Wanted to share the latest and greatest about FNO with you!

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES EXPANDED FASHION’S NIGHT OUT FOR 2010

Nearly 1,000 Participants Across the City Already a Part of this Year’s Event, Including Largest Public Fashion Show in New York City History

175,000 Jobs in City’s $10 Billion Retail and Fashion Industries

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Executive Director Steven Kolb today detailed Fashion’s Night Out 2010, which will include the largest public fashion show in New York City history – Fashion’s Night Out: The Show.

Fashion’s Night Out, which was first introduced last year, is a citywide event to support retail and fashion in New York City. Participating retail stores across the five boroughs will stay open until 11:00 PM on Friday, September 10th and offer an array of in-store celebrations and promotions.

Nearly 1000 participants, including retailers, designers, and fashion and beauty brands have already signed on to participate in the event.

The new public fashion show will take place on September 7th at Lincoln Center and tickets will go on sale to the public on Thursday, August 19th through the Lincoln Center Box Office.

The show will feature more than 150 top models and trends for fall as determined by Vogue and the show will seat more than 1,500 spectators, with tickets starting at $25.

Proceeds from the fashion show’s ticket sales will benefit the NYC AIDS Fund. The Mayor also was joined by Saks, Inc. CEO Steve Sadove, designer Marc Jacobs and leading members of the fashion and retail community.

“Fashion and retail is part of the very fabric of New York City – supporting 175,000 jobs and pumping $10 billion into our economy annually,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We are going to continue to help support, develop and expand these sectors with programs like Fashion’s Night Out, our fashion incubator and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. With a growing number of locations participating in Fashion’s Night Out and the largest public fashion show in city history, we are providing consumers with more opportunities to see all the city’s retailers and designers have to offer.”

“Millions from around the world visit New York City to be at the epicenter for fashion and design,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. “Fashion’s Night Out is a global showcase for the city’s outstanding talent, attracting visitors and supporting the local businesses that work so hard to ensure that New York City remains the world’s fashion capital. We are also excited to expand this year’s program to include this one-of-a-kind fashion show that will make Fashion’s Night Out even more accessible to visitors and residents across the five boroughs.”

“We are very excited to add the fashion show this year so that people will have the opportunity to see the wonderful clothes that will be available to them on Fashion’s Night Out,” said Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour. “We’ve focused the show on the trends we thought were most important, so that no matter what their style or budget shoppers will have a source of inspiration.”

“This is the first fashion show of its kind to bring the excitement of a live fashion show in an amazing outdoor setting directly to the general public,” said CFDA Executive Director Steven Kolb. “Guests will get a rare, first-hand glimpse of in-season clothes from the most creative designers, including many CFDA members and the top in American talent.”

According to NYC & Company, the city’s marketing, tourism and partnership organization, half of the visitors to New York City cite shopping as their primary activity during their stay. With nearly 1,000 participants currently registered to host an array of in-store celebrations across the five boroughs, Fashion’s Night Out has already surpassed last year’s inaugural event and nearly $500,000 has been raised for the NYC AIDS Fund through exclusive Fashion’s Night Out merchandise sales.

Starting on August 16th, a listing of Fashion’s Night Out events to date – including designer and celebrity appearances, special products, performances and fashion shows with more expected to appear as the event nears – can be viewed by going to www.nyc.gov. In addition, NYC & Company has worked with hotels around the city to create more than 40 individual hotel packages for the month of September, including packages at 6 Thompson, Fashion 26, Hudson New York, Paramount Hotel New York and the Mandarin Oriental. In an effort to drive visitation and increase consumer participation, these hotels will offer exclusive deals for travelers who want to experience Fashion’s Night Out. A full list of hotels and packages is available on www.nyc.gov.

On Tuesday, September 14th, CBS will also air an hour-long special on the making of Fashion’s Night Out. The piece will feature designers, editors and retailers as they prepare for the second year of Fashion’s Night Out, as well as other industry professionals – from salespeople to design staff – who work and contribute to the city’s retail and fashion sectors.

Last year, Mayor Bloomberg and the CFDA launched the CFDA Fashion Incubator, which is designed to grow and sustain the next generation of fashion designers in New York City by providing access to low-cost studio space and support services. New York City’s Economic Development Corporation provided a three-year, $200,000 grant to establish the incubator, which is an approximately 10,000-square-foot space that accommodates up to twelve designers. Similarly, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, which Mayor Bloomberg helped launch in 2003, continues to provide financial support and business mentorship for emerging designers and this year’s $200,000 top prize and two $50,000 runner-ups will be announced on November 15th. Designer Prabal Gurung, a participant in the CFDA Fashion Incubator and a past finalist for the CFDA/Fashion Fund award, also joined the Mayor at the announcement.

