Fashion Week: Backstage At Lela Rose

On the third day of Fashion Week, I woke up early and headed over to the tents. Outside, it may have been a sleepy Sunday morning, but backstage at Lela Rose, it was bustling.

I wasn’t originally scheduled to cover the Lela Rose show, but after being rebuffed at Alexandre Herchcovitch, Julia let me take her place (merci, Julia!) while she caught up on some beauty sleep. So imagine my surprise/excitement when I see the Ted Gibson – not one of his senior stylists – styling the models hair. I couldn’t believe my luck. Standing there in the presence of greatness, I couldn’t form words. So I snapped some amateur-ish photos and psyched myself up to talk to him. Ted must have sensed my nervousness, so he asked, “Do you wanna talk to me?”


Ted Gibson blowdries model's hair


Ted curls model's hair with medium barrel curling iron


Lela Rose and Ted Gibson

I slowly approached him while wildly fumbling in my bag for my notepad and pen, but was quickly put at ease by his friendly charm. It turns out that Ted, besides being a hair styling genius, is unbelievably down-to-earth and welcoming. He even told me I looked familiar, which warmed my heart – since he spends most of his time surrounded by models and celebs.

I quizzed him about the inspiration for the collection, to which he replied, “it’s Jerry Hall meets Park Avenue.” He continued on, adding that the hair concept was actually Lela’s. “It’s so nice to work with a designer who has such a clear sense of direction,” he said. “Lela really knows who her customer is, and her collection reflects that.”

To achieve the look - which Ted described as “sporty rather than contrived” – hair was blown out with Build It Blow Drying Agent, which imparts body, bold movement and intense shine to the hair. Next hair was curled with a medium-barrel curling iron, then he back-combed the roots “to create volume and texture at the scalp.” To set the style, Ted spritzed hair with Beautiful Hold, his gardenia-scented hairspray.

Finally, locks were smoothed with a paddle brush, styled into a half up/half down style, and finished off with a few swipes of Hair Sheet Treatment – to “rebuild and revitalize.” Before concluding the interview, I asked Ted about his celebrity hair muses – to which he replied: Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway (whose hair he styled for the Miss Sixty show), Joy Bryant, Gabrielle Union, and Debra Messing.


Beauty.com celebrity makeup artist Tina Turnbow created the sporty socialite look with products from NARS.

Models wore:

Eyes: Kaliste Eyeliner Pencil (teal) and Paris Eyeshadow Duo (silver shimmer and matte gray)
Cheeks: Dolce Vita Blush* (dusty rose)
Lips: Misbehave Lip Gloss** (sheer cherry red with gold shimmer) and Greek Holiday Lip Gloss (shimmering pink sand)

*new for Fall 2008
**new for Summer 2008

Fashion Week: Backstage At Lela Rose

On the third day of Fashion Week, I woke up early and headed over to the tents. Outside, it may have been a sleepy Sunday morning, but backstage at Lela Rose, it was bustling.

I wasn’t originally scheduled to cover the Lela Rose show, but after being rebuffed at Alexandre Herchcovitch, Julia let me take her place (merci, Julia!) while she caught up on some beauty sleep. So imagine my surprise/excitement when I see the Ted Gibson – not one of his senior stylists – styling the models hair. I couldn’t believe my luck. Standing there in the presence of greatness, I couldn’t form words. So I snapped some amateur-ish photos and psyched myself up to talk to him. Ted must have sensed my nervousness, so he asked, “Do you wanna talk to me?”


Ted Gibson blowdries model's hair


Ted curls model's hair with medium barrel curling iron


Lela Rose and Ted Gibson

I slowly approached him while wildly fumbling in my bag for my notepad and pen, but was quickly put at ease by his friendly charm. It turns out that Ted, besides being a hair styling genius, is unbelievably down-to-earth and welcoming. He even told me I looked familiar, which warmed my heart – since he spends most of his time surrounded by models and celebs.

I quizzed him about the inspiration for the collection, to which he replied, “it’s Jerry Hall meets Park Avenue.” He continued on, adding that the hair concept was actually Lela’s. “It’s so nice to work with a designer who has such a clear sense of direction,” he said. “Lela really knows who her customer is, and her collection reflects that.”

To achieve the look - which Ted described as “sporty rather than contrived” – hair was blown out with Build It Blow Drying Agent, which imparts body, bold movement and intense shine to the hair. Next hair was curled with a medium-barrel curling iron, then he back-combed the roots “to create volume and texture at the scalp.” To set the style, Ted spritzed hair with Beautiful Hold, his gardenia-scented hairspray.

