Art Hearts Fashion & LA Fashion Week Recap: Britney Spears, Michael Costello & More

Britney Spears at Art Hearts Fashion

La Fashion Week

Erik Rosete & Cee Lo Green

Art Hearts Fashion

They say home is where the heart is, and for thousands of fashionistas from around the world, Art Hearts Fashion is their home at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. From March 11th through March 18th, 33 Designers, dozens of artists, and hundreds of models came together to celebrate the art of fashion at Los Angeles Fashion Week. Art Hearts Fashion has revolutionized the fashion world by combining art, philanthropy and fashion while raising awareness for the important causes it supports.

Art Hearts Fashion once again established itself as the largest and most popular fashion platform in Los Angeles. Celebrities in attendance and participating in the shows included: Britney Spears, Cee Lo Green, Ray J, Lil Mama, Michael Costello, Janice Dickinson, Jessica Sutta, Fitness Supermodel Jeff Seid, Married To Medicine Lisa Nicole Cloud, Madeline Stuart, Shaholly Ayers, Christine Devine, Jackie Christie, Christina Johnson, Richie Rich, James Kennedy, Sham Ibrahim, Mame Adjei, Ava Capra, Darius McCrary, Prince Manvendra, Brandon Bailey, Sam Asghari, Marla Solis, WWE Superstar Natalie Eva Marie and many more!

As a voice for artistic and cutting edge designers, Art Hearts Fashion is paving the way toward the future of Fashion Week. Art Hearts Fashion's philanthropic drive stretches internationally, putting the spotlight on how fashion can promote constructive ideals and influence the progressive evolution of the fashion industry. The platform is proud to raise awareness for organizations including: Aids Healthcare Foundation, Project Cancerland, Make A Wish Foundation, Children's Hospital LA, & Women's Cancer Research Foundation.

Guests of the week enjoyed an art gallery reception curated by Six Summit Gallery, pop art from celebrity artist Sham Ibrahim, and a photo experience presented by fotopod booth. This season also included a fashion installation with Nicole Miller, a plus size showcase and several talented designers presented by Best Talent Group. Opening party was hosted by Le Jardin Hollywood and closing Gala was held at Unici Casa. 

Photo Credit: Arun Nevader

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Fashion Moves: So You Think You Can Dance Episode 12

Paula Abdul 

Dress: Michael Costello

Shoes: YSL

Jewelry: Vianna Brasil (necklace) and Roseark (earrings and right hand ring)

Photos: FOX/Adam Rose

Nigel Lythgoe 

Blazer and Pants: Hugo Boss

Shirt: Tom Ford

Shoes: Max Verre

Styled by Miles Siggins

Cat Deeley 

Dress: Matthew Williamson 

Shoes: Jimmy Choo 

Jewelry: XIV Karats

Stephen “tWitch”  

Shirt: Ted Baker

Pants: G-Star

Shoes: Air Jordans Retro 13s

Hat: Baron Hats

Travis Wall 

Suit: Moods of Norway

Tie: Alexander McQueen 

Shoes: Zara

Jewelry: Joy-Den Jewelers (bracelet and earrings) and Tiffany & Co. (ring)

"tWitch" sported a pink Ted Baker shirt and Nigel stepped it up in a black Tom Ford shirt but it's Travis who wins most dapper dude in his Moods of Norway suit and Alexander McQueen tie. Paula Abdul was by far the best dressed SYTYCD in a flirty hot pink dress by Michael Costello and matching shoes by YSL. I chatted with Michael at NYFW a couple of years ago and he was as adorable as he is talented. It makes me happy to see this designer evolve and experience so much success. Paula, you look fabulous! That dress is a straight up hit and run...

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Project Runway All Stars Season Finale Recap 2012

Project Runway -  you got it right!

[caption id="attachment_13457" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Isaac Mizrahi, Joanna Coles, Georgina Chapman, Angela Lindvall"]

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I grew to really like this new group of judges/host/mentor... Their energy and enthusiasm was in the right place and the designers, throughout the entire season, seemed more receptive to the criticism because they [judges] weren't poking fun at the designs all the time. Positive energy is good! [BTW, isn't Angela smokin' hot in that dress!!]

