Nick Verreos and Stylist Jen Rade Do It Again On TV Guide's The Fashion Team "What's The Fashion"!

What's The Fashion Fashionistas???

What A Couple: Fashion Designer Nick Verreos and Stylist/Costume Designer Jen Rade, TV Guide Network's "The Fashion Team" TV Show

This last weekend, my favorite stylist-fashion-expert-in-crime---Stylist/Costume Designer Jennifer Rade--and I, were at it again bringing you what was "Hot" and "Not So Hot" in the week's Red Carpet Celeb World for our weekly "What's The Fashion" segment for TV Guide Network's "The Fashion Team".

On the set while filming, my co-host, Jen ,was perfection, wearing a silk georgette bias-cut cowl-necked number and her luscious curly locks. And I, well, I was giving you "mini" bow-tie.

Our "The Fashion Team" host, Lawrence Zarian was in NY with his besties--Regis & Kelly--so we had to fend for ourselves. We had lots of fun giving our "Fashion Two Cents" on Cher, Christina Aquilera, Debi Mazar and Julianne Moore.

Click Below for our "What's The Fashion?" Segment from TV Guide Network's "The Fashion Team":

Kayley Stallings Update!

IMTA alum Kayley Stallings was recently in the TV movie The Dog Who Stole Christmas! In this heartwarming holiday story, Kayley played Kara Bannister.

Kayley, who competed at IMTA in 2006, has worked on many projects such as: Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. After competing at IMTA, Kayley signed with Martin Weiss Management, and went on to do a national AT&T commercial. She has guest-starred on Monk and in a Promo for New York City Schools. Most recently, Kayley wrapped up filming yet another national commercial – this time for Wal-Mart!

Nick Verreos Figure Skating Fashion Blog UniversalSports.com: Grand Prix of France/Trophee Eric Bompard!

Bonjour France!

French Figure Skater Brian Joubert skating his Short program at Trophee Eric Bompard before pulling out of the Free Program as a result of gastroenteritis

I can't believe it's almost over! Well, the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Finals, that is. We've "traveled" the entire Globe--Japan, China, Russia, Canada and the United States--in search of the top figure skaters in the world. As well as in search of the best and not-so-best Figure Skating Costumes.

This last weekend was the Trophee Eric Bompard in France, the last stop before the Final Grand Prix in Beijing China (it's in two weeks!). Of course, I was watching to see who would make the final cut and eventually go to Beijing, but naturally, I was also watching for the costumes and for my UniversalSports.com Figure Skating Blog.

I also especially LOVE the Grand Prix of France because they always have the MOST FABULOUS "Kiss-and-Cry" section! They make Russia's--and every other Grand Prix for that matter--look as if they're in someone's Trailer Park! Leave it to the French: Always Chic. Here are some (Costume) highlights from this past weekend: Once again, there were a few Costume Changes. Check it all out below:

US Figure Skater Mirai Nagasu's Costume Changes

Memoirs of a Pretty Skate: Another Change in Costume! What is happening? Are these ladies actually reading my comments here on UniversalSports.com? (I privately hope so!). I like this new costume: It’s young, fresh; love the bright white color and the delicate youthful flower detail. However (you know that was coming), I wished that the skirt would have been a lighter more flowy chiffon or georgette fabric.

US Figure Skater Alyssa Czisny's Costume Changes

Color Genius: At first glance, I actually thought Alyssa Czisny’s costume was a brand-new costume. But soon enough I realized “Oh wait, it’s the SAME costume!” but she did something really unique. She added a splash of hand-painted color and Voila: New costume! I think it’s actually quite genius of her (or her people) to have done that. I call this “New Costume for the Economic Recession!” I liked the costume before but now, I LOVE it!

Japan's Haruka Imai at Grand Prix of France/Trophee Eric Bompard

Kismet On Ice: Haruka Imai’s colorful costume, in which she skated to the Polovetsian Dances, or better known for its “Stranger In Paradise” melody, was a little over the top I thought. It may have been a bit too literal for me. I liked the intricate top but lose the “car wash” fringed skirt and tacky arm bands. Along with her flailing arm movements, those two things didn’t help.

Fumie Suguri's Costume: From Bad to Good...or Bad to Worse???

See what I thought about Japan's Fumie Suguri Costume Re-do--plus all the other costumes from Grand Prix of France HERE on UniversalSports.com!

IMTA Countdown - Week One!

The IMTA Countdown has officially begun! Today and every Monday for the next five weeks counting down to the Convention, That IMTA Blog will feature hints and tips and feature stars who got their start with IMTA to help you make the most of your IMTA Convention experience! We are excited for you to join us in counting down for the Event of a Lifetime together!

Model Tip of the Week
Makeup artists are always emphasizing the importance of "a perfect canvas" for makeup. Do you have a good skin care routine? Find out what products work best for you and use them regularly. The modeling agents at IMTA will want your skin to look beautiful and for you to wear very little makeup.

For great skin care advice, click here or here.

Talent Tip of the Week
Headshots are a black and white or full color shot of your face or ¾ length vertical shot that should look like you. Casting Directors use headshots to choose talent who have the potential to work in their projects. For that reason, it is very important that your headshot look exactly like you -- not glamorized, airbrushed, etc. Therefore, your headshot for the IMTA Theatrical Headshot Competition should be natural and styling should be simple.

Actor of the Week
Our featured Actor of the Week is Zach Roerig, who stars on the television-thriller-series The Vampire Diaries. Zach Roerig performs on the hit show as Matt Donovan, Elena's former boyfriend. He's also known for his roles on Friday Night Lights and One Life to Live. You can watch Zach anytime in the Vampire Diaries on CWTV.com!

Zach attended IMTA in 2003 at the Los Angeles Convention where he met his manager.

Zach and The Vampire Diaries are currently nominated for People's Choice Awards in the categories of Favorite Sci Fi /Fantasy Show and Favorite TV Drama! To vote, visit the official PCA website.

Model of the Week

IMTA alum Emma Ostilly is featured in the new winter campaign for Aeropostale! When she competed at IMTA in 2009, she won 1st runner up Model of the Year 2009 and signed with Wilhelmina. She also did a shoot for Victoria's Secret Swimwear that will be released soon!

IMTA Hall of Fame
Ashton Kutcher's feature film Killers with Katherine Heigl is only one of the many projects he has recently worked on. He has starred in many popular films including What Happens in Vegas, The Butterfly Effect and The Guardian. Kutcher is currently working on the films New Year's Eve and No Strings Attached, both to be released in 2011. He has also worked with several IMTA Alumni in the movies Valentine's Day with Jessica Biel, Bobby with Elijah Wood, in Cheaper by the Dozen with Alyson Stoner, and in Dude, Where's My Car? with another IMTA alum, Seann William Scott.


Ashton competed IMTA in 1997, and received so many callbacks, he won Most Sought After Male Model of the Year! He signed with a modeling agency and walked the runways for top designers in the fashion industry. He soon was cast as Kelso on That 70's Show. He has become a successful producer (Punk'd, Miss Guided) as well as a Hollywood A-List actor. Alongside his acting achievements, Ashton was also the first person to have 1 million followers on Twitter! Follow him at Twitter.com/aplusk for daily updates in the life of Ashton.

Like us on Facebook, at Facebook.com/IMTAModelsandActors!
You can also follow us on Twitter, at Twitter.com/IMTA!

Ilana Klusky in Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special!

IMTA's Ilana Klusky is doing the child voice overs on the Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special. Ilana competed at IMTA Los Angeles in 2008. This special airs on Saturday, November 27 on NBC!

Be sure to tune in to see Ilana in the Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special!

Nick Verreos Hosts Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM Los Angeles Fall 2010 Open House!

Emcee...FIDM "Red Carpet" Commentator and a Panel of Alumni...

