JUDY, LIZA...and Nick Verreos? The FIDM Debut Runway Show 2010!

LA Fashion Gala...FIDM Style!Presenting FIDM Debut 2010: Nick Verreos, Debut 2010
(photo courtesy of FIDM and www.berlinerphotography.com)

Continuing with my FIDM Debut 2010 posting, here's THE BIGGIE: Last weekend I attended, made an appearance and even handed out awards at...the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising's annual fashion gala, the Debut Fashion Show. Warhol-esque: Debut 2010 Background
(photo courtesy of Feliz Salzman and www.lookbookla.com)

Held at the MASSIVE Santa Monica Barker Hanger, the Debut Show has grown into an extravagant showcase of the creme de la creme of the school's top graduating students in the Advanced Fashion Design, Theater and Costume as well as Interior and Textile Design.Group Photo: Nick Verreos poses with the Debut 2010 Advanced Fashion Design Graduates

The show began with Chairing Styles--a collaboration between the Advanced Fashion Design, Textile Design and Interior Design students and generously supported by the Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated--in which they all design chairs, fabric for the chairs (assisted by Mimaki) plus a corresponding dress. This year's theme was "Garden Party".Somewhere Over The Runway: Judy Garland impersonator Denise Rose, FIDM Debut 2010
(photo courtesy of Feliz Salzman and www.lookbookla.com)

Next was the Theater Costume Advanced Design portion of the show. This year, the theme was "Tribute To Judy and Liza". The old-school "sistahs" in the audience were LOVING IT (moi included!). The young kids, however, didn't even know who these women were (shame on them!)--nevertheless, they were about to get SCHOOLED!!! Jazz Hands: Liza Minelli impersonator Suzanne Goulet in the "Cabaret" excerpt, FIDM Debut 2010
(photo courtesy of Felix Salzman, www.lookbookla.com)

This portion spanned through all of Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minelli's career in Hollywood and the effect they--and their movies--had on Theater and Motion Picture Costume Design. Students designed costumes for "The Wizard of Oz", "New York, New York", "Cabaret", "Meet Me In St. Louis" among others.Trophy Time: Mary Stephens, Nick Verreos and the Nikolaki Couture models onstage FIDM Debut 2010
(photo courtesy of FIDM and www.berlinerphotography.com)

Afterward, I was honored to have been asked by my esteemed Mentor and Advanced Fashion Design Program Chair, Mary Stephens, to present the Debut Awards for 2010, in which we find out who next year's "best and brightest" are. Nick's Angels: Models Danika, Veronica and Tamara, backstage Debut 2010

As a special treat, I brought three looks from my newest NIKOLAKI Collection to be featured on the "trophy girls".
Model Danika Thompson working her NIKOLAKI Couture Fall 2010 Raspberry Silk-wool Zibeline "keyhole" Gown

The Awards Show portion was then followed by the Guess Design Challenge. Guess and the Marciano Brothers are HUGE supporters of FIDM and for Debut 2010, the Advanced Fashion Design Students (whom I mentored and guided for a bit), were asked to design a look for Guess, which then would be shown at Debut 2010, and Maurice Marciano was In attendance to chose the winner...GUESS Who Is The Winner: Brittany Vu winning the FIDM Guess Design Challenge

Brittany Vu, was the winner and was offered an Assistant Design position with Guess and would be able to oversee her design from conception to retail! (AMAZING!!!). Then it was the time for the Advanced Fashion Design graduates to show their individual collections. The collections ranged from extravagant evening gowns (Juan Carlos Fabian) to Kimono-inspired subdued elegant separates (Dominique David) to even a Little Girls Collection (a crowd favorite from graduate Meghann Fanara).
I was excited to see my MUSE (and fit model)--Project Runway Season 6 Model, Lisa Blades (in Juan Carlos Fabian) and...
Project Runway Season 7 Model, Brandise Danesewich (in Nick Gaska) who were both modeling in the show. The evening's fund-raising Debut 2010 Fashion Gala (to support the FIDM Scholarship Foundation) was a huge sold-out success!
I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Julian Bermudez for KPCC's "Off Ramp". That's my NIKOLAKI partner, David Paul with us.
(photo courtesy of FIDM and www.berlinerphotography.com)
And did a Prom Photo with The Bachelor Season 14 Runner Up Tenley Molzahn (photo courtesy of FIDM and www.berlinerphotography.com)
Also at Debut 2010, was designer Tadashi Shoji
(photo courtesy of FIDM and www.berlinerphotography.com) and... The Mattel Barbie boys, Peter Helenek and James Holmes

It's all about COLOR kids!!!!! We look like the LA version of "The Jersey Boys"...or is it "Destiny's Child"? Don't answer that!

Click BELOW for a GREAT Debut 2010 Photo Slide Show from LookBookLa.com and photographer Felix Salzman: