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Several vendors offered new meaning to the term material world.
While Sprout Watches have been a repeat vendor at GBK, we never
get tired of hearing about how things like Tyvek and other recycled
materials can be forged into timely, chic accessories. We were also
delighted to catch up with the creators of Half Breed Clothing and Emys Clothing, because we love the
things that inspired these very different but very globally minded
sportswear lines. Half Breed works on the premise that most people
living today and are of mixed heritage, and this should be worn,
literally, as a badge of honour. Emys’ garments come in a line of
colours inspired by the world’s great natural sites, including some
in New Zealand. ‘Many of our colours are dyed to match colours that
the owner has seen in his travels as a biologist throughout the
world,’ noted the rep. They are fashioned from bamboo, in lieu
of cotton, which requires more pesticides for successful harvesting.
Handcrafted chic was also alive and on display, with Ruby Roxanne
Designs showing off its vibrant leather cuff bracelets and flower
barrettes, and the Artisan Group was back to show off their latest collection
of boutique jewellery, note cards, toys and home décor accents. My
bag was filled with wonderful things by the 7th Crow by Jamie Johnson,
the Shutterbug Eye by Diane Miller, Jewels for Hope by Stevie d’Andrea,
SariBlue and other wearable, wonderful items.
Given this was the MTV Movie Awards, there were some inspired
delights for the kids. MGA Entertainment, a consumer entertainment
products’ company, showcased their Bratz True Hope bald dolls to
raise cancer awareness, and gifting their arty line of Bratzillas
dolls. Jada Toys, Inc. offered the youngest girl guests Cutie Pops
trendy fashion dolls with pop-on clothing and accessories that made
Moms and aunts wish getting ready for work was that easy. Boys of
all ages, meanwhile, got to gawk over Toy State’s exclusive sneak
peak of the new 007 line of licensed toy replicas of the famous
Bond cars and receive goodies from their Dub Garage Toys and Road Rippers lines.
The intimate Colgate Optic White Beauty Bar suite at West Hollywood’s
901 Salon revealed good things do come in small packages. It certainly
packed enough of a pampering punch to attract some very big stars,
among them Nicky Hilton, Taylor Armstrong, Ashley Tisdale, Audrina
Patridge, Courtney Robertson, Maria Menounos, Aimée
Garcia, Ariel Winter, Camilla Luddington, Cassie Scerbo, Christina
Milian, Drita d’Avanzo, Fiona Gubelmann, Francia Raisa, Jamie Chung,
Jessica Stroup and Pia Toscana.
Between servings of sorbet at Skintimates’ station and UV vodka
cocktails (some made with Coffee-mate Natural Bliss), all guests
were treated to make-up consultations at the Find Your Best Smile lipstick
station. While Nicky Hilton got the full VIP treatment, other guests
had their hair fashionably braided using Ultimate Eurotherapy, received
gel polish manicures by SensatioNail, posed for photos in the Skintimate
photo booth, and learned about the new special, charity-focused edition
Cetaphil moisturizing cream.
Killer music and other encore performances
Elsewhere in Los Angeles, several musicians involved in movie and
television soundtracks were posing the question, ‘Why should the
kids have all the fun?’ Trevor Rabin, who was an essential pop cultural
icon if you grew up in the 1980s (as the young gun guitarist who
brought Yes into the MTV mainstream with hits like ‘Owner of a Lonely
Heart’), celebrated the release of Jacaranda, his first studio album
in 20 years.
While this record release party at the gallery-like Gibson–Baldwin
showroom was a convivial gathering of music industry heavyweights,
it was also effectively a pre-party for a June 28 gathering that
will effectively be Rabin’s own private Academy Awards ceremony.
Rabin will receive both an ASCAP award and a Henry Mancini award
for his work in film and television soundtracks (which provided
an aural backdrop for several movies celebrated at recent MTV Music
Awards events).
Jacaranda is noteworthy for this generation, as his son Ryan plays
drums on the album, and is a rock star in his right, as part of
the fast-rising band Grouplove and hit ‘Tongue Tied’. The beautiful
vocals of Liz Constantine (also of LA rock duo Dzzy X) make a stellar presence.
With talk of Emmy nominations being bandied about, and the US television series Dexter being a critical favourite during its run,
that show’s composer, Daniel Licht, took music and series fans behind
the scenes of that and other shows in a very sensory way. Michael
C. Hall (Dexter himself) was on hand to kick off the show, though
Licht more than held his own as a showman. He peppered the orchestral
set with lots of witty asides, anecdotes and a colourful cast of
supporting players, including Dexter main title composer Rolfe Kent
and Silent Hill series vocalist Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. The concert
also featured use of all kinds of unconventional instruments, including
scissors, knives, saws, wine glasses and other surprising elements.
