Chantal "Barbie" with her Escorts: Designers Nick Verreos and David Paul, pose with their Barbie creationOf course I couldn't just write about Barbie and the FIDM Debut 2009 in just one post so here's Part Deux. I have to say that it was such a wonderful experience working with Mattel on this collaboration and then bringing it to my Advanced Fashion Design students at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and seeing what they would do with the fashion icon that is Barbie.
Prom Photo 2009: Model Chantal Jones and Nick VerreosMost of the eleven students were ready for the challenge but some of the students were hesitant, I cannot lie. Especially some of the male student designers. There was this "my design aesthetic is a hard-edge power woman in black skinny pants and black leather jackets...I'm not into designing feminine pink things..." Well, get over it. Your client is Barbie and you gotta, as Tim Gunn famously (repeat after me) said "Make it Work!" And they did.
Nick Plays With Dolls: Nick Verreos poses with "Barbie of the Ascot Races", "Hamptons Barbie" and "Malibu Dream Gown Barbie"We decided to give each student designer a month out of Barbie's busy year-long international traveling schedule and they were to design for that month--with a specific theme in mind. For example, one student got the month of June and "Barbie Goes to the Ascot Races"; another one got July and "Barbie Goes to The Hamptons" ; for August, Barbie was "Sunning In St. Tropez "; for October, Barbie was the guest of honor at the "Save Venice Masked Ball"; for the month of December, Barbie "Goes to Aspen to Ski".
Where's The Queen of England: "Ascot Barbie" designed by FIDM student designer Lacey OsbergI got the month of March and Barbie's Birthday at her Malibu Mansion, of course, which is where she would return after all her year-long travels and "special appearances". After twelve months of travel, you would think Barbie would just want to end up at fabulous Spa Retreat in Beverly Hills! Maybe next time! For her "Special Birthday" year Barbie hosted her celebration in a Nick Verreos Couture Gown!
Sea and Ski: "Aspen Barbie" by Charles Ryan Sands and "Cruise Ship Barbie" by Sara LighthallThe results were fantastic , as seen here in these photos , as well as in the runway video from the previous post (in case you didn't get to see it, click HERE). The show was so well received, some guests called it the "Best FIDM Debut 2009 they had seen in years...".
Ready For Her Close-Up: Nick's Malibu Barbie seconds before her runway debutAfter months and months of planing, sketching, designing, draping, pattern making, it all came to fruition in a 15 minute show! The models, well, they all became life-sized Barbies and kept up the energy, even after the two-hour long show (and trust me, after doing 2 TWO HOUR FASHION SHOWS each evening, these beauties were spent!).
Heather From Season 2 Project Runway: Heather Brown (far right) and two lifesize BarbiesIt was a special treat for me to see model Heather Brown--one of the models from Project Runway Season 2--who modeled in the Barbie show. She brought to life "Barbie Goes South of the Border, to San Miguel de Allende" .
Dressing Gals: The AMAZING "Barbie" dressers pose with "Uncle Nick" backstageEveryone backstage was so wonderful and accommodating. All the dressers--students from FIDM--were unbelievably helpful. The make-up artists and the hairstylists did an amazing job with all their life-sized Barbies, bringing everyone's hairstyle sketches to life.
From the traditional pony-tail and bangs to my "Can you mimic the bow on my gown..but on her hair?" request, the stylists "brought it"! 
Nick Verreos and actress Allie Grant from "Weeds", pose on the FIDM Debut 2009 "Pink Carpet"I was very excited to see 15 year old actress Allie Grant, from Showtime's "Weeds", who was one of my "special guests" at the "Debut Barbie Gala". And at each event, I even had my own "bodyguard"! Everywhere I went, I had a "Shadow" and his name was Rick. All the models and my students were making fun of me and found it quite amusing, to say the least.
Who Am I? Whitney Houston: Nick Verreos with his bodyguard, RickNow, why should I need security, you may ask? Well, a couple of years ago when I told all the 3000 guests of a Debut Show that I would be "available for photos", I began posing with people and a stampede of 500 kids and their parents came charging in, pushing me to the floor, and what ensued was a minor version of "American Idol"-esque mayhem. Kids screaming and mothers shouting at me, mad because I was not taking photos with them. And I was ALONE, with no one to help me! Needless to say, the following year, I got my "bodyguard", just in case.... Every five minutes I tried to embarrass Rick by telling him I felt like Whitney Houston in "The Bodyguad". He smiled.
Nick and his Escorts: Nick Verreos poses with Barbie's male model escortsAll in all, I had a ball with all the kids this time, taking as many Facebook and MySpace photos as I could and even giving them impromptu "red carpet fashion commentary". I should have just called Lisa Rinna and set up two chairs by the entrance and began our own new "FIDM Debut/Barbie Fashion Wrap with Lisa and Nick"!
Click HERE on ShavingsFromMyHead.com for a little bit more on the show and the Debut Barbie fashions.
Click Below for a fun little video of me doing my Debut 2009 Runway Walk at the Santa Monica Barker catwalk:
