Nick Appearance Minute: Nick Verreos FIDM San Francisco "Style, Trends & Blog Talk" Event: The Recap!

I Left My Blogging HEART in...San Francisco!

Trend Talk With Nick Verreos: Nick Verreos FIDM San Francisco "Style, Trends, and Blog Talk"

Last weekend, I flew to San Francisco to host a very special "Style, Trends & Blog Talk" Panel Discussion at the wonderful Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM San Francisco. This was a great chance to get some fabulous information--as well as get to tour the college, get to see what makes FIDM SF so amazing!

I arrived on Friday--to a GORGEOUS day (I almost thought the pilot had landed in San Diego...there was not a single cloud in the sky!). I enjoyed a nice dinner with an old friend and went right to bed to be ready for the event which was happening the following morning at the FIDM SF campus right in Union Square. I always love returning to the Bay Area since yes kids, I spend my very impressionable high school years there after my family and I moved from Caracas Venezuela.

Look Who's Talking: FIDM SF "Style, Trends & Blog Talk With Nick Verreos"

Saturday morning, I put on my light pink dress shirt and jacket from TopMan, my skinny black jeans, my Gucci boots and of course, topped it all off with my very own custom pocket hankie made out of fabric from my NIKOLAKI line. As I made my way to the College, everyone around me was in shorts and flip flops (SF, 82 degrees Fahrenheit) and yes, I got some major "Why are you so dressed up?" stares but alas, you know I LOVED it!

Foursome Fab: (left to right) Lorraine Sanders, Jeanne Chan, Nick Verreos, and Beth Spotswood, FIDM SF "Style, Trends & Blog Talk" event (Photo Courtesy of Marcellina M. Burch, FIDM SF)

Once at the campus, I was greeted by three of San Francisco's most fab bloggers who would join me on this FIDM SF "Style, Trends and Blog Talk" panel: Lorraine Sanders, founder of SF Indie Fashion and author of StyleBites, Jeanne Chan of ShopSweetThings.com, and Beth Spotswood, who writes some really great blogs for SFGate.com.

Full House: FIDM SF "Style, Trends & Blog Talk" Event Hosted by Nick Verreos (Photo Courtesy of Marcellina M. Burch, FIDM SF)

We were greeted by a packed room of 150+ students, parents, SF Bay Area bloggers (yep, they were there!) plus even some Project Runway Fans!! (LOVE YOU!). I began the discussion with a PowerPoint presentation on Trends; how Trends begin, where they come from, trends for Spring 2012, etc. There were A LOT of attendees taking notes as I spoke (it was like I was teaching one of my FIDM classes).

 Trend Class: Nick Verreos Talks 80's Influence at FIDM SF "Style, Trends & Blog Talk" event

Then I segued into the panel discussion--and brought my SF Blogger DIVAS into the mix, discussing their backgrounds, how they got started, and the Do's & Dont's of Blogging 101...

SF Bloggers WORK!!! (Photo Courtesy of Marcellina M. Burch, FIDM SF)

At one point of my presentation, I looked over and our three fabulous bloggers/guests were LIVE BLOGGING and TWEETING about being at the event! Soooo 2012 Social Media!!! After an hour+ discussion on everything and anything BLOG, we had a Q & A with the audience, followed by raffle of a signed FIDM bag.

The winner happened to be a guest who had been at the event over an hour early (a big fan of yours truly!). She was SO happy--and I was so happy that she was the winner (how much do you LUV that "I "Heart" Nerdy Boys" t-shirt of hers??? Sooo cute!!). Afterward, I stayed around to take pics and sign things--anything!!!

Below is a photo compilation of some of those pics:

Top Row: Adam Easterday, Nick Verreos, Malaya Malone; Dexie Santiago & Nick Verreos; 
Middle Row: Lanae Roxas & Nick Verreos; Dre Anthony McMurry & Nick Verreos;

Bottom Row: Besan Alkhatib & Nick Verreos; Emilio Ruiz-Vega & Nick Verreos

Thank you to FIDM San Francisco, my three SF Blogger Panel Guests, and everyone who came out on a beautiful SF Saturday and decided to be indoors with us and attend!!! I am most grateful for meeting each and EVERYONE of you!!! Hope you got some great info. and possibly got inspired!!

Nick Appearance Minute: Nick Verreos in San Francisco April 21 to host FIDM SF "Style, Trends & Blog Talk" Panel!!

BLOG Fabulous in SF!!!

Hello San Francisco Fashionistas!! I'm excited to announce that I will be in San Francisco--next weekend--on Saturday April 21, to be exact--to host a really FAB event: "Style, Trends & Blog Talk with Nick Verreos" at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM San Francisco Campus. This is a one-of-a-kind event and the very first time FIDM SF has had anything like this! And naturally, I am honored and very privileged to be the MC and be a part of it.

Nick Verreos, FIDM San Francisco Campus

As the Official Spokesperson for my alma mater--FIDM--I've had the honor of making appearances at various FIDM Open Houses and Three Days of Fashion events at this most amazing FIDM SF Campus. I just love the campus, its staff, and the students. As you may know, I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area so naturally, anything SF will always have a special place in my STYLE heart!

On Saturday April 21st, beginning at 10:30 am, I will host/MC a panel discussion on the exciting world of fashion and design, trends, and the evolution of style and fashion blogs. My guests will include...

Jeanne Chan (above), creator and founder of the ShopSweetThings.com blog as well as...

Beth Spotswood, author of the Culture blog at SFGate.com...

and Lorraine Sanders, Founder of SF Indie Fashion and the author of Style Bytes, a regular San Francisco Chronicle column.

I can't wait to see you guys there (if you can come!)--This is a Not-To-Be-Missed event! Here are the Details:

WHAT: "Style, Trends & Blog Talk with Nick Verreos"--a Panel Discussion on Trends, Evolution of the Style Blogosphere, and much more...

WHEN: Saturday April 21, 2012, 10:30 am-12:30 pm

WHERE: Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM San Francisco
55 Stockton Street, San Francisco CA 94108

RSVP: RSVP at FIDM.edu/go/NickEvent or contact FIDM SF for more information at 415-675-5200

Fashion School Fix: Nick Verreos Begins his FIDM "3 Days of Fashion" Tour in FIDM San Francisco!

City by the Bay Couture and Fashion School FAB-U-Lousnesss!!!!!

Nick In Heaven: Nick Verreos at the de Young Museum "Balenciaga and Spain" Exhibition San Francisco

Last week, I began my 2011 FIDM 3 Days of Fashion "Tour". As the Official Spokesperson--and Alumn of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, I travel to all the Campuses for their annual "3 Days of Fashion" EXTRAVAGANZA!!!! Three Days of Fashion is the event where high-school and post graduates:

• Discover new and exciting career options
• Take workshops such as Draping, Creative Thinking, and Product Development
• Learn how to sketch the nine-head fashion figure
• Find out what a Designer really does
• Meet FIDM Grads who have found success and are doing what they love
• Find out how the industry gets the latest information about trends
• Tour some of the best shopping spots in the world
• Get the answers to all your questions from the people who really know: the working professionals

My first stop was San Francisco:

I flew up to San Francisco from my home base in Los Angeles on Virgin America (my plane above)--one of my favorite airlines! The flight attendants are always so friendly and I love the ordering food and drinks from the TV screen thing--even on a one-hour flight!

Chic Airport: SFO Terminal 2

I landed in SFO's spankin' brand (almost) new Terminal 2. The terminal was outfitted with cool red "egg" chairs and an overall post-modern design aesthetic: Loved it! Reminded me of the Jet Blue Terminal at JFK. After getting my suitcase (I brought gowns kids!!!), I got to the City and checked into my room at one of my FAVE SF Hotels--the Kimpton Hotels' Hotel Monaco.

Kimpton Hotels' Hotel Monaco San Francisco "Welcome"

As always, there was a "Welcome Nick!" bottle of wine (Hello!) and glasses for me to enjoy. Sometimes there is a cheese-and-snack plate but not this time unfortunately. Maybe this was a "Welcome with a small 'w' ". But nevertheless, I was very THANKFUL for the wine but I saved it for later because besides making my FIDM SF "3 Days of Fashion" appearance, I had one other thing on my mind and that was:

De Young Museum: Balenciaga and Spain

Yes....going to the De Young Museum and visiting the "Balenciaga and Spain" Exhibition Hello??? My Northern California friend Didi Simon and I drove to the Museum (I ordered the tickets online beforehand) and we went and enjoyed EVERY single COUTURE Gown of it!

It was AMAZING!!! The Exhibition closes on July 4th and I will be traveling to Europe July 5th so this was the ONLY time I could see it!!! It was GLORIOUS!!! I absolutely LOVE , adore, admire Cristobal Balenciaga and his creations so to me, it was like being in Fashion Heaven! The Exhibition is organized into six "Inspiration" sections: Spanish Art, Regional Dress, the Spanish Court, Religious Life and Ceremony, the Bullfight, and Dance.

Gown Central: "Balenciaga and Spain" Exhibition, De Young Museum San Francisco

At one point, I gave an impromptu "Haute Couture Lesson/Tour" as I was describing all the intricacies of the Art of Haute Couture and construction/seaming to my friend Didi, and then I turned around and there were about TEN or so other exhibit visitors listening! And funny enough, many visitors recognized me and were very happy that A) I was there, and B) I was giving them a FREE knowledgeable mini-tour!

But soon, it was time to make my "special appearance" at FIDM SF's "3 Days of Fashion":

I always LOVE coming to San Francisco and the FIDM SF!!! They always treat me like a Star! Today was supposed to be the final day of their annual "3 Days of Fashion" and I was their "special guest star"!!!

FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion Welcome

As part of the "3 Days of Fashion" events, FIDM SF organizers have a fun-and-fabulous "Project FIDM" fashion show, where participants get to "re-create" and "re-cycle" garments and then have a fashion show that is judged a la Project Runway.

Jackets Required: FIDM SF Alumna Julia A. Hill and Nick Verreos, FIDM San Francisco "2011 3 Days of Fashion"

For the 2nd consecutive year, I was joined by Clinton Kelly's (from TLC's "What Not To Wear") Executive Assistant and new Director of Design for his QVC line--FIDM SF Alumn Julia A. Hill as one of my co-judges of that aforementioned contest. She was looking VERY "NY Vogue Magazine Jr. Editor" in her pleated high-waist khaki trousers, lilac tank and black "Boyfriend" jacket.

Judges Judging: Julia A. Hill Nick Verreos and three Guest Student Judges discuss who the winners of "Project FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion" will be

Model Rachael Sitz in NIKOLAKI red silk satin-back crepe backless gown with...

Swarovski crystal straps, gathered back and Godet-train

In addition to the Contest, I also brought several of my NIKOLAKI Red Carpet Dresses to show the "3 Days of Fashion" attendees. The dresses were modeled by Look Model Agency model Rachael Sitz, one of the BEST--and favorite--models in San Francisco!!

Model Rachael Sitz in the NIKOLAKI lilac hand-beaded lilac cocktail dress, FIDM SF 2011 "3 Days of Fashion"

I even brought THE "Katy Perry" dress--a lilac-colored hand-beaded one-shoulder sequin dress that Katy Perry wore to launch her Purr Perfume. Yes, kids, Miss Katy Perry wore one of my designs!!!

Say "Hi" San Francisco: FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion Attendees, waiting for an autograph and a photo

Posin' Fashionistas: FIDM "3 Days of Fashion" attendees and Nick Verreos (center)--and a signed t-shirt

FIDM Goodie Bags:Nick Verreos, Julia A. Hill and Winners pose with their autographed FIDM bags, FIDM SF 3 Days of Fashion

All in all, I had a BLAST at FIDM San Francisco's "3 Days of Fashion"; the Contest, the fashion show, showing my gowns/dresses, I even stayed a coupe of hours afterward and signed autographs and took pics with each and every one of the attendees! (which I LUV doing!)

I was even asked to sign someone's iPhone!!! Someone's iPhone may end up on Ebay...

Thanks San Francisco and Northern California for a FAB FIDM "3 Days of Fashion"!! Can't wait to come back!!!!!

FIDM San Francisco Open House 2011: My Photo Recap!!!

60's Shift Dresses, Fashionable Students, a Fun Lecture, and ...oh, Is That Miss Raja from "RuPaul's Drag Race"???

Nick Verreos, FIDM SF Entrance

This past weekend, I took a quick trip to one of my favorite cities (and old "stomping grounds")--San Francisco--to make a visit at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising's San Francisco Campus, for their annual "Open House".

The FIDM SF campus is located right in the heart of Union Square, one of the BEST--and most famous--shopping meccas in the world. I always love coming to the campus because I just LOVE the entire FIDM SF team and they always "roll out the red carpet" for me.

In addition, I always love looking at the great window displays they have as soon as one gets out into the 5th Floor "lobby" area. This time around, they had a display entitled "Pop Goes The 60's", showing colorful fashions of the 60's--from the FIDM SF "vault"--including a sassy red plaid pantsuit--accessorized by a chic red hat/turban--as well as...

A lemon-yellow wrap dress and one of my favorites, the apple-green silk shantung shift dress with encrusted sequin trim seen above on the right. But enough about the chic window displays...now onto the Open House...

Speech Mode: Nick Verreos at FIDM SF Open House 2011

After an entire morning of students, parents and families taking a tour of the FIDM SF Campus and getting to meet former graduates, faculty, the FABULOUS library, and classrooms, they get a special treat: I give my "Nick Inspiration" Lecture and share with everyone my story--from growing up in Caracas Venezuela sketching my mom and flight attendants--to finally pursuing my dream of becoming a fashion designer, attending FIDM and of course, my time on Project Runway. I was taken aback by HOW MANY people showed up for my "little ol' lecture":

It was Standing Room Only kiddies! I have been here before doing my "Nick Lectures" for past Open Houses but this was KRAZEE! (good krazee of course!). I think everyone in attendance really enjoyed it (they told me so afterward) and said that "It was really informative, inspirational" and added that I was "really funny!!".

Say "FASHION!": Nick Verreos poses with a Cuppertino-based high school Fashion Club, FIDM SF Open House 2011

Following this, I took photos with anyone who wanted as well as signed FIDM tote bags. As always, it was so much fun meeting everyone--from the high school students to their mommies and daddies!!

Spell Your Name: Nick Verreos signing FIDM tote bags, FIDM SF Open House 2011

Check out That Necklace: Nick Verreos poses with guest--and future fashion designer--FIDM SF Open House 2011

After the Open House was over, I still had several hours before I had to go back to SFO to catch my Virgin America (Love the Mood Lighting!) flight back to Los Angeles, so the FIDM SF ladies decided to send me off with some delicious cocktails and nibblings at...

Kuleto's on Powell in Union Square. Well, darling, the staff there was BEYOND-gracious as they showered my "party" with complimentary Champagne and yummy signature cocktails. Who knew someone at Kuleto's was a fan of Project Runway and TV Guide Red Carpet Shows and moi!? Needless to say, it was a great "Send Off" and a wonderful way to end a very successful Open House lecture. But wait...it wasn't over:

Posing Girls: Nick Verreos and Sutan "Raja" Amrull of "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3", Union Square San Francisco

All of a sudden, as I'm about to leave, I spotted a friendly face from LA: Sutan Amrull--"Raja Gemini" from "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3" just walking with his friends. Of course, I ran out and had to say "Hey Girl!" At the same time, we both asked "What are you doing here in SF???" and I told him I was doing my FIDM SF event and Miss Sutan was emcee'ing "Soiree 9: La Dolce Vita" 9Th Anniversary of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. We then posed and caused a minor scene right there and then, much to the delight of the German tourists walking by. Love me some Raja!!

Now...I was really ready to catch my flight back home to LA--Until next time SF...