Longtime Lucire friend and event planner extraordinaire Doris Bergman
helped stage a fundraiser for Beverly Hills-based chef–restaurateur
Kimmy Tang’s partnership with HARK (Healing Arts Reaching Kids)
to support the art therapy programme at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
The cause, and her fabulous, aromatic morsels from her 9021PHO menu
stopped traffic as over 100 industry VIPs, celebrities and gourmands
attended a food fest to celebrate
‘I do not have children of my own, so I want to help as many children
as I can,’ said Tang, who is implementing this
programme in her Beverly Hills, Westlake and soon-to-open Glendale
restaurant (September 15). ‘The plan is to open 50 restaurants in
the next five years!’ beams Kimmy, ‘then think about how many children
I can help!’
On the salon scene, things heated up via the opening of the Blow
Dry Lounge by Phyto at the Fred Segal Salon in Santa Monica. Though
blow-dry only salons now dot the LA landscape, with hundreds of
local women queuing up to get that long, lissome California girl
look, this airy spot in the high-concept celebrity-driven department
store offers a menu of services that would rival your favourite neighbourhood
Chinese take-away, with different varieties of blow-drys, up-dos
and Phyto-based hair restorative treatments. In Beverly Hills, boutique
salon Rossano Ferretti Hairspa showcased the latest professional
products from L’Oréal Professionnel as well as the Balayage hair
colouring technique with celebrity stylists Rossano Ferretti and
colourist Nancy Braun, helping fashionistas attain a sunkissed look
without roots or strange unnatural tones that, as Ferretti put it,
allows more movement in the hair.
Finally, it could not be summer 2012 without nods to the
UK’s heady presence in the news, between the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
and the Olympic Games in London. The Los Angeles branch of the British–American Business Council transformed the gardens of the Four Seasons
West Lake Village into an English garden. True Brit, chef Alex Porter,
satisfied the guests’ hunger for all things British with fish and
chips, afternoon tea sandwiches, scones, mini Welsh rarebit and
steak pie hors d’œuvres, with Pimm’s Cup cocktails to wash it all
down. Dame Barbara Hay, British Consul General, presided over the
festivities.
Fox-C’s corner
The A Chance to Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes charity event stepped
up the late spring party scene at Tiato Kitchen Bar & Garden Venue
in Santa Monica. Bellacures president and founder Samira Asemanfar
teamed up with online shoe boutique Sole Society marketing manager Sharon
Lombardi and event planner Hillary Gadsby for the benefit of the
popular charity Dress for Success, a vital organization as the economy
just starts to heal in North America, and people start heading for
job interviews.
The event assisted the efforts and mission of Dress for Success
to promote economic independence of disadvantaged women providing
professional attire, a network of support and career development
tools to help them thrive in their personal and professional lives.
The planners encouraged guests to not only bring in gently used
shoes, but also make donations of their individual volunteer time
and talents. The late May event was a great success for the organization,
with the good spirit and hospitality inspiring the 100-plus women guests
who attended to donate not only their almost-new clothes and shoes
but also their time and expertise to also inspired them to continue
to pursue their dreams.
Bellacures, the nail salon spa best of known for its cleanliness and comfy chairs, hosted the event and offered mini-manicures to guests, and gift discounts to the Beverly Hills Bellacures location, specialty services like the Seasonal Scrub Mani and Pedi, Gelicure Mani and Moisture Rich Pedi. Sole Society Shoes donated trendy everyday shoes for the guests in exchange for their donations. Sharon Lombardi helped donors decide on what style to take home, based on the range of styles in an arrangement of colours of orange, blue suede, gold cork wedge sandals, sexy red linen like cork heels and summer beach espadrilles.
The always-anticipated Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation
hosted its 23rd annual A Time for Heroes event in Los Angeles on June 3. The familiar assemblage of gorgeous celebrity families,
along with generous corporate partners, sponsors and other supporters
once again raised widespread awareness and funds for the Foundation’s
efforts to end HIV and Aids in children around the world.
More than 1,000 people attended, with some of Hollywood’s hottest
stars playing old-fashioned carnival games, getting creative with
arts and crafts, dancing to great music, and enjoying fabulous food
from LA’s best eateries. One of the more memorable sightings were
of Gwen Stefani building cars at the Disney booth with her kids,
posing for photos with Goofy, and hanging out with Ingrid Michaelson.
Sharon Stone was right at home on the red carpet, advocating the
importance of eradicating pediatric Aids and thanking the media
for supporting the cause and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids
Foundation over the many years.
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Given this was the MTV Movie Awards, there were some inspired delights for the kids. MGA Entertainment, a consumer entertainment products’ company, showcased their Bratz True Hope bald dolls to raise cancer awareness, and gifting their arty line of Bratzillas dolls
Elyse Glickman is U.S. West Coast editor of Lucire.
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