Open House Mic: Nick Verreos Emcees FIDM Fall Open House LA Campus

This last Saturday, as the Official Spokesperson for my alma mater, the Fashion Institute of Design& Merchandising/FIDM, I had the pleasure of visiting the LA Campus' Fall Open House. FIDM's Open House is when prospective students get to visit FIDM, learn about all the 20 creative majors, get advice from FIDM Alumni and Admissions Counselors, and much more.

Panel of FIDM Grads and student, FIDM Fall Open House LA Campus

One of the "much more" was meeting me--and three FIDM Grads and one currently-enrolled student, at a Panel Discussion which I hosted. The Grads had received their degrees in different majors including Apparel Manufacturing and Product Development. One of them was actually a student of mine, I am proud to say, Malorie Dempster (third from the left in black jumpsuit) who recently competed in the DECA FIDM Runway Challenge). The one current student (far left) was in the Fashion Design Major. Each spoke of their experience at FIDM and where they are working now.

Boot Happy: Nick Verreos poses with prospective students at FIDM Fall Open House

We also held a Q & A, a mini "Nick Verreos FIDM Open House Red Carpet " session where I pointed out the especially stylin' prospective students--and their moms and dads! Afterward, I stayed around for photos with all in attendance.

Can you See Me: I am somewhere in that group, posing and taking photos with everyone "in line". Once again the FIDM LA Open House was a great success; I had a great time with all the perspective new students and of course, the loving parents! Hope to see you in one of my classes (the students that is!).

Click Below for a Video of the Panel Discussion FIDM Fall Open House LA Campus:

Nick Verreos Figure Skating Fashion Blog UniversalSports.com: Grand Prix Cup of Russia!

Babushkas Loves Sequins!

Tango Hands Abbott: US Figure Skater Jeremy Abbott at Cup of Russia

Figure Skating Fever: If you've been keeping up with my blog here, you might know that I have been covering the Costume "Hot's" and "Not's" for UniversalSports.com for this season's Grand Prix series.

Now we are in St. Petersburg Russia for the Cup of Russia 2010. Several Figure Skaters changed up their costumes from the last time they competed--some good and some not so much. Here are some improved ones:

Ashley Wagner US Figure Skater

Where Are My Castanets: I think Ashley’s Long Program costume is a step in the right direction. She always looks elegant and regal and I think this more traditional style suits her skating better. Although a bit fussy for my taste (not a fan of the ruffled “rickety-rack” trim that looks as if it came from JoAnn’s Fabric Store), the strapless effect of the dress and the beautiful Ombre-dyed skirt enhance her beautiful skating.

Akiko Suzuki Japanese Figure Skater Skating to "Fiddler On The Roof"

And the Award For “Much Improved” Goes To: I think this is a big improvement from the costume Akiko wore at Cup of China. It is more sophisticated and reflective of what is happening in fashion now; the asymmetry of the neckline, the diagonal ruffles, the contrast edging, the rosette details. The previous costume looked juvenile and meant more for a Junior Skater. She went from 15 to 25 in ONE beautiful Costume!

The "Why Bother"...

Tomas Verner Czech Republic Figure Skater Skating to a Michael Jackson Medley

Beat It: Czech boy-wonder Verner changed up his costume by going from a blue shirt to a black shirt (boy, that was a STRETCH!). While I understand that he is simplifying everything this year, I think this is taking things a step too far. He went from looking like he worked on the Lido Deck to becoming a student at the Marcel Marceau School of Mime!

And Then...

Lucie Mysliveckova and Matej Novak: Let My People Go: Remix

Russia's Mysliveckova and Novak skated to music that included--among others--an African-American Spiritual Song, ABBA and well, everything in between. The soundtrack was a potpourri of a MESS and what did I think of their corresponding costumes?

Click HERE to read what I really thought plus view all my comments from the Cup of Russia Grand Prix of Figure Skating.

NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos and David Paul Wedding Gown: Lifetime Promotes Lucy Liu's New Movie "Marry Me"

Catch the Couture Bouquet:

Where's the Bride: NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Demi-Couture Wedding Gown, Silk organza strapless gown with hand-beaded paillette bustier *photo courtesy of Evans Vestal Ward

To promote Lucy Liu's new Lifetime Movie: Marry Me premiering Sunday, December 12 at 9 pm et/pt , I was asked by Lifetime to send them some photos of recent Wedding Dresses from my NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Demi-Couture Collection. And although we do not have a full line of Wedding Dresses, I always have one or two special Bridal Pieces to complete each collection, so I was happy to send images of these new looks. They also asked several other Project Runway Designers--Season 2 Winner Chloe Dao, Season One's Austin Scarlett, and Season 5 Winner Leanne Marshall to name but a few.

For Spring 2011, my NIKOLAKI Co-Designer David Paul and I designed a couple of (we think) beautiful dresses for a very stylish bride. The first is a Strapless Gown featuring a Silk Chiffon Hand Beaded Bustier with a Silk Organza Raw Cut High-Low Skirt, shown here:

*photo courtesy of Evans Vestal Ward

On one of our fabulous (and favorite) models, Amanda Fields from Season 3 Project Runway. It is fully lined in taffeta and has Horsehair trim to stiffen the hem. It also has hidden side pockets!

A Mykonos Wedding: NIKOLAKI Demi-Couture Wedding Dress, hand-beaded paillettes over silk chiffon cowl-draped dress with matching capelet *photo courtesy of Evans Vestal Ward

The other Wedding Dress we submitted is this short-and-sexy number for that adventurous bride. Seen above on model Lauren Gish, it is a hand-beaded Ecru-colored mini bias-cut dress featuring a cowl-draped front and back. It also has a matching hand-beaded paillette sequin capelet. Think Mykonos Wedding...for a very rich Supermodel...or a sexy Dubai Emira!

*Click HERE to view all the wedding dresses by Project Runway Winners and Alumn as well as Wedding Gown Design Veterans such as Angel Sanchez, Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, and Monique Lhullier.

Miss USA 2010

Miss USA 2010

Finally an Arab-American is Miss USA 2010

Washington, 18^th May: Rima Fakih, a 24-year-old Lebanese immigrant, has won the Miss USA 2010 title on Sunday. She is the first ever Arab-American to win this prestigious title.

Hailing from Dearborn, Michigan, Ms. Fakih nearly tripped in her evening gown but went on to win anyway, after telling judges that in her view birth control ought to be paid for by the healthcare system given its cost .

She also discussed her multi-faith background, describing her family as one that celebrated both the Christian and the Muslim faiths.

Ms. Fakih was born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States as a child. She grew up in New York. The Detroit Free Press quoted pageant fan Zouheir Alawieh as saying, “This is the real face of Arab Americans, not the stereotypes you hear about.” He added, “We have culture. We have beauty. We have history, and today we made history… She believed in her dreams.”

Interestingly, in Afghanistan, people are not allowed to organize and participate in beauty contests as there is a fatwa from the Taliban leaders against it.

Finally an Arab-American is Miss USA 2010

Washington, 18^th May: Rima Fakih, a 24-year-old Lebanese immigrant, has won the Miss USA 2010 title on Sunday. She is the first ever Arab-American to win this prestigious title.

Hailing from Dearborn, Michigan, Ms. Fakih nearly tripped in her evening gown but went on to win anyway, after telling judges that in her view birth control ought to be paid for by the healthcare system given its cost .

She also discussed her multi-faith background, describing her family as one that celebrated both the Christian and the Muslim faiths.

Ms. Fakih was born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States as a child. She grew up in New York. The Detroit Free Press quoted pageant fan Zouheir Alawieh as saying, “This is the real face of Arab Americans, not the stereotypes you hear about.” He added, “We have culture. We have beauty. We have history, and today we made history… She believed in her dreams.”

Interestingly, in Afghanistan, people are not allowed to organize and participate in beauty contests as there is a fatwa from the Taliban leaders against it.

Miss Miami USA 2010

Tatiana Santos was crowned Miss Miami USA 2010

Miss Miami USA 2010

Tatiana Santos was crowned Miss Miami USA 2010

Miss World American Flag Bikini

Miss World American Flag Bikini

Miss World Pageant

Miss World Pageant