Nick TV Minute: National Wear Red Day Satellite Media Tour and a Mood Fabrics Run-In With Daniel Vosovic!

National Wear Red Day Recap--Part One!

Sitting Red: Nick Verreos getting ready for his 8-hour Satellite Media Tour last Thursday promoting National Wear Red Day and American Heart Association's Go Red For Women

Last week, I flew to NYC to co-co-host with actress Elizabeth Banks and attorney, TV personality (and DIVA) Star Jones, a FAB and worthwhile event for National Wear Red Day and American Heart Association's Go Red For Women cause, at Macy's Herald Square. I was there to raise awareness of heart disease and inspire women (and men too!) to WEAR RED and of course, show everyone the different ways of how to wear red.

The big event was on Friday of last week--since Friday was National Wear Red Day--but I arrived on Tuesday to "settle in", do an all-day Satellite Media Tour--or "SMT" as they are called in the industry--as well as take part in a Twitter Party (my FIRST Twitter Party EVER!!) for Go Red. My time in NYC was AMAZING and the event was INCREDIBLE. I'll do a full Recap here on the big day last Friday, but for now, here's what I did on the days leading up to it:

My NYC Home--for a week: The Yotel NYC

After I arrived and checked into the wonderful (and very Virgin America-esque) Yotel New York City in the newly-trendy area of Hell's Kitchen ("HK" as my NY Gays say), I got right to work. I had some business meetings for a possible future Nick Verreos "diffusion" line of dresses that happened to be in THE SAME building where Mood Fabrics is. My partner-in-NIKOLAKI-crime David Paul, said "Oh, I've never been to Mood NY...can we stop by?" Done and done. Well, as I gave him a tour of my old Project Runway fabric stomping grounds (and as I began to get stomach pains just thinking about running around in that place back in 2005), I heard a "Oh No You Didn't!" from someone standing in line to buy fabrics...

Mood Buddies: Nick Verreos and Daniel Vosovic reunite at Mood Fabrics NYC

It was Daniel Vosovic, my Season 2 bestie! I just about fell right there on the Mood floor...no seriously, I almost fell!! What are the chances that I go to Mood Fabrics NY (I had not been back since I did my season of Project Runway) and that I run into a fellow Project Runway designer and not just any but one from my season--and one of my roommates no less!

The following day, it was an early wake up call, since I was to be on set for my SMT's at 5:30 AM. I did about 35 TV and Radio interviews in English and Spanish (Go Red Por Tu Corazon!) for various Morning TV News Shows across the Nation including Philadelphia, Nashville, Atlanta, Seattle, Tulsa and many many others.

Heart Love: Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum and Nick Verreos, on the set of the National Wear Red Day/Go Red For Women Satellite Media Tour, NYC

My fellow "Co-Pilot" for the Satellite Media Tour was Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, attending cardiologist and the Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute of Lennox Hill Hospital in New York City. She was there to educate the audience about the dangers of heart disease and how it is the No. 1 killer of women and talk about ways to prevent it.

Macy's Red Dresses from Alfani, I.N.C. and Charter Club, available exclusively at Macy's

And I was there to show women how they could raise awareness by Wearing Red and showing three beautiful dresses available at Macy's. The dresses were all red, of course, from Alfani, I.N.C. and Charter Club, and all for under $100 with 10% of the sale of each dress going to the American Heart Association.

Nick's "Go Red For Women" Goddesses: Eva, Tamara and Shermane

Joining us on the segments--to show off these dresses--were my "Nick Go Red Goddesses": Eva, Tamara, and Shermane, three women whose lives have been impacted by heart disease. I LOVED these three women, not only for their courage, their survival and struggles, but also because they were unshakeable in their energy and unconditional warmth. Oh, and did I mention I bow to them for having to stand in them heels for HOURS through all our TV interviews!! We had a great time sharing the National Wear Red Day love and educating people on heart disease as well as giving one or two Go Red fashion tips!

Click Below to Watch a segment we shot with CBS Atlanta 46:




Click HERE for the segment we did with WTKR News Channel 3 CBS Affiliate in Virginia

Click HERE for the segment we did with FOX 23 "Great Day Green Country" Tulsa Oklahoma

The Following Morning...

Red & Ready: Here I am the day after--on Friday--at my hotel room, dressed and ready for National Wear Red Day at Macy's Herald Square in NYC

Up Next: My Recap of National Wear Red Day and the Go Red For Women DASH at Macy's Herald Square with Elizabeth Banks and Star Jones!!!

