Best of 2008--The Nick Verreos Recap-Part II

Recap of 2008--Nick Verreos style! (Continued) :
Partying with Victoria's Secret, Bravo A-List Awards, Gender Pac Chicago Cook Off, Reality Check, Heidi in Nick Verreos, SOAPnet Daytime Emmys, Project Runway Season 6 Castings, and a Walk-Off in Seattle with Sweet P

May--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nick Verreos at Heavenly Kiss Victroia's Secret Party at Beso

In Early May, I was invited to the Heavenly Kiss Victoria's Secret Fragrance Launch Party at Eva Longoria's Beso Restaurant in Hollywood. Australian model/Orlando Bloom girlfriend (and Victoria's Secret supermodel) Miranda Kerr was the hostess with the mostest. Project Runway Season 4 Finalist Rami Kashou and Nick Verreos at Beso

I ran into LA designer (and Project Runway finalist) Rami Kashou at the event. We both dished a little about the show of course.Decades 2 Owner, Christos Garkinos and Nick Verreos at Sex And The City Decades/HauteLook.com Party

I also attended the Sex And The City/HauteLook.com event at Decades 2 Boutique in LA. My good friend, fellow Greek Christos Garkinos, is part owner of this fabulous store and of course, I am a sucker for parties and anything Sex And The City.Nick Verreos interviews LA designer Rachel Pally, LA Fashion Week

In May, I also filmed a little fashion segment with LA designer (and jersey Queen!) Rachel Pally, in which I covered her LA Fashion Week Collection at the rooftop of this chic Art Deco style Downtown LA penthouse.Actress Thea Gill in NIKOLAKI gown

Finally, actress Thea Gill (of "Dante's Cove") wore one of my NIKOLAKI gowns (a silk chiffon gold paillette one shoulder number) to host the LA Gay and Lesbian Center's Women's Night event, where the one and only Sharon Stone was honored with the Board of Director's Award.

June-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nick Verreos and Kathy Griffin (in Nick Verreos design) at Bravo A-List Awards

June was an extra crazy month for me: To begin with, I flew to NY to film and attend the Bravo A-List Awards. We shot a fun segment where former Project Runway designers were chosen to design outfits for celebrities that would later be auctioned off for UNICEF. I designed a gown for the host of the show, Comedian and Gay Icon, Miss Kathy Griffin. I created a lilac-colored silk jersey draped gown with Swarovski crystal straps. The $600 sketch of Kathy Griffin's Nick Verreos Gown

The show ended with a Project Runway All-Star Fashion Show showcasing all the gowns created by former Project Runway designers, including mine of course. My fashion illustration of the gown also got auctioned off and sold for over $600!Tila Tequila in NIKOLAKI dress at Bravo A-List Awards

Speaking of TV personalities wearing my gowns, I also found out that Tila Tequila (of MTV's A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila) wore my NIKOLAKI striped silk cocktail dress to the Bravo A-List Awards as well as one of my copper-colored draped jersey gowns to the MTV Movie Awards earlier in the month. Tila Tequila in NIKOLAKI gown at MTV Awards

Nick Verreos, Brian Peeler and Jay Rodriguez, 2nd Annual Reality Check Party

Back in Los Angeles, I attended several red carpet parties and events including the 2nd Annual Reality Check, where I got to hang out with Jai Rodriguez, of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy fame and Peeler, the hot former trainer from Bravo's Work Out show.I was also invited to the fundraiser for Nicole Ritchie's Ritchie Madden Foundation at Cusp Boutique to signal the launch of Signorelli's Angel Collection.Stephanie Pratt (from The Hills) and Nick Verreos at Pink Is The New Blog Re-Launch Party

Soon afterward, I attended the Pink Is The New Blog Re-Launch Party in Hollywood, wearing one of Signorelli's Angel T-shirts.

July--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Heidi Klum, in NIKOLAKI dress , at Conan O'Brian taping

I was really excited this month when Heidi Klum chose to wear one of our designs (a black jersey and leather one shoulder dress from my NIKOLAKI Fall Collection) to an appearance on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien Show. She looked unbelievable--so much so, she was then featured in InTouch Magazine in my dress!Nick Verreos and Ted Allen at Gender Pac Chicago Celebrity Cook Off

I flew to Chicago to emcee that city's annual Gender Pac Cook Off. Last year, Kathy Griffin was the hostess and this time around, I was invited to emcee. At least I wasn't asked to cook. I do not cook. I order out, unfortunately. Gender Pac treated me like a VIP, with an amazing gift package from Kiehl's awaiting me in my Hotel Monaco suite and I had a blast hosting the event and donning an apron with Top Chef Judge and former Queer Eye For The Straight Guy's Ted Allen.Nick Verreos and SF philantropist and jewelry designer, Amber Marie Bentley at SF Dress For Success Fundraiser