Finally, locks were smoothed with a paddle brush, styled into a half up/half down style, and finished off with a few swipes of Hair Sheet Treatment – to “rebuild and revitalize.” Before concluding the interview, I asked Ted about his celebrity hair muses – to which he replied: Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway (whose hair he styled for the Miss Sixty show), Joy Bryant, Gabrielle Union, and Debra Messing.


Beauty.com celebrity makeup artist Tina Turnbow created the sporty socialite look with products from NARS.

Models wore:

Eyes: Kaliste Eyeliner Pencil (teal) and Paris Eyeshadow Duo (silver shimmer and matte gray)
Cheeks: Dolce Vita Blush* (dusty rose)
Lips: Misbehave Lip Gloss** (sheer cherry red with gold shimmer) and Greek Holiday Lip Gloss (shimmering pink sand)

*new for Fall 2008
**new for Summer 2008

Fashion Week Part Deux: Thuy Fall 2008 Collection

I woke up on Saturday morning and headed to the Exit Art Building for the Thuy Fall 2008 Collection presentation. A presentation is different from a runway show, in that there’s no actual runway – just models strutting their stuff amongst us mere mortals. The show was very impromptu, which I really enjoyed. Though after waiting almost an hour, it began without warning (I attended with Amber and Marina – Marina was somewhere getting juice when the show finally began).

Romero Jennings, Head Makeup Artist for MAC, was responsible for the models’ ethereal eyes and lengthy lashes; he lined the inner rims with shimmery white pencil and applied a few coats of black mascara for definition. Jennings polished off the look with a strong matte mouth. Lips were lined and filled in with Brick Lip Pencil (intense golden red), then Brown Lipmix (a MAC Pro product) was applied on top of the pencil.

To balance the bold lip, Liam Carey, Senior Stylist for Ted Gibson, pin-curled the models’ hair. Then, keeping it soft, he styled tresses into dreamy side-ponys and updos*.

Amber, Marina, and I walked away from the Thuy show with a goodie bag filled with, well, goodies. Of the beauty treats, I am most excited to try Ted Gibson’s Beautiful Hold Hairspray; its fool-proof formula allows it to be layered depending on hair styling needs, and it has a sophisticated gardenia fragrance.

*Marina was so enamored with the models’ curly tresses, she accompanied me back to my hotel so she could use my T3 Medium Duality to re-create the look. Unfortunately, in the short period of time she had before her next appointment, she couldn’t figure out how to curl with the flat iron – so she straightened her hair instead. And it looked fabulous nonetheless.

Look at the models giving me face. I felt like Mario Testino.

Fashion Week Part Deux: Thuy Fall 2008 Collection

I woke up on Saturday morning and headed to the Exit Art Building for the Thuy Fall 2008 Collection presentation. A presentation is different from a runway show, in that there’s no actual runway – just models strutting their stuff amongst us mere mortals. The show was very impromptu, which I really enjoyed. Though after waiting almost an hour, it began without warning (I attended with Amber and Marina – Marina was somewhere getting juice when the show finally began).

Romero Jennings, Head Makeup Artist for MAC, was responsible for the models’ ethereal eyes and lengthy lashes; he lined the inner rims with shimmery white pencil and applied a few coats of black mascara for definition. Jennings polished off the look with a strong matte mouth. Lips were lined and filled in with Brick Lip Pencil (intense golden red), then Brown Lipmix (a MAC Pro product) was applied on top of the pencil.

To balance the bold lip, Liam Carey, Senior Stylist for Ted Gibson, pin-curled the models’ hair. Then, keeping it soft, he styled tresses into dreamy side-ponys and updos*.

Amber, Marina, and I walked away from the Thuy show with a goodie bag filled with, well, goodies. Of the beauty treats, I am most excited to try Ted Gibson’s Beautiful Hold Hairspray; its fool-proof formula allows it to be layered depending on hair styling needs, and it has a sophisticated gardenia fragrance.

*Marina was so enamored with the models’ curly tresses, she accompanied me back to my hotel so she could use my T3 Medium Duality to re-create the look. Unfortunately, in the short period of time she had before her next appointment, she couldn’t figure out how to curl with the flat iron – so she straightened her hair instead. And it looked fabulous nonetheless.

Look at the models giving me face. I felt like Mario Testino.