MICHAEL COSTELLO:

Michael was inspired by the Serengeti, as evidenced by his collection, which got raves from guest judges

Tommy Hilfiger

and Neiman Marcus'  

Ken Downing

. They loved the marketability of it all but Isaac felt that some of the prints looked a little cheap. [He was probably thinking Macy's rather than Neiman's!] I would have like to see a pop of color throughout the collection. Michael's color scheme fell a little flat for me. Perhaps accessories like belts, shoes and/or handbags in lime, orange or bright blue would have done it very nicely. Still, Michael did a great job and produced a cohesive collection that moved away from the draping he is known for which got him kudos from the judges. And a luxury weekend getaway to Paris for two...

tres chic! [take me, take me!]

At first glance, Austin's collection caught my attention. But I have to agree with the judges when they said his problem was that he had too many ideas and that the collection represented the best of Austin Scarlett. I think he tried too hard. His final look, the wedding gown, was so beautiful that I wish Austin would have centered the collection around that dress.

Side note:

Austin, it was obvious you were upset at the loss, very obvious. You were on national tv and should have handled yourself with grace.

Team Mondo takes the win! I'm so happy for him. I'm hoping Mondo uses this incredible opportunity wisely and sets the foundation for an amazing career.

Don't you just want to hug him?!

Well, this concludes a season of Project Runway All Stars. I enjoyed most of the challenges and the energy that transpired throughout the season. I enjoyed that most of the "drama" that came from it was legit rather than sensationalized. I also want to say that I stand corrected on an observation I made way back about Joanna Coles... she is NOT an ice princess... Loved her! Joanna is strong, intelligent and knows her shit, but she also turned out to be compassionate and surprisingly affectionate. Her maternal instincts really took charge backstage at the finale as she hugged the finalists and delinted Mondo. Classic!

If you missed the Project Runway All Stars season finale OR want to watch again (as did I!) Click here: www.mylifetime.com

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The Sixth Look: Project Runway All Star Finale Pt.1 Recap

[caption id="attachment_13275" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Mondo Guerra, Michael Costello, Austin Scarlett - the All Stars."][/caption]

The Project Runway All Star finalists, Mondo Guerra, Michael Costello and Austin Scarlett show us why they are "All Stars" in part one of the season finale, in spite of a near meltdown. Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman joined host Angela Lindvall on the runway to deliver the final challenge to the designers. Mondo, Michael and Austin were challenged to create a mini collection of five looks in just four days.



The last trip to Mood was possibly the most stressful visit of the season as they only got one hour to shop for their fabrics.  (Remember, they were shopping for five looks!) However, their budget increased to a whopping $3,000!

[caption id="attachment_13277" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Anthony Williams & Austin."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_13278" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="April Johnston & Michael. "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_13279" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Mila Hermanovski & Mondo."][/caption]

After a (fabulous) visit with Joanna Coles on her turf, the Marie Claire Magazine offices, the designers were offered (more) mentoring and pep talks by Isaac and Georgina in the workroom. Sharing their designer/runway experiences was soothing and it was nice as a viewer to see the personal interaction from the judges. And its not that I don't miss Michael Kors and Nina Garcia as much as its that I've enjoyed the new judges more. It's been refreshing.

Of course, it wouldn't be Project Runway without a twist so two days into production the boys get a workroom visit from Angela who announced that they wanted a sixth look on the runway. But that was just half of the twist. The real challenge was that they were to use fabric scraps from previous challenges to create the new look. In grand PR style, former All Star cast members came back and Mondo, Michael and Austin had to choose one designer (each) to assist them for 24 hours on the infamous sixth look.



Michael is doing what he does best, a combination of draped and structured garments in record time. I'm not impressed with his color scheme and I'm concerned that he's giving us the same same...