I also flew to San Francisco, to make a special appearance and be the "guest auctioneer" for its Dress For Success Event at Bentley Holdings. San Francisco fashion diva, philanthropist and jewelry designer, Amber Marie Bentley, invited me and I was happy to attend of course. Especially for such a good cause. She wore one of my NIKOLAKI Spring 2008 cocktail dresses for the event; a black and fuchsia silk duchess Empire waist dress with ivory raw silk fitted bustier and bolero jacket.Actress Shelly Henig in NIKOLAKI Gown at '08 Daytime Emmys Red Carpet

And then to cap this busy Summer month, I was happy to find out that NBC's Days Of Our Lives actress, Shelly Henig was wearing my gown (from my Spring 2008 Collection naturally) to the Daytime Emmy Awards. She also chose a NIKOLAKI cocktail dress to wear to the official SOAPnet Party the night before! I love me some Shelly Hennig!Actress Shelly Henig in NIKOLAKI at SOAPnet Daytime Emmys Official Party

I was extra excited when I got the call from my lovely friends at SOAPnet.com asking me to do "Live From The Daytime Emmys Red Carpet". It was 105 Degrees and I sweated the entire afternoon. My make-up artist just stood next to me with a big roll of paper towels! It was the opposite of GLAMOUR, that's for sure!Nick Verreos and SOAPnet Daytime Emmys Red Carpet presenters/hosts

My (Sexy) Daytime Emmys Shade (from the 105 Degree heat!)

August-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nick Verreos and the Project Runway Season 6 Casting Judges in Chicago

In August, I was asked to judge the (yet to be aired) Season 6 Project Runway Casting in Chicago. Little did I know that I would actually be "playing the part" of Tim Gunn, since he was unable to make the castings. I guess there is something about Chicago that I can't get enough of. Nick Verreos and Lily Collins on the "set" of "Homegrown Princess"

I returned to LA , where I filmed a pilot for the N/Nickelodeon Network, a show titled Homegrown Princess. It was a make-over type show, which I co-hosted with the beautiful Lily Collins, who does red carpet reporting for the network; Lily is a fashionista mini-diva; and a student at the University of Southern California/USC--oh, and she also happens to have A-list Rock Star genes: Her dad is Phil Collins. Project Runway designers Raymundo Baltazar, Nick Verreos, Jay McCarroll and Kara Saun at OUTFEST screening of Jay's Documentary

In LA, I also attended the Outfest screening of Jay McCarroll's Eleven Minutes Documentary. I cannot say this enough: This documentary must be watched by EVERY SINGLE Project Runway fan, every fashion design school student and every family member and close friend of a fashion designer. It's a gritty, no-holds barred vision of what it takes to put on a fashion show and make a collection.

Nick Verreos at FIDM San Diego

I also did several appearances for the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising/FIDM Three Days Of Fashion events in LA, Orange County, San Francisco and San Diego. One of my favorite was the latter, where I got to pose Charlie's Angels style with some future FIDM students, overlooking the stunning San Diego PetCo Ballpark (see photo above).
Nick Verreos and Sweet P arrive in Seattle and are treated "flossy-flossy" style with a limo waiting at the airport (we love IADT!)

I then flew to one of my "home away from home" cities, Seattle, to host the International Academy of Design and Technology/ IADT "Imagine 2008" Event and Fashion Show. I was ecstatic to find out that I would have company: The one and only Sweet P, of Project Runway Season 4 fame, would be joining me. In case you missed it, I made her do a "Walk Off", Project Runway style, to the delight of all the guests--make sure to click below for the fun video.

Best of 2008--Nick Verreos Recap-Part I

Happy Holidays and a Happy 2009!!Nikolaki Santa: Illustration by Nick Verreos

Since 2008 is coming to an end, I thought it would be fun to do a "Best of" here on my fun little ol' blog site. I know it's very "Tyra" of me , but of course this Best of 2008 Recap is ALL ABOUT ME! Well, what I thought were all the highlights for me and what I had done throughout this past year. So without further ado, here goes my monthly Nick Highlights for 2008:

TV Guide Fashion Wraps with Lisa Rinna, Oscar's Pre-Show with Debbie Matenopoulos and Kim Kardashian; FIDM Debut 2008; NIKOLAKI gowns shine on actress Melora Hardin (NBC's The Office), Miss Alaska USA at Miss USA '08, as well as TV Guide Network's Rosanna Tavarez and Kimberly Caldwell at Amercian Idol Finale...

January---------------------------------------------------------------------------------In the beginning of January, I got called in to do some "Red Carpet Fashion Expert" commentating for the TV Guide Network and specifically, to join the expert team on Fashion Wrap with Lisa Rinna post-red carpet show. First up were the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards in late January. I had a blast doing it and I guess the "powers that be" at TV Guide Network liked what they saw...