Sweet Redemption plus More-Episode 3 Recap

HOLA!

I just returned from spending three wonderful days in San Francisco where I was asked to host a fashion show/event (more on that in a later post) and literally dropped my suitcase and turned on the TV to watch this third episode of Season 4 Project Runway. Thank God for TiVo, since I got home after the episode aired and therefore could not have my weekly "Viewing Party" with Andrae, lots of champagne and cookies. For this particular episode, I decided to just put down several "thoughts". Hope you enjoy it and would love to read your feedback and thoughts on this episode.

1) Sweet Redemption:
While the episode unfolded--along with all the drama and frustrations--the words sweet redemption kept cropping up in my head, like little "Pop Up Video" bubbles. Now, let me preface my explanation by saying that I have had nothing but amazing opportunities as well as feel blessed by everything that has occurred in my life and my business as a result of being on the show. However, as you may remember, I was voted off Season 2 for making Daniel Vosovic a suit that was deemed "too feminine", as well as for a lack of pockets and jacket button/closures.

Yet, after seeing some of the creations in this episode, I could not help but feel a bit redeemed. Especially, since I remember at the time reading a lot of viewer comments saying something to the effect of "How could Nick not put buttons or pockets?" But somehow, I got to finish a fully lined jacket, a collared dress shirt, a silk scarf and skinny pants with a waistband and zip-fly in the SAME AMOUNT OF TIME as these designers. Go figure. Several of this season's designers could barely finish TWO pieces. It ain't that easy kids. Therefore, again, I have to ask the question I asked in my first recap: Are these really the most talented group of designers ever? (as Tim and Heidi proudly announced in the premiere episode).


Chloe Dao, the winner of Season 2, made a fabulous--and Challenge-winning--three-piece outfit for me, which included hand sewn buttonholes , mitered stripes and a fully lined vest. Season 3 winner, Jeffrey Sebelia made a great "Rock Star" outfit, which was (as far as I remember) fully finished also. So why couldn't these designers, who are supposed be more talented and have far more expertise than us, just finish a shirt or close the lining of a jacket? Just saying...

Now, back to the best and worst of the lot. Like the judges, I also had a difficult time trying to decide which outfit was the worst: Ricky's safety-pinned concoction, Sweet Pea's askew dress shirt or Carmen's 1920's Golf caddie go-go boy. In the end, Carmen 's badly fitting crotch was the one to go.

I did have a couple of favorites, most notably, Rami's, which looked straight out of the third floor at Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Store: Elegant, stylish and very Italian-looking. I also liked Kit's cardigan-like creation. He looked like a sexy "Mr. Rodgers". But the judges chose Jack's safe,well cut shirt and pants. It looked very much like it came from the Macy's I.N.C. brand.


2) Where did all those Men's Forms come from?
If I remember correctly , we didn't even have men's forms when we did our challenge. I actually had to fit it on one of the ladies forms in the room. Daniel Vosovic was a woman's 4, in case you are wondering, without the breasts of course! But, all of a sudden, when they return from the NBC Today Studios, there are a dozen men's forms at the Parsons Workroom. No explanation. Unfair and a bit bizarre.

3) Jack: It's called "Knocking Off"
Congratulations for winning this challenge, Jack. We loved your outfit as well as seeing your GINORMOUS pecs every other second, but there was no need to actually ruin your shorts and cut them to get the pattern. It's on page 535 of "Patternmaking for Fashion Design" by Helen Joseph-Armstrong, and is usually taught to every second year fashion design student. So, next time, no need to cut, just get that old tracing wheel out and some tissue paper and you are ready to go...

