Purple Rain

EMMY WRAP UP

The Fashion:

Two words: Aubergine and Lace. These pretty much sum up Sunday's Emmy Awards "Red Carpet". I guess I was a bit ahead of myself when I designed Brenda Strong's deep purple silk gown last year for the SAG Awards and Nancy O'Dell beaded lace high-low gown for last month's "Miss Universe" telecast. Without realizing, I was "en pointe" with the two main trends. Cheryl Hines, Evangeline Lily, Ellen Pompeo: all in different shades of aubergine/ deep purple. Jamie Pressly and a couple other actresses gave you Lace, served on very tight, almost pageant dress-like silhouettes. Kayne Gillespie would be proud!! Did all these actresses' stylists get together and meet for coffee at The Ivy and discuss and agree what the color and fabric of choice would be? Crazy.

Another "Side Trend" was the One Shouldered Look. I love the one-shouldered look and have been doing it since I began my line, Nikolaki ,5 years ago. Some of the top one shouldered numbers were worn by beautiful Heidi Klum, in a red jersey Michael Kors, and Calista Flockheart, looking like a very frail Audrey Hepburn (when she was 65!!). I also loved Julia Luis-Dreyfus' black and white Narciso Rodriguez column gown and British Diva Helen Mirren looked superb in her white tiered gown. I just wish she would have put that damn stole away! I know older women have problems with exposing their arms, but her arms were not flabby at all. In fact having that stole there made me focus on them more!!!

I am still waiting for those Bjork moments! Speaking of almost-misses, Kyra Sedgwick's gown was way too much; too editorial. It would have looked great in a Vogue Italia shoot by Steven Meisel, but NOT at the Emmy's. I also was not a fan of Mariska Hargitay's Carolina Herrera gown. It was way too high on her bust. I wanted to cut about 3 inches from the bust line. A little cleavage isn't bad. Since when is she a nun?

The Parties:

David and I were invited to attend an Emmy-viewing party at The Standard on Sunset thrown by "Magical Elves", producers of "Project Runway". I met fellow designer John Wade there and hung out with Season Three designer Robert Best and his buddy , Patrik. I love me some Robert! He was so funny. What a crack-up. Three words: Split at birth. Also at this party were Season Two designers Marla Duran (with her two children) , Andrae Gonzalo and Daniel Franco. They were into watching the telecast, while Robert, John, David and I just wanted to "Dish"!!

After about an hour there, we moved onto the People Magazine Party nearby. As we approached the "velvet ropes", the fire marshall had closed it down. Just then and there, Heidi Klum and Seal emerged from their limo and I quickly stuck to them like "white on rice"! We still were not allowed in!! Let me repeat: Heidi AND Seal. Just then, somehow we were allowed into the party. Prince, yes The One and Only, was performing. There were tons of actors walking around, dancing and singing. We just enjoyed the moment, surreal as it was! As we left, we tried to get one of the huge Goodie Bags everyone was dragging around for dear life, but to no avail: No People Magazine Goodie Bags for Uncle Nick. I have enough TreSemme Hair Gel at home anyway!

As soon as we left the Prince performance at the aforementioned People Post-Emmy party, we were invited by fellow Season 2 Designer, Kirsten Ehrig and her great husband , Keith , to attend a very private and live performance by Prince(yes, again PRINCE!!) at the exclusive Foundation Room at the House Of Blues. There we cruised by the real velvet ropes and went right through the inner sanctum that is the Foundation Room. We munched on hors d'eourves and enjoyed some champagne. As I looked around ,I spotted Lance Armstrong surrounded by 5 very pretty ladies (where was his BFF, Mathew McConaughey?) and Lawrence Fishburne. A private after hours concert by Prince? Somebody pinch me because I have gone to "Purple Heaven".