In The Clutch

I’m the type of woman who carries her beauty arsenal with her at all times. Judging from the size (and weight) of my handbag, this should come as no surprise. So when I’m heading out for cocktails with friends, to a wedding, or dinner with my hubby, it’s always a struggle to fit all of my products in my cute, petite purse. Over time, I’ve learned that you needn’t sacrifice style just because you have to sacrifice space. The secret? Travel sizes and multi-purpose products. Here are a few of my favs…

Clinique's Perfectly Real Compact Makeup looks like your skin—only better. The silky, oil-free formula optimizes your skin’s varying tones to create a more even, perfected appearance. Buildable coverage lasts for hours, yet feels like nothing at all.

Benefit's A Little Bit BADgal Lash Mascara is a little bit of BADgal lash for the girl on the go. Even though it's mini, it carries a big BADgal punch - lavish mascara that's sexy, sultry, pure, unadulterated black.

Stila's Convertible Eye Color is a versatile, dual-ended eye color wand that contains a smooth, easy to apply (thanks to the built-in applicator), powder eyeshadow on one end, and a matching automatic eyeliner pencil on the other, for perfectly color-coordinated lids in a flash. Available in 9 color combinations.

Stila's ingenious lipstick and blush-in-one proves irresistible. Convertible Color is a creamy, sheer tint that adds an inherent glow to the cheeks while lips bloom with fresh, radiant color. A mini-mirrored compact makes touch ups on the go a snap.

DuWop Duet Gloss & Highlighter is a double-ended wand with a gorgeous shimmering lip gloss on one end, paired with a liquid all-over face highlighter on the other.

Revlon's Makeup Eraser Pen quickly and precisely removes makeup smudges and smears in one simple step. Designed for portable perfection and touch-ups on the go. Easily lift away longwearing and waterproof makeup without irritating skin. The soft tip lets you target hard-to-reach mistakes without disturbing your makeup.

Now you can smooth frizz, prevent over-drying, eliminate odors, and protect your hair from the sun anytime, anywhere with Ted Gibson's Hair Styling Sheets.

Sephora's 3 Inch Fragrance Atomizer will keep you smelling sweet from dusk til dawn. Just fill with your favorite fragrance, drop in your handbag, and 'spritz' yourself whenever you need a pick-me-up. Three inches in length, this atomizer comes with a drawstring pouch and funnel for easy refilling.

In The Clutch

I’m the type of woman who carries her beauty arsenal with her at all times. Judging from the size (and weight) of my handbag, this should come as no surprise. So when I’m heading out for cocktails with friends, to a wedding, or dinner with my hubby, it’s always a struggle to fit all of my products in my cute, petite purse. Over time, I’ve learned that you needn’t sacrifice style just because you have to sacrifice space. The secret? Travel sizes and multi-purpose products. Here are a few of my favs…

Clinique's Perfectly Real Compact Makeup looks like your skin—only better. The silky, oil-free formula optimizes your skin’s varying tones to create a more even, perfected appearance. Buildable coverage lasts for hours, yet feels like nothing at all.

Benefit's A Little Bit BADgal Lash Mascara is a little bit of BADgal lash for the girl on the go. Even though it's mini, it carries a big BADgal punch - lavish mascara that's sexy, sultry, pure, unadulterated black.

Stila's Convertible Eye Color is a versatile, dual-ended eye color wand that contains a smooth, easy to apply (thanks to the built-in applicator), powder eyeshadow on one end, and a matching automatic eyeliner pencil on the other, for perfectly color-coordinated lids in a flash. Available in 9 color combinations.

Stila's ingenious lipstick and blush-in-one proves irresistible. Convertible Color is a creamy, sheer tint that adds an inherent glow to the cheeks while lips bloom with fresh, radiant color. A mini-mirrored compact makes touch ups on the go a snap.

DuWop Duet Gloss & Highlighter is a double-ended wand with a gorgeous shimmering lip gloss on one end, paired with a liquid all-over face highlighter on the other.

Revlon's Makeup Eraser Pen quickly and precisely removes makeup smudges and smears in one simple step. Designed for portable perfection and touch-ups on the go. Easily lift away longwearing and waterproof makeup without irritating skin. The soft tip lets you target hard-to-reach mistakes without disturbing your makeup.

Now you can smooth frizz, prevent over-drying, eliminate odors, and protect your hair from the sun anytime, anywhere with Ted Gibson's Hair Styling Sheets.

Sephora's 3 Inch Fragrance Atomizer will keep you smelling sweet from dusk til dawn. Just fill with your favorite fragrance, drop in your handbag, and 'spritz' yourself whenever you need a pick-me-up. Three inches in length, this atomizer comes with a drawstring pouch and funnel for easy refilling.