4) Speaking of GINORMOUS pecs...
Did a Bravo executive just write a big yellow "Post It" to the show's editors and say More Male Nude Skin? (I'm speaking to you Andy Cohen!!) What was going on? There was so much gratuitous display of male skin, I thought I was standing in front of an Abrecrombie and Fitch store! First, Jack was half naked through the entire episode. Then, after the constant parade of male models with their .00005 % fat content showcasing their taut bodies, I had to check my remote to see if the channel had changed to LOGO. But the sight of "I have the whitest teeth in all the United States of America", Tiki Barber (whom I admit I had no idea who he was) reassured me otherwise. Bravo knows its market demographic: It not only wants to make the gays and their girlfriends happy, but also the girlfriend's beer-drinking, football-watching husbands.
And finally:

5) Open Letter To Carmen:
Dear Carmen: There is a light at the end of the Project Runway Menswear Challenge Tunnel. I guarantee you will get a request (or two) to make your auf'ed ensemble for someone. Proof: Just ONE WEEK AGO, I received the following letter on my website regarding my "way too feminine suit" that I created for Daniel Vosovic TWO YEARS AGO, in which I was booted off the show for:


Dear Mr. Verreos, I actually just saw one of the episodes of Project Runway, and I am very interested in a suit that you constructed for another contestant, Daniel. I have been looking for a suit exactly like that forever. Do you still design men's suits, or is there someplace where you sell suits in that same style? If not, would you be interested in creating one? Please let me know.

PRAYING TO BUDDHA (BAR)

PRAYING TO BUDDHA (BAR)

Tuesday night was the New York Premiere for Season 3 of "Project Runway". I came to New York prepared with my "premiere outfit", which I dutifully bought at Zara consisting of creme-colored slacks and a striped off-white dress shirt, which I was either going to leave unbuttoned or wear with a tie. I was sort of going for a "St. Tropez" look. Well, needless to say, when I got up on Tuesday, I had a change of heart: I wanted SKINNY JEANS! Even though I do not have the cracked-out look of Kate Moss' former paramour, Pete Dougherty, that was sort of the look I was going for, sans the crack thank you very much!
I met up with Season 1 winner, Jay McCarroll (who is working on his Spring '07 Collection as we speak) and his friend, Season 1 designer Nora, for some pre-drinks at The Double Seven Bar on West 14th. Before we knew it, we realized we were running late, so we walked down the street in the sweltering heat of the Meatpacking District to the new Buddha Bar.
Before walking inside , we ran into another Season 1 fave, Austin Scarlett, along with Wedding Gown designer, Amsale, Austin's new boss. I did the "Red Carpet" , along with Jay, doing interviews for Access Hollywood and TV Guide Channel. I walked in , through the stunning entry hall of the Buddha Bar, immediately wanting to do a runway walk , amongst the impressive statues looking on.
Speaking of runway, as soon as I walked in, I immediately recognized one of Yves Saint Laurent's African muses. She is from Senegal and was the couturier's house model , featured in the Sundance Documentary "Avenue Marceau 75116". I even told her that I remembered the white silk charmeuese Haute Couture gown she wore in one of his last Couture shows. She was simply stunning and exotic as a Gazelle as she posed for a photo with me.
Of course, I saw my former "castmates", including Daniel Vosovic, Marla and Diana (both looking sexy and very pretty), Emmett(passing announcements to the Trunk Show we were having the day after and featuring the Tim Gunn "Gun" T-shirt)as well as winner, Chloe Dao(who was there with her sister, Sydney). I got to meet several of the new season's designers, including Keith Michael and also befriended one of the new season's models, the statuesque(6 feet tall!), Amanda. We later enjoyed a nice dinner at Pastis with David and several of my friends. The party was fun and I was able to greet many fans of the show (mostly beautiful young girls), saying "Thank You" to their compliments and kind comments. At one point I glanced over and saw Tim Gunn who was off to the side, almost getting mobbed! I did not even get to say "Hello" , because there seemed to be a line 10 people deep wanting to greet him. I do not know how he does it, never breaking into a sweat.
Right before we were getting ready to leave, I decided to grab Chloe, and some of the Season 3 Models, and we actually had a "Walk Off", in the middle of the fabulous club, with a 20 foot statue of Buddha looking on! Thank God most of the guests had left by then, otherwise, I think we would not have done it! I could not have left the Buddha Bar without leaving my "Runway" imprint. Another great moment was when Amanda(model), pulled an Elle Magazine out of her gift bag, and showed Chloe her spread for the very first time. Chloe subsequently screamed and ran to show her sister, Sydney, the wonderful photo spread with her and her model, Grace.
We ended the the night dancing at Beige and Happy Valley, where we reconnected with Keith Michael, and the beautiful Allison, who were rightly celebrating the debut of their show.
I would have stayed but as I looked around at all the 22 year old club kids, I realized that A) I felt WAY TOO OLD, and B) I had to be up "bright and early" to do the Trunk Show at EMc2 the following day.