February--------------------------------------------------------------------------------The following month, I was asked to do E! Entertainment's Live Pre-Oscars Show. I joined the gorgeous (and long-lost Greek sistah) Debbie Matenopoulos as well as TV personality Kim Kardashian, at the Roosevelt Hotel E! Oscars Pre-Show Studio across from the Kodak Theater, and added a little bit of testosterone (just a little) to an otherwise all-girl line up. Debbie Matenopoulos, Nick Verreos and Kim Kardashian on E! Oscars Live Pre-Show

I also got to star in the first ever E! Oscars Fashion Show where we showed gown styles that might be seen on the Academy Awards red carpet, including one of my own NIKOLAKI designs (the turquoise silk gown to the right of the photo below). I even got to take a "final bow". The E! Pre-Oscars Coverage ended with Miss Debbie giving me a bouquet of flowers as I did the "Miss Congeniality" wave and pretend-cry.Debbie Matenopoulos hands Nick Verreos his post runway bouquet

One of the best moments of 2008 for me was when Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin (Best Actress in 1988 for "Children Of A Lesser God") attended the 2008 Oscars and wore one of my NIKOLAKI gowns--a black and white silk duchess fitted gown from my Spring Collection. Actress Marlee Matlin wears NIKOLAKI gown to the 2008 Oscars

This was the first time a Project Runway Designer dressed an Academy Award-winning actress at the Oscars. The gown was later featured in an issue of In Style Magazine, in their "Best Gowns of the 2008 Academy Awards" issue. Consequently, I did a live taping for a BBC Morning Talk Show "Breakfast" and offer more of my expertise on Academy Awards fashion as well as do post-award show commentary once again for Lisa Rinna's Fashion Wraps for TV Guide Network. My time with Lisa and the rest of the red carpet fashion "crew" was not over, however, as I got called upon for one last award show fashion expert chat fest for the Grammy Awards.Project Runway Season 3 Model, Amanda Fields models in FIDM Debut '08

February was also the month for the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) famed Debut Fashion Show. The annual show occurs at the massive Santa Monica Airport Barker Hanger. As the Spokesperson (and Instructor) of FIDM, I introduced the show in front of a packed house of 3000 attendees and then later posed with literally, hundreds of them, for their MySpace and Facebook photos. Fun times!Nick Verreos takes photos at FIDM Debut '08

April-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Along with my partner David Paul--who as you know, co-designs the NIKOLAKI Collection with me--we designed the custom gown for the reigning Miss Alaska USA, Courtney Carroll for her to wear at the Miss USA 2008 competition. It was a sexy 1930's inspired bubblegum pink silk crepe back satin gown with Swarovski crystal shoulder accents. Miss Alaska USA in NIKOLAKI gown, Miss USA 2008 Pageant

We flew to Las Vegas to attend the Miss USA as Courtney's "special guests" and cheer her on as she won the Miss Photogenic 2008 title (which she dutifully accepted in our NIKOLAKI one-of-a-kind gown live on the NBC telecast).

Nick Verreos and Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori

During our visit to Sin City, I got to meet the beautiful Riyo Mori, the reigning Miss Universe 2007, from Japan and the stunning new Miss Venezuela, a lovely young model by the name of Dayana Mendoza. Five months later, Dayana won the Miss Universe 2008 crown in Vietnam.
Miss Venezuela (and future Miss Universe 2008), Dayana Mendoza and Nick Verreos

During April, I was invited (thanks Absolut!) to attend the 2008 GLAAD Media Awards at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Kathy Griffin (and her hilarious mom) opened the show. Janet Jackson was there. Nick Verreos, GLAAD Awards red carpet

So was Cindy Crawford (who accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award for Herb Ritts). Even Tom Ford was in the audience, seated two rows behind me. I also got to say "hello" to actors Rex Lee of HBO's Entourage and Michael Urie of ABC's Ugly Betty, amongst others.

Actors Rex Lee (HBO's Entourage), Michael Urie (ABC's Ugly Betty) and Nick Verreos, 2008 GLAAD Awards

Actress Melora Hardin wears NIKOLAKI to host Elle Magazine event, New York City

During this month, the statuesque (and gorgeous) actress Melora Hardin (of NBC's The Office) wore my NIKOLAKI black ruffled neck fitted dress to an Elle Magazine event she hosted , along with Simon Doonan, Creative Director of Barneys NY.Actress Melora Hardin (wearing NIKOLAKI) on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet

Melora also chose one of my silk chiffon flower-printed gowns from my Spring 2008 Collection to wear for her appearance a week later on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet in New York City.TV presenter and singer Rosanna Tavarez, wearing NIKOLAKI gown to American Idol Finale taping

The month ended in a NIKOLAKI coup d'etat when TV personalities (and hosts of TV Guide Network's Idol Chat, Idol Tonight and Reality Chat) Kimberly Caldwell and Rosanna Tavarez wore my elegant gowns to host the American Idol Finale. Kimberly Caldwell wears NIKOLAKI to American Idol Finale taping

Rosanna wore a white silk jersey Grecian Goddess gown and Kimberly wore two: A black silk duchess strapless gown for the Finale and a black and white cocktail number to interview the winner, David Cook (see video below). They began dating soon afterward. It was my dress I SWEAR! (ha ha)