters, nominees and other people associated with the Golden Globes were invited to visit several gifting suites. One of these suites was organized by DPR- Dubois, Pelin and Associates, headed by Nathalie Dubois-Sissoko.
Before, after or during breaks from practices for the Golden Globes, nominees, presenters, and others associated with the entertainment industry and the Golden Globes wandered into the hotel suites after having their credentials checked. These people included on screen personalities, directors, producers and others associated with television shows like True Blood, Madmen, Dexter, and the nominated movies like Avatar, and Crazy Heart. Each invitee was accompanied by a guide who introduced them to the vendors and carried the gifts these guests received from the vendors.
The particular gifting suite that LAfashionWEEK.com attended was actually three hotel suites at the Peninsula Hotel: two adjoining ones and a third across the hall. In the two adjoining suites, fashion and beauty products from a variety of designers, and manufacturers were presented. In the third suite resort services were presented.
The fashion suite included the following fashion and accessory designers selected to participate by the organizer: tristan + trista, Ginger McGann Jewelry, Tucker Paisley, Eva Varro, Starkers by Dianna DiNoble, Geisha Fabulous, Marchon Eyewear, Barbera Bela, and Sodaliscious/ Cindy Renee Mathieu. Immediately below is more specific information about all the fashion participants.
tristan + trista's designer Kristine Megrikian presented her fall collection with gift samples for female presenters, nominees for best actress, and for tv personalities. Aside from her leather jackets, her line emphasizing earth based fabrics and includes linens, wools and cottons, and yarns. Her pieces are done with wool stitching. Colors are also earth inspired in grays, blacks, browns and other earthy tone. The pieces are modern, and simple plus Japanese inspired. Her mother makes these one of a kind pieces, so pricing reflects their uniqueness. Her items have recently been worn by the likes of Mary J. Blige, Niecy Nash, and Tamara Braun. http://www.tristanandtrista.com/
Barbara Bela, from Brazil, was represented in the gift room by their manager Stefania Mascarenhas. This family owned business founded 35 years ago by Stefania's mother and was named after a poem her mother liked. Both Stefania’s mother and sister are designers for this 100 person company. With imported fabrics, everything is handmade with the designers' oversight. With the dresses emphasis on embroidery, this line is evening wear for special events. Fabrics used include 100% silks, cotton and shears. Barbara Bela currently has a show room in Paris, and also sells in the Middle East. The line is currently looking for space in the US, though more likely in New York City, than Los Angeles. The gifting room was the first time the line has been shown in the United States. http://www.barbarabela.com.br
Starkers by Dianna DiNoble from Toronto presented her line of custom corsets at the gifting suite. Though her 17 year old company is based in Toronto, Dianna ships worldwide and has clients from Japan, Australia and many other places who've logged online to her website. Once online, her clients follow the easy instructions to take the 15 necessary measurements to be properly sized for one of her totally customized steel boned corsets with traditional busk enclosures and lacing up the backs. Though many of her clients also choose to fly to Toronto to be fitted and measured directly by Dianna. Once measured, her corsets take 6 to 8 weeks to draft patterns and fabricate. Dianna noted that historically both men and women wore corsets. Her line made from silks, satins, and leathers can be worn both as an undergarment or as outwear with cuts both under and over the bust line. The corsets help reduce her clients' waistlines any where from 3 to 6 inches when worn, and are extremely comfortable due to how the corsets are custom measured and fabricated. http://www.starkers.com/
Cindy Renee Mathieu also came to the gifting room from Toronto representing her namesake line of custom gowns and her ready to wear though still limited edition line Sodaliscious. The Sodalicious line just started to be carried in Los Angeles at Chic Little Devil. For her namesake line of custom gowns, Cindy gets her inspiration from the materials which includes silks, silk taffeta’s, shears all hand stitched and hand beaded. She looks to European fashions, movies and all eras for ideas. She also gets her inspiration from working directly with her clients making designs that fit their respective personalities. For example, with Angela Bassett, who she made two dresses for, her initial conversations with Ms Bassett's assistant gave her an some general ideas as to what colors, and materials Bassett liked, so that when Cindy met with Ms. Bassett, Cindy presented Ms. Bassett with color and material samples of fabrics for Angela’s gowns. Cindy then sketched onsite concepts for Ms. Bassett that fit this client's tastes and personality. Cindy never makes the same dress twice. Cindy's process for her one of a kind gowns is almost a psychoanalytic process where she gets to know her client. Her greatest reward is having a satisfied client. http://www.sodaliscious.com
Manufactured at a 10,000 s.f. facility in downtown Los Angeles, Eva Varro International's line of wrinkle- free travel leisure wear was also presented to Golden Globe participants by the company's marketing person Erika Seifred. This line of tops, wraps, dresses and pants made from blends of rayon, and spandex is intended for both model figures and women with a lot more curves. No woman is excluded. One of the primary inspirations for the line is simple and that's comfort. The line is all about flexibility. Pieces can be mixed and matched. The spring/summer line utilizes bright colors and patterns, while the fall line features dark maroons and browns. The custom patented stitching is all overlooked and personally approved by the Eva Varro herself. So the company doesn't intend to get too big where such oversight could be lost, thus no B-lines. Currently the spring/summer and fall lines are available in Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdale's and Dillard’s. A 1,000 square feet flag ship store at Santa Monica Place will open in 2010.
http://www.evavarro.com
Also based and manufactured in Los Angeles, Tracy Fredkin's Tucker Paisley with its signature print, started with small clutches and totes. Thereafter, the designer took the most popular silhouettes and started to manufacture them in leathers, suede’s, and metallic’s. Now she has also expanded to beach wear and other accessories like travel bags, small leather goods, scarves and ties. Tucker Paisley can be purchased online and also at high end boutiques.
http://tuckerpaisley.com/
Story and Images by Stefhan Gordon.
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