Fashion’s Night Out is supported through the generous contributions of American Express, Maybelline New York, Payless ShoeSource, QVC and Volkswagen

A short time ago, I was contacted to interview Jeanine Morris, beauty blogger, on insider secrets to celebrity style!

From body shapers to smoky eyes, Jeanine had lots for fun tips to share!

Enjoy the clip below!

Summer is great, but my skin gets an even worse beating than any time of year.

Between the swimming pool, the hard water in our environment, and then the loads of sunscreen and moisturizers… not to mention air conditioners CONSTANTLY running…

It is a constant struggle to stay clear faced!

Thanks goodness for Dr. Anne Chapas, the new TRIA blue light system,  and her tips and tricks to keep our faces from being our downfall this season!

How are you keeping it clear this summer?

This show is such a monster showing of seriously successful and uber hip brands!

The seemingly endless rows of products are somewhat overwhelming, so it is always a bit of a challenge to know where to start first.

But my good luck with timing won out once again , when I walked in and ran smack dab into George Schaeffer, President and CEO of none other than nail polish SUPER BRAND, OPI.

George is really an interesting guy, and he has succeeded in building one of the largest professional nail product companies in the world.

But more than just the architect for a spectacular business model , George has built his visions into  The American Dream.

Let me share with you some of the very  interesting history behind the OPI brand.

Schaeffer immigrated to the United States from Hungary with his family in 1956.  After receiving his college degree from City College of New York, Schaeffer began his career in the family garment manufacturing business in NYC.

(yet another beauty industry tied strongly into the fashion business!)

With an enormous appreciation for America and a dream of an even better lifestyle, Schaeffer heeded the famous words, “Go west, young man,” and moved his family to California in 1981.

In Los Angeles, Schaeffer started on the path to what would make him a legend in the Beauty Industry.

The path started in the most unlikely of places – a dental supply business that Schaeffer purchased called Odontorium Products Inc.

Schaeffer soon realized that the acrylic “porcelains” used to make dentures were similar to and, in fact, even better than the materials used by Nail Professionals for crafting acrylic nails.

Seizing upon the opportunity, Schaeffer applied his knowledge of Dental Technology to the Nail Industry to formulate superior products for Nail Technicians.

Partnering with a chemist, Schaeffer developed what has fondly become known as the “rubber band special,” an acrylic system based on the dental formulas but developed specifically for nails (the bottles were held together with a rubber band).

Schaeffer peddled the “rubber band special” door-to-door to nail salons in Los Angeles.  Once they tried it, Nail Technicians clamored for more of this  state-of-the-art system.

Keeping the initials of the dental supply company, (SO THAT is what OPI stands for? )

Schaeffer started OPI Products Inc. in 1981 in a few square feet of office space in Hollywood, California.

But it wasn’t long before Schaeffer began to miss the dynamics of the fashion industry and the thrill of working with colors; as a result, OPI entered the world of color in 1989 and grew to produce the world’s best-loved professional Nail Lacquers.

OPI truly revolutionized the world of nail color with its Nail Lacquers.

With two extraordinary Collections each year, each themed around a specific geographic location and filled with 12 of that season’s most fashion-forward shades, OPI brought the glamour back to nails, transforming them into an integral part of the style picture.

With Lacquer names so clever that customers can’t stop talking about them, the company turned the idea of names like “Pink #2” and “Bright Red #1” into names like “Coney Island Cotton Candy” and “I’m Not Really a Waitress.”

And with a Patented Lacquer Bottle, Ergonomic Cap, and ProWide® Brush designed for the ultimate in application, OPI has combined the world’s most stunning colors with the highest quality Nail Lacquers imaginable.

Preferred by Professionals and favored by red-carpet celebrities, OPI Nail Lacquer is available in 200+ shades – and has generated a global Culture of Color!

So now that you know the background  story, take a break for a few minutes and watch my interview with George,  and see what surprises OPI has in store for us all this Fall and Holiday!

It is getting late in the Summer now, and yet I am somehow not quite ready for Fall beauty yet.

(especially when I see this terrific retro shot of STILL GORGEOUS Raquel Welch!  hint hint… look for more of this look for Spring / Summer 2011! )

Sure, the allure of grey, deep eggplant, and metallic nail polish beckons, but I think I can hold out a few weeks more!

I spoke to beauty editor Amy Goodman about how to look beautiful all summer long with products recommended by real women!

Here are the best of the best picks from the Totalbeauty.com contest!

There is nothing like word of mouth from other like minded chicks! Right?

What are some of your favorite products for late Summer beauty?