Mondo delivered a major dose of drama with his near meltdown. You know that I love Mondo but his behavior made me want to bitch slap him while shoving a happy pill down his throat. It was painful to watch such a talented artist shut down. He eventually pulled it together and during the After the Runway show, Mondo shed some light on personal matters that have been haunting him, hence, explaining his mood swings.



"Starlet Scarlett" as Mondo referred to Austin so appropriately, may possibly blow us all away with his "glamor" collection. The sketches are amazing and the little peeks we got from the outfits on the dress forms were stunning. Definitely not hideous!



The All Star finalists prepare for the greatest show of their lives! I believe all three will present all star worthy collections but there can be only one winner. YOU know Mondo is my pick. Who is yours & why?

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Art meets Commerce on Project Runway All Stars

And then there were three! We're in the final runway stretch folks... it was a serious 

Project Runway All Stars

last week as only three of the designers moved on as finalists and one went home. This was an important and very relevant challenge as the All Stars had to think about the business end of fashion to create their ready-to-wear looks. Guest designer

Nanette Lepore

[not to be confused with transQueen Amanda Lepore - Queens you know who I'm talking about!] delivered and hosted the challenge. The winning design will be sold in her stores nationwide with the profits going to support the Save the Garment District Fund. 

[caption id="attachment_13180" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Austin Scarlett"]

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I have not been crazy about Austin's designs, ever. Michael Costello posed the question "what do the judges see in him" and I believe the answer is, Project Runway's top priority, ratings. He's a fan favorite and I'll admit, I've enjoyed Austin from time to time. He makes good tv. But is he the best designer? No. [

Is he too skinny, YES!

]

[caption id="attachment_13182" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Michael Costello"]

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I found it amusing [and remember, I like Michael] that he criticized Kenley for making the same dress over and over while he does the exact same thing. How many more fucking caftans do we need on Project Runway?! That aside, Michael knows how to drape one well and his looks have dramatic stage presence. This particular dress, however, was too long, as mentioned by judge/designer Georgina Chapman. Joanna Coles' issue with it (in the workroom) was that you couldn't wear a bra. Austin may have said it best by stating that only models can wear Michael's clothes.

[caption id="attachment_13183" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Kenley Collins"]

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Her own stubbornness  may have cost Kenley her place as a finalist. It's too bad. I liked her and it didn't bother me that her dresses were often mere variations. She has a marketable and wearable sensibility with just the right amount of flare. Perhaps her ego kept her from listening to the judges? The one time she did listen, enormous praise from Isaac and Georgina flowed over. This dress was pretty and I see why Kenley fell in love with the peacock feather print but unfortunately the strong print and the structural design were incompatible. Still, I would have chosen Kenley over Austin.

[caption id="attachment_13190" align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Mondo Guerra"]

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Mondo, Mondo was the winner! I especially loved the pockets of this very versatile, slightly insane dress. Without a doubt, Mondo is purely talented yet his talent may possibly be his downfall. He terrifies me. I've known people like Mondo who are completely creative and totally lack business sense or even an interest. You need to use both your right and left sides of your brain to succeed in this industry so Mondo I hope you are willing  to do that OR perhaps find yourself a Giancarlo Giammetti, just like Valentino!

The 2-part All Star finale airs March 15 and March 22... and you know there will be twists and surprises!

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An Electrifying Project Runway All Stars

The

Project Runway All Stars

lit up the runway, literally, in last week's exciting episode. The techno-chic challenge was All Star-worthy. The designers bypassed Mood and headed directly to a specialty lighting store for their supplies which consisted of LED lights and neon tape. THEN they headed over to Mood to look for fabrics that would work well under black light. Rapper/Singer

Pharrell Williams

was the guest judge for the evening. The winning design, which was clearly

his

choice regardless of the judges (professional) opinion, will be worn by one of Pharrell's artists.

Mondo

was safe. I know he could have done much better than this design even though the overall styling worked - obviously, one of his strengths. He always thinks of the entire look as any good designer should. I've been a Team Mondo member from his original season on PR and I continue to be... I'm eager to see what he brings to the next few episodes.

Ninja couture by

Michael Costello

. He was in the bottom two for this one but had enough fighting moves to stay in the competition. I liked Michael's look. It reminded me of

Alexander McQueen's

2005 chess board collection. The problem with Michael was that he was all over the place and could not decide on a design. His execution, specifically with the neon tape application, was slightly sloppy.

Maybe not so slightly!

I'll give him props for not draping.

Pharrell, I'm trying to respect your choice, after all,

you

know (not us) who'll be wearing the winning design, but you're a dick and you cost

Kenley

the win.

Real

fashion designers,

Isaac Mizrahi

and

Georgina Chapman

praised the design and gave expert reasons why Kenley's was the best. Georgina even pointed how successfully the balance of proportion and volume weighed out with this look. But it was clear, at the end, that the best design didn't qualify, it was only Pharrell's choice that mattered.

At the request of Georgina Chapman,

Jerell

raised the long, unflattering black skirt to expose the model's black-hosed legs. He possibly may have stayed in the competition if he had nixed the skirt. What a huge difference not having it made to the entire look. Too bad Jerell and goodbye.

Cry baby,

Austin Scarlett

won the challenge and could have also won an Academy Award for his "tearful" breakdown when Pharrell called him a "star." His high-tech, futuristic Marie Antoinette -esque design was good. I liked it. I just didn't love it.

The best part

: in the

After the Runway

segment, Isaac Mizrahi didn't hold back in telling Austin that Kenley should have won the challenge!

Pet peeve -side note:

Project Runway, Project Runway All Stars, Lifetime TV & Producers, EVERYONE knows that

Heidi Klum

coined the phrase: "As you know 

in fashion

, 

one day you

'

re in

. And the next day, you're out." Its hers, WE get it! Why must you force poor

Angela Lindvall

to preface it with "as you know" or "as its been said"... stop it!!

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Project Runway All Stars get Flagged... recap

The hardest part with last week's Project Runway All Stars challenge [for the viewer] was staying awake for the entire episode. I'll admit, I dozed off here and there. I'm sorry, I just found it all so boring. The designers started the day with a visit to the UN with host, Angela Lindvall. While there, they chose flags from different countries for inspiration. They were challenged to design a look inspired by the colors of the flag and the culture of the respective country. Designer Catherine Malandrino served as guest judge.



Austin Scarlett struggled with finding inspiration from the flag of Seychelles... He skipped his meal and worked straight through. At the end, he produced his signature glam-style look but it really didn't work. He was safe.



Kenley Collins was a runway favorite with Chile. Her dress was cute and the cut on the chic side, but the problem I have is the same problem everyone is having: she makes the same dress week after week! She is going to have to step up her game to stay in this competition.



A beautifully draped Greece inspiration from Michael Costello graced the runway. He whipped this one out, though the back was cut a little to low for comfort, I think.



The real issue was with the front of the dress. The judges felt it read pageant gown because of the blue embellished bow. Hey, maybe Michael was thinking Miss Universe?



Jerell Scott gave us a costume from India. I would have sent him home. He took it way too far; over the edge. Strip away the green chiffon draped mess, the white embellished horror down the sleeve and give the model runway hair and make-up, this costume would have been fashion. Hey Jerell, Bollywood's calling!



Mila took her modernity and structure to Papa New Guinea and got sent packing! Even though I really didn't like the short/long lengths of her dress, I did appreciate everything else about it, especially the asymmetrical neckline. Mila had a vision, stayed true to her aesthetic while interpreting the challenge without giving us costume. Again, I would have sent Jerell home.



Mondo takes another win with his inspired dress from Jamaica. He stepped outside his comfort zone and created a simplified look that was sexy and sophisticated. He incorporated the colors of the flag on the back treatment... I didn't care for that at all but I understand why he had to.

Immediately following the show, Lifetime premiered the "After the Runway" half-hour series hosted by Joanna Coles and Isaac Mizrahi. Each week they'll feature the fallen designer and answer workroom and runway questions. I'm sure they'll start as many fires as they put out!

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